| "Ain't It a Shame" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Fats Domino | ||||
| from the album Rock and Rollin' with Fats Domino | ||||
| B-side | La-La | |||
| Released | 1955 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll, blues, jazz | |||
| Length | 2:16 | |||
| Label | Imperial | |||
| Writer(s) | Antoine Domino, Dave Bartholomew | |||
| Fats Domino singles chronology | ||||
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| "Ain't That a Shame!" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Four Seasons | ||||
| from the album Ain't That a Shame and 11 Others | ||||
| B-side | Soon (I'll Be Home Again) (from the same album) | |||
| Released | April 1963 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 2:36 | |||
| Label | Vee-Jay Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Antoine Domino, Dave Bartholomew | |||
| Producer | Bob Crewe | |||
| The Four Seasons singles chronology | ||||
|
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| "Ain't It a Shame" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Cheap Trick | ||||
| from the album Cheap Trick at Budokan | ||||
| B-side | ELO Kiddies | |||
| Released | 1979 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Genre | Rock and Roll | |||
| Length | 5:10 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Writer(s) | Antoine Domino, Dave Bartholomew | |||
| Cheap Trick singles chronology | ||||
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"Ain't That a Shame" is a song recorded by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew, in New Orleans, Louisiana, for Imperial Records and released in 1955. It was previously recorded in 1901 by Silas Leachman[1]. The recording ("Ain't It a Shame") was a hit for Domino, eventually selling a million copies. It reached #1 on the "Black Singles" chart and #10 on the "Pop Singles" chart.[2] The song is ranked #431 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song gained national fame after being re-recorded by white recording artist Pat Boone.[3] Domino's version soon became more popular, bringing Domino's music to the mass market a half dozen years after his first major recording, "The Fat Man".[4]
After "Ain't It a Shame", mainstream artists began covering Domino's songs. Teresa Brewer, for instance, performed the Domino rewrite of a folk song called "Bo Weevil".
According to legend, Pat Boone suggested the title and lyrics be altered to "Isn't That A Shame" to make it more appealing to a broader audience but was dissuaded by his producers.[5] Despite his suggestion being rejected, Boone had his first Billboard number-one single in 1955. Domino complimented Boone's cover of the song.[3] Boone likes to tell the story about a Fats Domino concert and Domino invited Boone on stage. Domino showed a big gold ring and said "Pat Boone bought me this ring."[6]
This was the first song that John Lennon learned to play. He later covered it on Rock 'n' Roll.[7]
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Fats Domino can be seen performing this song in a 1956 film Shake, Rattle & Rock!. The song is heard in American Graffiti, and is used in the movies October Sky, L.A. Story, School Ties and Mischief. As of April 2007, the song can be heard in commercials for Dr Pepper. It can be heard at the end of the Season Four finale of the television series The Shield. It was also included in the soundtrack for the 2010 video game Mafia II.
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 35 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 10 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 25 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 24 |
| Preceded by "Unchained Melody" by Roy Hamilton |
Billboard R&B Best Sellers in Stores number-one single June 11, 1955 - August 13, 1955 |
Succeeded by "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry |