Released in 1989
Written by Fats Domino • Dave Bartholomew
Last updated on September 4, 2016
Album This song officially appears on the My Brave Face CD Single.
Timeline This song was officially released in 1989
This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:
Nov 30, 1980
Jul 21, 1987
Officially appears on This One
Officially appears on My Brave Face
Officially appears on Run Devil Run
Unreleased song
Officially appears on Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino
From Wikipedia:
“Ain’t That a Shame” is a song written by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. Domino’s recording of the song, released by Imperial Records in 1955, was a hit, eventually selling a million copies. It reached number 1 on the Bilboard R&B chart and number 10 on the pop chart. The song is ranked number 438 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song gained national fame after being re-recorded by the white recording artist Pat Boone. Domino’s version soon became more popular, bringing his music to the mass market a half-dozen years after his first recording, “The Fat Man“.
After “Ain’t That a Shame“, mainstream artists began covering Domino’s songs. Teresa Brewer, for instance, performed Domino’s version of the folk song “Bo Weevil“.
A version of the song by the Four Seasons reached number 22 on the Billboard charts in 1963.
According to legend, Pat Boone suggested changing the title and lyrics to “Isn’t That a Shame” to make it more appealing to a broader audience but was dissuaded by his producers. Nevertheless, Boone’s recording of the song in 1955 was his first Billboard number-one single. Domino complimented Boone’s cover of the song. Boone liked to tell a story about a concert at which Domino invited Boone on stage, showed a big gold ring and said, “Pat Boone bought me this ring.”
“Ain’t That a Shame” was the first song that John Lennon learned to play. He later covered it on the album Rock ‘n’ Roll. […]
Paul McCartney recorded “Ain’t That a Shame” in 1987 for his Choba B CCCP album. From the liner notes of this album:
I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday/Ain’t That A Shame/I’m In Love Again
It’s interesting to note that through their individual styles couldn’t be more diverse, when recording their innumerable hits at Cosmo Studios in New Orleans, both Little Richard and Fats Domino employed the very same band of musicians.
The living embodiment of the Crescent City’s rich cultural heritage, Fats Domino has been scoring million-selling hits worldwide since 1949, to the extent that he has amassed more gold record awards than any artist other than Elvis and The Beatles.
There is a timeless consistency common to Domino’s repertoire that attracts successive generations and, without question, Paul McCartney’s understanding of the Fat Man’s special qualities, rendering him the most genuinely skillful of the Big Man’s life-affirming music.
Be it the way he eases comfortably into the brisk characteristic 2/4 New Orleans beat of the confidence-boosting I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday, handles the singalong rolling blues Ain’t That A Shame or knowingly defuses the pent-up frustration of I’m In Love Again with one of the greatest of all catch phrases, “Oowee, baby, oowee”, McCartney is in his element.
In Western countries where Choba B CCCP was only released in 1991, this version of “Ain’t That a Shame” was first released as B-side of My Brave Face CD single.
You made me cry when you said goodbye
Ain't that a shame
My tears fell like rain?
Ain't that a shame
You're the one to blame.??
Well, goodbye, although I'll cry
Ain't that a shame
My tears fell like rain
Ain't that a shame
You're the one to blame
You're the one to blame.
Well you broke, my heart
When you said we're gonna part
Ain't that a shame
Oh my tears fell like rain
Ain't that a shame
You're the one to blame.
Oh well goodbye, although I'll cry
Ain't that a shame
Oh my tears fell like rain
Ain't that a shame
You're the one to blame
Ain't that a same.
Oh well good goodbye although I'm gonna cry
Ain't that a shame
My tears fell like rain
Ain't that a shame
You're the one to blame.
Official album • Released in 1988
3:43 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Guitar, Producer, Vocals Mick Gallagher : Piano Peter Henderson : Recording engineer Nick Garvey : Bass Henry Spinetti : Drums
Session Recording: Jul 21, 1987 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Mixing: Jul 22, 1987 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
CD Single • Released in 1989
3:40 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Guitar, Producer, Vocals Mick Gallagher : Piano Peter Henderson : Recording engineer Nick Garvey : Bass Henry Spinetti : Drums
Session Recording: Jul 21, 1987 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Mixing: Jul 22, 1987 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Official live • Released in 1990
2:40 • Live • L1
Performed by : Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Robbie McIntosh • Hamish Stuart • Paul Wickens • Chris Whitten Paul McCartney : Producer Eddie Klein : Assistant engineer Matt Butler : Assistant engineer Peter Henderson : Producer Bob Clearmountain : Mixing engineer, Producer Jeff Cohen : Recording engineer Geoff Foster : Assistant engineer Scott Hull : Assistant engineer George Cowan : Assistant engineer Paul Rushbrook : Assistant engineer
Concert From the concert in Tokyo, Japan on Mar 09, 1990
Official album • Released in 1991
3:43 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Guitar, Producer, Vocals Mick Gallagher : Piano Peter Henderson : Recording engineer Nick Garvey : Bass Henry Spinetti : Drums
Session Recording: Jul 21, 1987 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Mixing: Jul 22, 1987 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Official album • Released in 2019
3:43 • Studio version • A • 2019 remaster
Paul McCartney : Guitar, Producer, Vocals Mick Gallagher : Piano Peter Henderson : Recording engineer Nick Garvey : Bass Henry Spinetti : Drums Alex Wharton : Remastering
Session Recording: Jul 21, 1987 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Mixing: Jul 22, 1987 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Unofficial live
3:43 • Live
Concert From the concert in Barcelona, Spain on May 08, 1991
Unofficial live
3:29 • Live
Concert From the concert in Copenhagen, Denmark on Jul 24, 1991
Unofficial live
3:42 • Live
Concert From the concert in Westcliff-on-Sea, United Kingdom on Jul 19, 1991
Unofficial live
3:14 • Live
Concert From the concert in Hamburg, Germany on Oct 03, 1989
Unofficial live
3:58 • Soundcheck
Concert From the concert in Fukuoka, Japan on Nov 18, 1993
“Ain't That A Shame” has been played in 94 concerts and 24 soundchecks.
Copenhagen • Falkoner Theatre • Denmark
Jul 24, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
Westcliff-on-Sea • Cliffs Pavilion • United Kingdom
Jul 19, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
St Austell • Cornwall Coliseum • United Kingdom
Jun 07, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
Naples • Teatro Palapartenope • Italy
Jun 05, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
Harlesden • The Mean Fiddler • United Kingdom
May 10, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989
With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.
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