Fats Domino dead: The Beatles song the rock and roll icon inspired Paul McCartney to write

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Fats Domino dead: The Beatles song the rock and roll icon inspired Paul McCartney to write
The 1968 track was conceived as a response to 50s hit 'Blue Monday'
Jacob Stolworthy
October 25 2017




Legendary musician Fats Domino has died aged 89 leaving behind a career which saw the icon pioneer rock and roll and inspire countless artists, including Elvis Presley and The Beatles.



One Beatles member to be particularly influenced by the New Orleans singer was Paul McCartney who went so far as to pen the song “Lady Madonna” in direct response to Domino's earlier hit “Blue Monday.”

In a 1994 interview, McCartney recounted his experience of writing the track, saying: “Lady Madonna” was me sitting down at the piano trying to write a bluesy boogie-woogie thing.

"It reminded me of Fats Domino for some reason, so I started singing a Fats Domino impression. It took my other voice to a very odd place.”

While Fats Domino's 1956 track “Blue Monday” charts the feelings of a hard working male across each day of the week, “Lady Madonna” - which was released as a single in March 1968 - tells the same story but through the eyes of a woman.

Fats Domino was such a fan he covered the song himself later that year which you can listen to below.

Fats Domino - whose most famous songs include "Blueberry Hill" and "Ain't That a Shame" - began his music career in 1949, teaming up with trumpet player and bandleader Dave Bartholomew, who produced and co-wrote Domino's first record “The Fat Man” that same year.

It was the first rock and roll record to sell over a million copies and achieved a No.2 ranking on the R&B charts.

He was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986 and later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - one of the first artists to achieve the honour - by Billy Joel.