The Beatles and Fats Domino
Fats Domino had a lasting impact on a number of musicians. His music and the sound of New Orleans R&B made its way around the world, and artists took inspiration from his style and songs. One of the most influential groups to incorporate Domino's style into their music was the Beatles. The song “Lady Madonna” was written with a boogie-woogie piano riff reminiscent of Domino’s heavy-handed bass patterns, and Paul McCartney sings in a deep tone comparable to Fats Domino’s voice. In the years after the Beatles' break-up, Paul McCartney and John Lennon each covered songs performed by Fats Domino, indicating his impact on their music.
Domino covered “Lady Madonna” because it sounded so reminiscent of his playing style. His cover had moderate chart success, and so he went on to cover “Lovely Rita” and “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me and My Monkey” in subsequent years.
Paul McCartney had a particularly strong connection with Domino's music. While both he and John Lennon covered Domino's “Ain’t That A Shame,” McCartney recorded a number of his other songs in his sessions in the then-U.S.S.R., including “I’m In Love Again” and “I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday.”