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You've Come a Long Way, Baby

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This article is about the Fatboy Slim album. For the advertising jingle, see Virginia Slims § Marketing.

You've Come a Long Way, Baby
An image of an obese man holding a cigarette in his left hand. His shirt reads "I'M #1 SO WHY TRY HARDER" with a sticker on his right side. An additional image is seen on a left of a city street. Below the album's title, a Warning label appears on the bottom right in a style of a Tobacco warning message reading "WARNING: This recording contains explicit language".
Studio album by
Fatboy Slim
Released19 October 1998
StudioThe House of Love, Brighton
Genre
Length62:00
Label
ProducerNorman Cook
Fatboy Slim chronology
Better Living Through Chemistry
(1996) 		You've Come a Long Way, Baby
(1998) 		Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
(2000)
Alternative cover
North American cover
Singles from You've Come a Long Way, Baby
  1. "The Rockafeller Skank"
    Released: 8 June 1998
  2. "Gangster Tripping"
    Released: 5 October 1998
  3. "Praise You"
    Released: 4 January 1999
  4. "Right Here, Right Now"
    Released: 19 April 1999
  5. "Build It Up – Tear It Down"
    Released: 15 September 1999

You've Come a Long Way, Baby is the second studio album by English electronic music producer Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook). It was first released on 19 October 1998 in the United Kingdom by Skint Records and a day later in the United States by Astralwerks. You've Come a Long Way, Baby proved to be Cook's global breakthrough album,[3] peaking at number one on the UK Albums Chart and number 34 on the US Billboard 200.[4] Praised by critics for its sound and style, the album brought international attention to Cook, earning him a Brit Award in 1999,[5] and was later certified four times platinum by the BPI and platinum by the RIAA. Four singles were released from the album: "The Rockafeller Skank", "Gangster Tripping", "Praise You", and "Right Here, Right Now", all of which peaked within the top ten on the UK Singles Chart.[6] "Build It Up – Tear It Down" was also released as a promotional single.[citation needed]

Background

[edit]

Cook had a habit of buying obscure vinyl records and sampling elements that he liked. Throughout the 1990’s he built up a library of these samples on floppy discs to create collages.[7] He loaded these into an Atari ST S90 sampler and a computer with C-Lab Creator software to record and manipulate the samples. For most of the songs he added the bassline and sampled the other elements in a Big Beat style.[7] In early 1998 Cook had success with several remixes while trying out some of the obscure records during his DJ sets.[7] Through the use of a time-stretch method and collaborating with his mixer/engineer Simon Thornton, Cook compiled the songs at his home studio in Brighton, known as the House of Love.[3][7][8]

Title and artwork

[edit]

The title You've Come a Long Way, Baby was derived from a marketing slogan for Virginia Slims cigarettes.[9] The previously released "The Rockafeller Skank" single liner notes revealed that a once tentative title for the album had been Let's Hear It for the Little Guy.

Conceived by Red Design, the album's primary cover art features an obese young man dressed in a T-shirt bearing the words "I'm #1 so why try harder" while holding a cigarette in his left hand.[10][11] The original photograph was taken at the 1983 Fat People's Festival in Danville, Virginia, and provided by the Rex Features photo library.[12] Despite a series of inquiries, the man has not been identified.[13]

Additional photography for the You've Come a Long Way, Baby liner notes was provided by Simon Thornton.[10] The cover image was changed in North America to an image of shelves stacked with records.

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[14]
The Independent[15]
Muzik[16]
NME8/10[17]
Pitchfork8.2/10 (1998)[18]
8.5/10 (2024)[19]
Q[20]
Rolling Stone[21]
Select5/5[22]
Spin8/10[23]

You've Come a Long Way, Baby received critical acclaim.[24] According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, it "came damn close to being the definitive big beat album... a seamless record, filled with great imagination, unexpected twists and turns, huge hooks, and great beats."[1] In 2000, the album was ranked number 81 in Q magazine's readers' poll of the "100 Greatest British Albums Ever".[25] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[26]

In 1999, it was certified 3× platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), 3×Platinum by the Australian Record Industry Association[27] and platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Right Here, Right Now"
6:27
2."The Rockafeller Skank"
6:53
3."Fucking in Heaven" (renamed "In Heaven" and "Illin in Heaven" on the North American version)Cook3:55
4."Gangster Tripping"
  • Cook
  • Josh Davis
  • Sam Brox
  • Ganiyu Pierre Gasper
  • Stephen Jones
  • Nicholas Lockett
  • Myke Wilson
5:20
5."Build It Up – Tear It Down"
  • Cook
  • Patricia Miller
5:05
6."Kalifornia"
  • Cook
  • Mr. Natural
5:53
7."Soul Surfing"
  • Cook
  • Earl Nelson
  • Fred Smith
4:56
8."You're Not from Brighton"Cook5:20
9."Praise You"
5:23
10."Love Island"Cook5:18
11."Acid 8000"Cook7:28
Total length:62:00
Australian edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."How Could They Hear Us"Cook5:08
Total length:67:08
Japanese edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."The World Went Down"Cook6:43
Total length:68:43
UK limited edition bonus disc
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Everybody Loves a Carnival" (radio edit)
4:05
2."Michael Jackson"Cook5:47
3."Next to Nothing"Cook7:15
4."Es Paradis"Cook5:43
Total length:22:50
Tenth anniversary deluxe edition bonus disc
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cowboy" (featuring Eve)
5:34
2."Radioactivity" (featuring Myriam Tisler)
3:41
3."Because We Can"
3:29
4."Always Read the Label"Cook5:42
5."Tweakers Delight"Cook3:08
6."The World Went Down"Cook6:43
7."Jack It Up (DJ Delite)"Cook4:05
8."Don't Forget Your Teeth"Cook5:41
9."Praise You" (original version)
  • Cook
  • Yarbrough
6:41
10."Lounge Island"Cook3:13
Total length:48:07

Sample credits[10]

  • "Right Here, Right Now" contains samples of "Ashes, the Rain, and I", written by Dale Peters and Joe Walsh and performed by the James Gang, and a line from the 1995 Strange Days spoken by actress Angela Bassett.
  • "The Rockafeller Skank" contains samples of "Vinyl Dogs Vibe", written and performed by Lord Finesse, "Sliced Tomatoes", written by Winifred Terry and performed by the Just Brothers, "Beat Girl", written by John Barry and performed by John Barry and his Orchestra, "Join the Gang", written and performed by David Bowie, "I Fought the Law", written by Sonny Curtis and performed by The Bobby Fuller Four, "Who You Wit II", written and performed by Jay-Z, "Twistin' N' Twangin'", written and performed by Duane Eddy, "Why Can't You Love Me", written by Brian Poole and Alan Blakely and performed by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, and "Soup", written by Karl "J.J." Johnson and performed by the J.J. All-Stars.
  • "Gangster Trippin" contains samples of "Entropy", written and performed by DJ Shadow (Josh Davis), "Beatbox Wash", written and performed by the Dust Junkys (Sam Brox, Ganiyu Pierre Gasper, Stephen Jones, Nicholas Lockett and Myke Wilson), "Word Play" and "The Turntablist Anthem", written and performed by the X-Ecutioners, "Change the Mood", written and performed by Jackie Mittoo, "Sissy Walk", written by J.C. Hill, J. Stiles and J. Hopson and performed by Freedom Now Brothers, and "You Do It", written and performed by Ann Robinson.
  • "Build It Up – Tear It Down" contains samples of "The Acid Test", written by Patricia Miller and performed by The Purple Fox.
  • "Soul Surfing" contains samples of "I'll Do a Little Bit More", written by Earl Nelson and Fred Smith and performed by The Olympics.
  • "Praise You" contains samples of "Take Yo Praise", written and performed by Camille Yarbrough, "Balance and Rehearsal" by the audio company JBL, "Lucky Man", written by Jim Peterson and performed by Steve Miller Band, "Running Back to Me" by Tom Fogerty, "It's a Small World" from the album Mickey Mouse Disco, and the theme from the cartoon series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.

Personnel

[edit]

Credits for You've Come a Long Way, Baby adapted from liner notes.[10]

  • Norman Cook – performer, keyboards, synthesisers, bass, samplers, scratching, drum programming, production
  • Red Design – photography
  • Simon Thornton – engineering, mixing, photography
  • Eve – provides the vocals for the song on "Cowboy".
  • Freddy Fresh – provides the vocal sample for the song on "Fucking in Heaven".
  • Myriam Tisler[28] – provides the vocals for the song on "Radioactivity".

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for You've Come a Long Way, Baby
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[60] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[61] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[62] Platinum 300,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[63] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[64] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[65] 4× Platinum 60,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[66] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[67] 4× Platinum 1,200,000*
United States (RIAA)[69] Platinum 1,400,000[68]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[70] 2× Platinum 2,000,000*
Worldwide — 5,000,000[71]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Label Format Catalog no.
United Kingdom 19 October 1998 Skint Records CD[72] BRASSIC 11CD
LP[73][74] BRASSIC 11LP
United States 20 October 1998 Astralwerks ASW 66247-1
Cassette[75] ASW 66247
CD[76] ASW 66247-2
United Kingdom 4 December 1998 Skint Records MiniDisc[77] BRASSIC 11MD
Japan 6 April 1999 CD[78] SKI 491973
13 July 1999 Sony Music Entertainment CD (limited edition)[79] ESCA 491973
United Kingdom 22 September 2009 Skint Records CD (deluxe edition)[80] BRASSIC 56CD

References

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  1. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "You've Come a Long Way, Baby – Fatboy Slim". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  2. ^ Blender Staff (May 2003). "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die!". Blender. New York: Dennis Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (10 September 2004). "How the Fatboy grew up". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Fatboy Slim Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Fatboy Slim: Superstar DJ who bounced back from rehab reveals secret of the five Fs". The Independent. 16 May 2015. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Fatboy Slim Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d Doyle, Tom (January 2017). "Classic Tracks: Fatboy Slim 'Praise You'". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  8. ^ Marcus, Tony (April 1998). "Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy". SPIN. 14 (4): 82–91.
  9. ^ "Fatboy Slim Drops Beats on New Beautiful South Record". MTV. 11 September 1998. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  10. ^ a b c d You've Come a Long Way, Baby (liner notes). Skint Records. 1998. BRASSIC 11CD.
  11. ^ "Fatboy Slim". Red Design. Archived from the original on 22 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  12. ^ ""Fat Peoples Festival in Danville, Virginia, America – 1983" Set: 100734, Image: 100734b". Rex Features. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  13. ^ Jonze, Tim (15 August 2013). "Fatboy Slim: 'My weirdest gig? The House of Commons'". 30 Minutes With ... The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2013. We still haven't ever found the fat kid from the cover of You've Come a Long Way, Baby. He's still never identified himself, despite me putting out appeals. I would actually like to give him some money!
  14. ^ Browne, David (19 October 1998). "You've Come a Long Way, Baby". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  15. ^ Perry, Tim (17 October 1998). "Album reviews". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  16. ^ Moore, Ralph (November 1998). "Fatboy Slim: You've Come a Long Way, Baby (Skint)". Muzik (42): 84.
  17. ^ Dalton, Stephen (16 October 1998). "Fatboy Slim – You've Come A Long Way, Baby". NME. Archived from the original on 18 June 2000. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  18. ^ Wisdom, James P. "Fatboy Slim: You've Come A Long Way, Baby". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 21 October 2002. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  19. ^ Shoup, Brad (20 October 2024). "Fatboy Slim: You've Come A Long Way, Baby". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  20. ^ Roberts, David (December 1998). "Fatboy Slim: You've Come a Long Way, Baby". Q (148): 116. Archived from the original on 11 September 1999. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  21. ^ Christgau, Robert (20 October 1998). "You've Come A Long Way, Baby". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  22. ^ Perry, Andrew (November 1998). "Brighton rocks". Select (101): 81–82.
  23. ^ Lim, Dennis (December 1998). "Fatboy Slim: You've Come a Long Way, Baby". Spin. 14 (12): 175–76. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  24. ^ Cooper, Sean. "Fatboy Slim (Biography)". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
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  26. ^ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  27. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Albums". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  28. ^ "ABOUT - Myriam Tisler". 15 January 2021.
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  30. ^ "ARIA Dance - Week Commencing 1st January 2001" (PDF). The ARIA Report (566): 16. 1 January 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
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  39. ^ "Charts.nz – Fatboy Slim – You've Come a Long Way, Baby". Hung Medien.
  40. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Fatboy Slim – You've Come a Long Way, Baby". Hung Medien.
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  43. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Fatboy Slim – You've Come a Long Way, Baby". Hung Medien.
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  51. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999". Ultratop. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
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  62. ^ "French album certifications – Fatboy Slim – You've come a long way baby" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  63. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Fatboy Slim – You've come a long way baby" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 12 April 2020. Select 1999年1月 on the drop-down menu
  64. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Fatboy Slim – You've come a long way baby" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter You've come a long way baby in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1999 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  65. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Fatboy Slim – You've come a long way baby". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 June 2019. {{cite web}}: |archive-url= is malformed: timestamp (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)[dead link]THE FIELD archive-url MUST BE PROVIDED for NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATION from obsolete website.
  66. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('You've come a long way baby')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
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  70. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2000". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
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  76. ^ "You've Come a Long Way, Baby – Fatboy Slim (CD – Astralwerks #66247)". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
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  79. ^ "You've Come a Long Way, Baby [Japan Bonus CD] – Fatboy Slim (CD – Sony Music Distribution #491973)". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  80. ^ "You've Come a Long Way, Baby [10th Anniversary Edition] – Fatboy Slim (CD – Skint Records #BRASSIC 56CD)". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
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