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Song Stories

“Ain't It a Shame”

Fats Domino | 1955

Fats Domino and his producer/collaborator Dave Bartholomew pioneered the big beat of rock with "Ain't That a Shame." Domino's original single bore the title "Ain't It a Shame," and it's alleged that Pat Boone tried to retitle the song 'Isn't It a Shame' when he cut his whitewashed cover version. (Personally, Domino was partial to Cheap Trick's big, fat, hard-rock version, a Top 40 hit in 1979 from their At Budokan set.) Regardless of what it was called, the kids preferred Domino’s New Orleans-flavored original and made it a Top 10 hit. Bartholomew, who initially had his doubts about the song, warmed up to the simplicity of Domino’s lyric: "'Ain't That a Shame' will never die," he said. "It will be here when the world comes to an end."

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

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