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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Fatboy Slim

1998

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Album Summary

You've Come a Long Way, Baby is the second studio album by Fatboy Slim, a project of English electronic music producer 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. Cook recorded and produced the album at his home studio in Brighton, known as the House of Love, using an Atari ST computer, Creator software, and floppy disks. The photo on the album cover was originally taken at the 1983 Fat Peoples Festival in Danville, Virginia; for the North American release, the album cover was changed to an image of shelves stacked with records. You've Come a Long Way, Baby proved to be Cook's global breakthrough album, peaking at number one on the UK Albums Chart and number 34 on the US Billboard 200. Praised by critics for its sound and style, the album brought international attention to Cook, earning him a Brit Award in 1999, 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. "Build It Up – Tear It Down" was also released as a promotional single.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.35

Votes

19519

Reviews

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Mar 27 2022
3

Incredibly repetitive. Incredibly repetitive. Incredibly repetitive. Incredibly rep rep repetitive. Incredibly repetitive. Incredibly rep repetitive.

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Dec 06 2022
2

This album spans the generations. It managed to annoy me AND a carpool full of middle schoolers.

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Apr 29 2021
1

Sounds like a GTA radio station if they couldn’t get the rights to anything good. Favorite track: “Gangster Trippin”

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Aug 28 2023
2

Fucking- Fucking- Fucking- Fucking- Fucking- Fucking- Fucking- Fucking- Fucking- Fucking- Annoying

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Oct 23 2020
2

Sounded like sitting through an hour long Toyota Aygo advert.

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Apr 27 2021
4

Oh man I forgot how much I loved The Rockafeller Skank when it came out. Really feelin it still. OH SHIT I never heard that last 2 minutes, that wasn't on the radio! I am remembering that my mom did not let me get this cd because of the parental advisory, which I understand now after hearing "In Heaven." Some of these songs are kind of stupid, but they are all fun. I really liked "Praise You" back in the day as well.

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Nov 06 2023
5

This is an utter masterclass in infectious, compelling, completely fun electronic dance-pop. It's no wonder that Norman Cook is also a bass player. There's not much to say here (and that's coming from a guy who wrote 750 words about a Kid Rock album I found to be mediocre). You've Come A Long Way, Baby isn't terribly challenging (apart from the occasionally profuse cursing -- see In Heaven for a high-cadence string of F-bombs) is immediately accessible and never overstays its welcome. I'm not well-educated in this genre of music but this record connects directly to the reward centre of my brain and shuts off the part that knows I can't dance. One of the best things from the 90s.

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Aug 18 2022
4

Very enjoyable. An exercise in repetition, and how that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

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May 14 2022
4

Who'd have thought we all be sat here in 2022 listening to Fatboy Slim and actually enjoying it? We have come a long way, but also we've barely moved at all, baby. I did enjoy him at Glastonbury 2019 too, but there may have been other reasons for that. Get me to Ayia Napa.

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Jan 29 2021
5

This was rad to play tetris to.

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Feb 05 2021
4

Great for progressive load trainer rides.

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Apr 15 2021
5

(I listened to the original album, not the anniversary edition). Good start, Right Here Right Now is a ridiculous classic. 5 star track. Same goes for the 2nd track, Rockerfeller Skank. Ridiculous. 😂. Gangster Tripping a classic too. And Praise You is such a classic. Absolutely frothing 😂 there doesn't seem any way that you wouldn't give this album 5 stars.

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Apr 01 2022
3

solid music of the genre, but a genre I only want to listen to 1-2 songs from.

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Nov 02 2023
2

I want to like this but I think it's just too repetitive. Gangster Trippin is a forever banger though.

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Nov 14 2023
2

Mindless music to move to.

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Feb 11 2021
1

Couldn't bear to finish it. Had mild hope for You're Note From Brighton because the name is silly, but no. I imagine overdosing on a stimulant is a lot like listening to this album

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Nov 02 2023
1

You know the budget B movie when the protagonist has to enter the dive club to meet a contact. Perfect for that.

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Jan 26 2022
5

I know it shouldn't have 5 stars but when I enjoyed it that much what exactly are 5 stars for?

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Apr 27 2021
4

I remember when this came out it was like a new drug had been introduced. People reacted differently to it of course, but many, myself included, found it very addictive. Such a punchy, high-contrast sound. Expert layering/structuring of samples that keeps the fun and excitement up throughout.

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Nov 09 2021
2

Apparently, John Terry was one of the co-writers on Rockafeller Skank. I plan on doing no further research to disabuse myself of the idea that this means the former Chelsea F.C. captain. While he had his ups and downs off the pitch, his career on it was first rate and remarkably consistent. Unlike this.

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Nov 02 2023
1

Not one song I ever want to hear again.

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Jun 23 2024
5

Definitive. This, to me, is what big beat should sound like, in sampling, production, tempo, tone, energy—everything. Even in length, as much as I don't think everything needed to be 5+ minutes. If there's anymore big beat albums on this list, I doubt I'll like them as much as I do this. I mean, you name me another album with "Fucking In Heaven"—y'can't.

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Aug 12 2022
5

The absolute genius of Fatboy Slim *chefs kiss*. What a seminal album with some amazing heavy-hitting all time bangers. I was relatively young when this record came out, but all of the singles released were EVERYWHERE, and inescapable. I'd argue that there wasn't a kid in the playground that hadn't at least heard of them - it was all over TV ads and throughout the radio. The Big Beat genre is a perfect mix of electronica, heavy drums, loops and impeccable use of sampling, and Fatboy Slim is one of its masters. Best: Right Here Right Now; Rockafeller Stank; Praise You Worst: Fucking in Heaven

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Oct 14 2021
4

This album felt like a natural evolution of Homework by Daft Punk. It was still repetitive, catchy electronica but kept it fresher than Homework, in my opinion. Overall, sounded good the whole way though while still having quite a few standouts, with acid 8000 sounding like a Daft Punk song. Also the original album cover is way cooler than the American version. Fav songs: The Rockafeller Skank, Soul Surfing, Love Island

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May 18 2021
4

This man is pretty fuckin' creative! I don't usually go in for electronic music, but the blend of real instruments and truly interesting sound effects and beats is pretty fun to hear. Incredible bangers on this album.

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May 14 2022
3

just was not feeling this today. its good but a full album was a bit much.

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Mar 30 2021
5

Even when I was a touch zoned put, I was still bobbing my head along. This is a great album.

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Apr 05 2021
4

Surprised by how good this was outside of the couple I already knew!

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Jul 21 2024
3

No. 219/1001 Right Here Right Now 4/5 Rockefeller Skank 4/5 Fucking In Heaven 2/5 Gangster Trippin 2/5 Build It Up, Tear It Down 2/5 Kalifornia 2/5 Soul Surfing 3/5 You're Not From Brighton 3/5 Praise You 4/5 Love Island 3/5 Acid 8000 2/5 Average: 2,82 Some iconic songs at the beginnig. Overall the repetitve elements aren't really my thing.

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Jun 28 2024
1

I owned this. I was so excited to see it on the list. But it’s awful, isn’t it? How did I ever endure it as a kid?

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Apr 26 2022
5

I've just loved fatbot slim for so long. I used to get pumped on the bus to speech and debate tournaments on songs from this very album. so. uh. let's fucking go.

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May 19 2021
5

I dont know why but I liked almost every second of it.

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Mar 31 2021
5

Drags a little bit but its a stone cold classic.

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May 14 2022
4

Strong enough to really compete in a Eurovision semi final. Probably.

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Feb 03 2021
4

Funky music, meh lyrics. Ultra Funky and Ultra meh.

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Jul 16 2024
3

This album is a double-edged sword, bringing a sense of bittersweet nostalgia. On one hand, it was really nice to revisit because I have a strong connection to it on a nostalgic level. The memories of my teenage years, living a carefree life and adapting easily to things, come flooding back. The album has some really cool parts that were enjoyable and fun at the time. However, there’s a flipside. Some tracks feel kind of sloppy, as if Fatboy Slim was still honing his production skills. I noticed this even when it first came out, but I was more accepting back then. Now, if I disconnect from the nostalgia, I find that this album hasn’t aged well. As I’ve grown older and my musical tastes have evolved, the flaws that were once minor annoyances have become stumbling blocks, making it harder to appreciate the album for what it’s meant to be.

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Dec 06 2022
3

I’ve come a long long way since the time in my early college days when I found Fatboy Slim tolerable, or even enjoyable. And yet, I kind of dug this. Parts of it at least. Not just some songs but not others. Rather parts of songs. And not other parts of those same songs. To some extent, “Right Here, Right Now,” “Rockefeller Skank,” and “Praise You” all deserve the hype and airplay they got. But each is also a little too repetitive, wait a bit too long for the break, or promptly return right back to the repetition. I heard DJs use these songs, though, and they’re better when remixed and mixed quickly with other things. And I didn’t know why I knew “Gangster Trippin” until dmo pointed out that it was in the movie “Go,” and that took me back. But really, that says it all about Fatboy Slim - perfect for weird white wanna-be raver kids in search of drugs. Also, “In Heaven” is neither a good song nor something I want to listen to with a car full of middle schoolers.

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Oct 26 2023
2

Not really my type of music but enjoyed Praise You a ton

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Jul 02 2025
5

Great album. I've heard the funk soul brother tune but didn't know who it was. Funny things is, I thought Fatboy Slim was another 90's slacker rock artist like Uncle Cracker or Beck or G. Love, boy was I wrong. But anyway, I listened to this 5 or 6 times yesterday. Just outstanding. File this under albums that make you dance in your living room.

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Jun 30 2025
5

Right Here Right Now hits as hard in 2025 as it did in ‘98. Unbelievable album.

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Jun 30 2025
5

The sound of my late 90s

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Jun 26 2025
5

Länsimaiseen kulttuuriin viitaten ja länsimaalaisen näkökulmasta on vaikea ymmärtää, miten asiat ovat muuttuneet. Tämä aikakapseli tuo mieleen paljon ajatuksia, ja paljon on purettavaa, kuten poliisin/vallankäytön puute, muodin/tanssityylien heterogeenisuus. Yleisin mieleeni tuleva ajatus on, miten vapailta ihmiset näyttävät verrattuna nykyään näkemiimme robotteihin. Robotteja kaikki nykyään, robo-hobo meininki vaan. Kraftwerk type ihmiset vaan liikkuu sanattomana kuolaa kuolaa suusta ja pärähtää sulakkeet päässä aivan romuksi. Kaikki siis robotteja paitsi minä, (meikälläinen observatoorio, observer of others... just see truths and harsh realities of life) right ehre right now.

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Jun 24 2025
5

23/06/2025 I've never listened to the album before and I was pleasantly surprised with it.

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Jun 24 2025
5

Best electronic album I ever heard, really enjoyed the listening Fav song - Right Here, Right Now 5/5

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Jun 23 2025
5

Important album in transformative times.

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Jun 19 2025
5

Fantastic album, love it front to back

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Jun 17 2025
5

Listening to Praise You and feeling like a kid playing outside again.

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Jun 14 2025
5

As far as electronic music goes, this is near the top. Normally, redundancy in lyrics is of peak annoyance to me, but in this, the lyrics are used as an instrument, so the repetition makes sense. Besides, California is druggy druggy druggy. Points off for the third track, don’t care for it. But there are so many great tracks that I can just skip over that and hear a fantastic album.

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Jan 25 2021
5

4.5* way better than i expected and really got me moving

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Mar 23 2021
5

So much love for this record. Just awesome.

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Feb 23 2021
5

And on the day that daft punk breaks up

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May 23 2025
4

I honestly loved this. Part of the reason I wanted to do this exercise it to broaden my taste in genres and I definitely want to give more big beat music a try. Is every song 20% longer than it needs to be? Sure but I had to stop myself from dancing along to all of them on my walk.

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May 18 2025
4

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby is just a fun album, plain and simple. It’s not something I’d throw on for deep, focused listening, but as background music? It’s perfect. It keeps the energy up without getting in the way — great for driving, cleaning, or just vibing out. “Rockafeller Skank” is still a total banger and basically impossible not to nod along to. “Praise You” has that weird charm that sticks with you, and “Kalifornia” brings a nice groove with some grit. The whole album’s got that late-90s big beat thing going strong, and Fatboy Slim knows exactly what he’s doing behind the boards. Some of the tracks can blur together a bit, but honestly, that’s part of the charm; It’s not trying to be overly serious. Favorite song: Kalifornia

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Jan 29 2025
4

There's some absolute bangers here, like "Right here, right now", "The Rockafeller Skank", "Fucking in Heavens", "Gangster Trippin" and, finally, "Praise you". The other songs felt more as an interlude and I was not as intrigued. Still, just the titles above mean that's a solid 7/10.

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Jan 28 2025
4

This was such a fun listen, and I don’t typically love electronic music. My booty was movin for sure. That said, it felt like the heaviest hitters all came right at the front. The back half lagged just a tiny bit.

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Jul 29 2024
4

Fresh sound at the time where techno meets rock & alternative blended with unique samples. Knocking one star off because a couple tracks have some annoying (ear pain) sounds which detract from an otherwise great album.

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Jun 25 2024
4

Not a fan of the Heaven song but the rest are pretty good, if sometimes repetitive.

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Jun 24 2024
4

This is pretty fun

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Apr 07 2024
4

I think in a parallel universe this might be my favourite record. However, in this one it gets a four.

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May 14 2022
4

What a fat fuck that kid on the cover is. Grotesque, obese, ugly motherfucker. Can you imagine giving birth to such a beast? His mother must feel physically and mentally ill.

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May 15 2025
3

Big Beat classics that are as subtle as bricks. Great as singles, tiring as an album.

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Jul 18 2024
3

Got me tapping my feet and nodding along

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Jul 16 2024
3

Some great tracks but they all start to blend into one. Very repetitive, but somehow still, mostly, enjoyable.

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Jun 25 2024
3

Funky hip hop instrumentals. Very bouncy. They’re nice, and this album is not bad at all, it’s just not my kinda music. Standouts: The Rockafeller Skank and Praise You.

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Apr 28 2024
3

Not a bad listen at all I love this site I get to hear albums I wouldn’t normally gravitate to a solid 3/4

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Oct 31 2023
3

Would listen to in the background while playing games.

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Jun 16 2025
2

I’ve seen Fatboy Slim live at Soho House festival aka Valhalla for Patagonia picante pricks. I’d been drinking hard seltzer like water and eating with gluttonous indulgence like a jarl in a silk shirt. I was eating rotisserie chicken, the weather was brilliant and I could expense a taxi home. That was the intended listening experience. Here’s my summary based on hearing it driving kids to Saturday school and not being one bite away from gout in a Gunnersbury Park. • if bootcut jeans and brown shoes were music • every song is 2 minutes too long • most tracks are a never ending intro • Advert music for divorced dads • I can hear the shell necklace It may be seminal and further show how iconic the British music scene is that a lad from a rock band in Hull can be a 90s big beat superstar DJ. I was 11 when this came out, it felt rebellious and you went with it. Nostalgia of a simpler time makes me want to like it but I’m old now, and I don’t like this.

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May 13 2025
2

Since I’m not currently tripping balls at a horribly mismanaged rave at Woodstock ‘99, this album of DJ recordings serves no purpose for me.

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Sep 14 2021
2

Again - every song starts out interesting and then runs itself into the ground. I'm not into it.

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May 06 2025
1

Long electronic albums from the 90s are hurdles I continue to encounter here. I'm doing this list to broaden my taste and deepen my understanding of popular music (catch-all term there) and its evolution, so I'm trying not to whine about it. That being said, I feel like at this point I can safely say this isn't a genre for me. Then again, Aphex Twin knocked me on my ass, so what sauce does he have that isn't here? Well, I don't hear a sense of adventure, it's not very dynamic, and I would not say it conveys atmosphere. I thought it would make good music for working, but it annoyed me too often. The use of spoken samples, spliced and repetitive and self-satisfied, particularly bothered me. "Check it out now, funk soul brother!" Oh please. "Gangster Trippin"? You were raised in Surrey, man. Get outta here. This is the first album where I've truly been tempted to not finish it.

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Oct 30 2024
1

One of the worst listening experiences I've ever had. So repetitive and monotonous.

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Oct 28 2024
1

I only gave this album one star because zero stars was not an option

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Jul 22 2025
5

"Right Here Right Now" opens this album up... and what a song to do the job! Norman Quentin Cook is about my age... and he knows what it takes to get a booty shakin'!!! Before he became this monster DJ, he was the bassist for The Housemartins... that explains his ability to groove... Trip Hop... Nu Funk... indeed... as anyone knows, i'm a real instruments, real vocals, no frills kind of guy... but, i love good music... whether it be jazz, soul, or classical... and this is good music... how do i know? i feel it... "Right Here Right Now" GETS THE PARTY STARTED! "Rockefellar Skank" is next... right about now... the funk soul bruver... lol... if you don't like this cut, you don't like groceries... fat boy slim is fucking in heaven!! lolol... "In Heaven" is next... bad ass groove again... the use of cameo vocal snips, and jazzy breakdowns, and flat out dead air for a second, are some of the delights of this album... "Gangster Trippin'" keeps it goin'... every cut is cool... for example "Soul Surfing" into "You're Not From Brighton" into... the blissful "Praise You"... which turns a simple piano riff and bass pattern into an uplifting experience... if you are not dancing to this you must be injured... the way the piano and bass change into a Beatle-esque extravaganza and back again is just PURE... is every song a homerun? no... but... it gest Five big Stars from me...

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Jul 16 2025
5

Very familiar with this albums big hits. And good to listen to as a cohesive whole.

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Jul 09 2025
5

Iconic. Some of my first and most fond memories of electronic alternative? Not sure what it would be categorized as

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Jul 08 2025
5

This album is perfect to study to. It feels like a blast from the past but not in an overwhelming way.

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Jul 05 2025
5

Today I learnt that there are people that don't like Fat Boy Slim. I hope they're ok.

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Jul 03 2025
5

5 ⭐️ for nostalgia than anything. Has some banger tracks. Favorite track: rockefeller skank other picks: right here right now, in heaven, gangster trippin, praise you

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Jun 30 2025
5

Not normally what I'd listen to but this whole album slaps.

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Jun 24 2025
5

걍 존나좋은거지 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

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Jun 23 2025
5

Such a good album. Back when you could sample anything. Historic

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Jun 21 2025
5

swag made palpable

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Jun 02 2025
5

don’t you want to dance?

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May 27 2025
5

I feel like this kind of music is extremely polarizing and might get annoying in certain contexts. Super simple stuff, lot of the same samples over and over and over again. But… idk, I found myself movin’. Great beats and it never felt too samey to me. I can’t help but love it. I’ll call it a guilty pleasure. I knew a few before listening to the album. The Rockafeller Skank has an extremely nostalgic connection for me, but it’s good regardless (maybe a little too long). Praise You is awesome. Gangster Trippin was a new one to me and it slaps. Found myself bopping along to most of the middle of the album too. I’ll definitely be revisiting this one.

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May 27 2025
5

Man this album rocks. It is blistering, fast, and merciless. Very rarely do i think it's ok for an album to be over an hour, but I honestly found myself looping it and wanting more.

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May 26 2025
5

Dance electro masterpiece by a DJ. Wonderful.

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May 22 2025
5

great. amazing. fun. the rockafeller skank was on one of the weird playlists my mom made me when i was a child so i like it even more

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May 21 2025
5

Great album, still sounds fresh and not much like it

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May 13 2025
5

Loved this. Repetitive in all the right ways.

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May 13 2025
5

Love me some Fatboy Slim. Repetitive, yes, but also super fun. I enjoyed every minute of it. Easy 5.

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Apr 26 2025
5

Never realized how good this album was. To quote the album, “if this don’t move your booty; you’re booty might be dead”

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Apr 26 2025
5

Music for fucking (and being fucked) in heaven. Track 3 is called, 'Fucking in Heaven' and I think we can all agree that if there is no sex in heaven they need to be sued for false advertising. Imagine you somehow end up in heaven, you are mad horny (dying will do that sometimes) and as you seek some carnal satisfaction (we still have bodies, right?) you see a big sign that reads NO FUCKING IN HEAVEN - YOU ARE ABOVE THAT NOW - LOVE GOD XOXO ... but there must be- there simply better be! Fun body music! Dance! Fuck! Fight! Keep moving! You've Come a Long Way Baby by Fat Boy Slim makes me want to dance naked under the stars and in my book, you simply can't ask for much more from an album.

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Apr 25 2025
5

Ще ми се всичката електронна музика да е такава

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Apr 22 2025
5

Funk soul Brother

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