You've Come a Long Way Baby

What a pleasant surprise! I didn't pay much attention to this album when it came out because I didn't really like Praise You. I still don't really like Praise You, but listening to it now, overall I really like the album as a whole. It doesn't take itself too seriously like other electronic artists of that era like The Prodigy. It is just really fun, interesting sounding music. I usually approach skits on albums with deserved trepidation...they nailed the one before Rockefeller Skank, though.

Technically, this album shows it's age. It's clear that the samplers and editors used aren't nearly as capable as what's available now. But it still sounds great and there's really no better example of Big Beat.

Fun, danceable, a bit of a time capsule to the 90s. Personally could have gone without "... in heaven" but the rest is more than solide with a few real standouts.

Cool, too long

Norman at his best. I remember growing up with this album in the 90s and being at college. I was into Rock, pop, hip hop and unfortunately happy hardcore. This and Moby really changed the landscape of dance music. The mixing an sampling is fantastic and even when he writes a song like Praise you with it's awesome video it just rocks. Build it up tear it down at the beginning of Human Traffic really showed how influential Fatboy slim is to the dance culture. A fantastic album.

You hear this album and wonder why anybody wasted their time with The Chemical Brothers. FBS is just at another level.

Classic album, great for getting that head down and getting lost in something.

some classic bangers on this one some tracks do overstay their welcome (when streaming which isn’t their ideal/intended listening situation tbf) Praise You is still amazing. Love Island is another fave

Late 90s Electronica. His breakthrough. So many bangers. But also quite a bit of filler.

Apart from the "Right Here, Right Now", I've never heard any other songs from this album, or indeed, any other Fatboy Slim songs at all. They're pretty good. I think I've heard "Praise You" before as well, that's another good one.

Not a style I listen to regularly, but is very entertaining!

Truly #1, but outside the greats album sometimes sounded repetitive

This may be the first album that has come up that I was honestly surprised that I enjoyed as much as I did. Sure, there have been some, like Jeru The Damaja's "The Sun Rises In The East", that I had never heard. But anyone around in the late '90s has probably heard Praise You and Rockafeller Skank. So to put this on and enjoy it start to finish, color me surprised for the first time in 139 albums. Not earth shattering. Not groundbreaking. But solid. Will listen to again.

Three cracking singles. Album tracks get a little repetitive sometimes but this is a masterclass in sampling songs that, if not obscure, are at least off radar for most

Gear: Dunu SA6 Artwork: 🫃🏻🥇😎 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🎛️💪🫨 Rating: 🥤🍔🍗🍟(🥓)/5

A decent album but there is something unrelentingly obvious about the whole "big beat" sound. 3.5*

Entre Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 et Les Zinzins de l'espace

Sampling all this stuff must have taken forever. Incredible work. Some might find this repetitive, but don't hear or appreciate the details. Still, this is just party music, with nothing deep to it, just to have as much fun as possible.

Has not aged a second, for some weird reason.

A repetitive tho not exactly redundant electronic record, You've Come A Long Way, Baby goes a long way in realizing a 'big beat' album abounding in small touches and lasting flourishes. Clearly, Fatboy Slim doesn't take himself seriously, but he does his art. I'm no expert in electronic, sample-based music, but this feels like something between DJ Shadow and Daft Punk: it has the studio-atmosphere of the former, the club-atmosphere of the latter. Not every track is worth your time, particularly the irritating 'In Heaven,' but at his best, Slim spawns an imaginative aura that demands our attention - and our bodies. The four or five masterstrokes are not only addictively upbeat and golden, they're in my head whilst in my toes.

This is party music. It's not meant to be listened to and critiqued like this generator requires. You're supposed to be jumping with your arms in the air, bumping in to the people you just met 10 minutes ago, who are now your dance floor best friends. He's a legend, and I didn't appreciate Fat Boy Slim when I was a child in the 90's like I do as an adult who loves a good DJ set. So many DJs are influenced by him, Girl Talk specifically came to mind as I listened. This man exclusively DJs barefoot, so while he's not taking anything too seriously, neither should his listeners.

As a lad from the UK might say, this album has more bangers than a sausage factory.

Yas

Good album, I’ve never listened through this one before but familiar with most of the songs

So creative and the transitions are so smooth

4/5

Good memories of a few tracks from this album - a few party anthems from my high school years - this album was everywhere! Its not a genre I listen to heaps, but enjoyed the spin today (mostly anyway, there are a few tracks I'd skip on a second listen through!). Fatboy Slim has some awesome music videos! Ya Mama (Push the tempo) - a long time fave.

4/5 repetitive, mindless fun. this album took me back to playing Jet Set Radio when i was a kid. could each track be 2 minutes shorter? yes; but that wouldn't be very funk soul of you, brotha fav tracks: Right Here Right Now Rockafeller Skank Praise You Gangster Trippin Build It Up, Tear It Down In Heaven

Definitely some huge highlights here in the hits. "Rockefeller Skank" is an amazing single. "Praise You" is great too. I like how Fatboy Slim uses and distorts samples. The only thing I have to complain about on this album is that most of the time its every other song that are great. Makes it seem it would have just worked better as a shorter album, like 35-40 minutes range

Great record - lyrics are excellent!

This was really fun. Good to know I still like the songs I knew, and the rest of the album's pretty solid. Sure, the repetitive sections go on long enough to almost start to be annoying, but there's always release when the beat finally drops again. Fatboy Slim created an amusing musical universe to just hang out in for awhile, and I enjoyed my time there.

A name I've heard, but never before listened to. Good stuff.

Pues hay música en este disco, la verdad. Mucho mejor de lo que esperaba.

fun album with some bangers on it, really enjoyed it

Delightful suprise, a big hype album

Quite good. Probably 3.5. I was going to give it a 4 but I think it’s maybe just a slight bit dated.

This is such a classic album, and testament to the quality that many of the songs are still sampled in ads etc. some 30 odd years on.

Long time fan, gets me moving. Let’s go!

the music gets a 4. “praise you” is an actual banger and rockefeller stank gets stuck in my head 😅

Iconic. It did not felt like it was an hour long endeavor like most albums that were released on the CD era where they filled the album because they had the space to do so, to the detrimental of the quality of the project. Praise you still sounds as vital as it was when I first heard it back in the day. https://youtube.com/shorts/RpmFhr0dlSA https://youtube.com/shorts/LVx0u22Dnbs https://youtube.com/shorts/OOUficQth0k https://youtu.be/MaaQyVRndMA I should probably stop here 😂

8/10 check it out now the fuck soul brother

A nostalgic album for me as I had it on CD back in the 90's, when I was just a wee teen. Not an album I would normally sit down and just listen to, but I still think it's full of bangers. Praise You is literally one of my favorite songs of all time.

really solid. while being a repetitive it was such a fun listen and really unique compared to anything i’ve heard before. great record!

Good album

Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland Ultra viele Banger!

Perfect album for doing work to.

Just some good time tunes. Praise you is an all timer.

Pretty good instrumental album Big since I left you vibes

Great album … but probably overplayed. Felt a bit like an extended advert.

It reminds me of my youth, which was a super cool and totally not cringe time. I would probably give a 4.5 actually but I can't do that dammit.

Nú veit ég ekki alveg hvernig ég á að flokka þessa tónlistarstefnu en ég veit samt hversu mikið ég hlustaði á Fatboy Slim og sérstaklega þessa plötu hans í gamla daga. Mér finnst þetta enn gott stöff og skil ekki af hverju ég hlusta ekki meira á plöturnar hans. Dansidansi.

absolute king of the game. everytime I listen I envy the people who were able to attend the free concert at Brighton in 2002.

Oh yes! This made it onto the list…. The intro to Right Here Right Now is like a time portal back to the late 90s. What Normon Cook did with his Atari ST is just astonishing looking back. No library of samples, just a stack of floppy disks he’d amassed with samples he’d created. Sometimes the greatest innovations are driven by the technology being just good enough for a genius to take it to another level (a bit like the Beatles and a 4 track recorder in the 60s). There - I said it….genius! Having said that, the singles are the majority of the standout tracks on the album. Having said that, the rest is far from filler and it’s fascinating to hear the singles surrounded by the rest of the album (often is). Solid 4.

Bra grejer! Gangsta var bästa låten.

While it certainly sounds “of its time” I think it does a great job perfectly encapsulating the creative pioneering that the confluence of technology and 90’s “anything goes” ethos, and in that respect, it holds up. For what it is, I can’t give it a 3, though it’s a 3.5. 4 stars it is.

Esta guapo instrumentales interesantes

Probably giving this more than it deserves on the whole but my day was spent in mad dash work mode and this is a. Incredible soundtrack for crossing items off of a list.

7,09

His second album. Electronic / Dance. Right Here, Right Now and The Rockafeller Skank are two quintessential 90s electro tracks. Love the sleeve on this album too. Gangster Trippin is also a good track. A masterpiece of repetition, samples and beats to move to. Praise You, what a banger. This track also has one of the great videos!

Extremely fun, some of the biggest bangers around. I distinctly remember being sat in the back of the car on the way home from school after hearing this for the first time trying to explain to my parents what "Fatboy Slim is fucking in heaven" was called without cursing. It didn't go well.

Very interesting. I believe that they have a very good foundation to produce intricate and serious music, but they chose heavy beats and the most straightforward way to present themselves. This makes them different from other DJs, as they are making brainwashing big beats by their artistic choice not because they could only do loud basslines. I do like praise you, love island. Very fun to listen. Also it’s realised in 1998, very impressive.

The hits sure do hit don’t they. It feels like a lot of this album is him just messing around and having fun because I don’t think anyone makes “In Heaven” in the hopes that it gets radio play. It’s a DJ with some songs that get pretty repetitive, to the point I was almost starting to sour on the style. But “Praise You” brings it all back around. Rockefeller Skank is great and iconic, but Praise You just has such uplift to it. Highly recommended checking out the source material, Praise You by Carmille Yarborough. I think the pacing of the album with the hits positioned as they were gave the rest of the album time to make a nice background music, that was begging for some soul, just in time for Praise You to hit.

This album slaps. I really enjoyed listening to it and it’s a pretty good summer time jam. Might even bump this up to a five star - as the story itself is so cool.

Bangers

Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother

I'd consider myself a "big beat" fan. I remember how huge this album was when it came out, and it has some great tunes for sure. "Right Here Right Now", "The Rockafeller Skank", "Gangster Trippin", and "Praise You" are the standout tracks. While looped beats are a trademark of the style, I do think it gets a little too repetitive a few times, when not enough has been added to keep the sounds "evolving" so-to-speak. All-in-all, great album though.

It falls JUST short of a 5, though it could easily be one if the later songs start to stick with me. This album is such an ancestor of so much modern music I like, or even just a lot of internet content I like.

Extremely fun! Great, catchy, funky breakbeat goodness made for nothing more than getting stuck in your head and getting your booty in gear on the club floor.

Fatboy Slim is one of those iconic and just plain fun dj mix club, techno, pick a "hop" bands that I don't understand people wouldn't like. This is one of those bands that plays their hearts and minds to their audiences and everyone just grooves. Sometimes silly, sometimes weird, but always fun and always accessible, I have always liked Fatboy Slim. It is so easy to just slip into their groove that I listened as my youtube auto play just kept going with them for hours. Why not? It is just "yeah, it's all good, chill baby."

Great

Banger after banger after banger after banger. When you like electronic music as much as I do : this is a absolute classic. Yes it's repetitive but so much thing is happening in the background and that makes each track incredibly rich and generous. 8/10 fav songs : The Rockafeller Skank & You're not from Brighton

I was surprised to enjoy this EDM as much as did.

Pop 90's EDM. Gets the endorphins flowing. Thanks Mr. Slim.

Lots of fun. "If this don't move your booty, your booty must be dead."

Obviously knew the hits, but unexpectedly enjoyed the rest of it too.

I understand the importance of Fatboy Slim for the electronic music scene. The beats and the constructions are incredible! But some mixes make some songs a little tiring to listen to at the end. But I understand that it is an aesthetic of the time, many DJs used it in their songs. Good album.

Now this is what I call perfect party music. Unlike much of the shallow, formulaic dance music that dominated the ‘90s, this album feels both reflective and forward-thinking. It’s not just about “The Rockafeller Skank,” “Soul Surfing,” or “Praise You”—although the latter is my favorite track. It’s more than just an anthem; it captures the very essence of the late ’90s. Norman Cook has always been on my radar—not only because of his work with The Housemartins (and the spinoff, The Beautiful South, which I listened to a lot in the early 2000s—hello Closer Than Most)—but because of his unique ability to blend energy, wit, and depth. So yes—thank you, Norman.

I read all the reviews that complained about the repetition and thought to myself “hah, normies.” But by the end of this album it does begin to seem like it could’ve done more with each track’s ingredients. Not all of them - “Praise You” still rules all the way through - but enough. Still, I want to celebrate everything from this list that isn’t basic-ass rock music, and honestly it’s a fun album to throw on in the background and you’ll be tapping your feet. So yeah. 4 stars it’s great. Not a must-listen though.

I throughly enjoyed, even though I didn’t think I would. It’s a fun record and would listen again. Although it felt like it kind of fell off towards the end.

Very solid album. Lie it the more I think about it. Some absolute classics on there Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song- gangster trippin’ Least fav- kalifornia

Take back what I said before about repetitive music... turns out sometimes I really like it! Just really fun. Favourite: The Rockafeller Skank Least: Fucking in Heaven

I am a fan of electronic music, and remember well when this record came out. I haven't thought a lot about since the almost 30 years since it came out. The key with electronic music is how well it ages. Nowadays, anyone can make an album on their home computer with the right software. But let's take a moment to appreciate that Norman Cook created this album in his home studio, in 1998, on an Atari ST computer, Creator software, and floppy disks. So the question is, does this album stand the test of time, especially the song Praise You, which I heard so much when it came out. I think it does. Other favorites, Rockefeller Skank, Kalifornia, and Acid 8000.

This is a super cool album I probably wouldn’t have checked out otherwise. You’ve Come A Long Way Baby kind of secretly has its fingers in a lot of different pies. The aesthetic base here is Big Beat/UK techno, but on a few levels, it delves into some really interesting spaces. You have some clear hip hop influence, as well as jungle, which all still kind of slots nicely together, however the way this album incorporates sampling has a really unique effect. Some of the sampled passages on here are in-tact enough that they can kind of be enjoyed as they would have been in their original context. This results in moments across this album that I can enjoy like (for example)a funk, psych or surf rock song, in a way that almost reminds me of plunderphonics. This is all incorporated into some super fun, groovy songs that are consistent across the project. I think I see how something like this could be seen as repetitive, but while the arcs of the songs are kind of repetitive, they transform subtly in a way that rewards close listening. Not to mention how dense and detailed this is on a moment to moment basis, so I didn’t think this was too repetitive at all. In Heaven is maybe a little annoying if you aren’t that into vox, but I think that even that song has a strong core. Ultimately, this was a really fun, exciting and rewarding listen.

Great album. Norm Cook came a ‘long way’ from the Housemartins.

Great album for running!

Hell yeah! Fat boy slim came through with ear worm after ear worm of infectious songs. 8/10 Favorite songs: Rockefeller skank, praise you, in heaven, kalifornia

First of all, let me talk about the album art. It's so funny, instant 10/10. For the actual review, 2 English Club music legends in a row is crazy. I'm just coming off of Depeche Mode and straight into Fatboy Slim, the "Band of the 90's, if you wanna call it a band, because it's a one man name." I actually have no idea how to rate this album objectively. On vibes alone and how much I personally enjoy it, it's probably a 4/5, like Depeche Mode. Yes, it's very repetitive, but with club music you're kind of going to get that. You either love it or hate it, and I definitely love it. However, is it as good as Depeche Mode? I don't know if it is. The double edged sword of Fatboy Slim is that the entire album is just sound, therefore not very memorable until you replay it, but the sound is all super good. So do I give it, as an album, a 3? Or do I go off of vibes and personal enjoyment and give it a 4? I really don't know. The transition from "Right Here Right Now" into "The Rockafeller Skank" is smooth as butter though, really really cool. Also easily the 2 best songs on the album for sure. The funk soul brother check it out now!! The funk soul brother right about now!!

Encapsulating the DJ sound of the late 90s early aughts. Permeated the cultural landscape through TV, Movies, Ads, Clubs, everywhere. Catchy and pervasive, I think it would be hard to find someone who has not heard and would recognize that they had heard Rockafeller Skank, Right Here RIght Now, and Praise You...even though they would probably have no idea who Fatboy Slim is.

Thoroughly enjoyable. Dance and grooved.

Oh what a banger record - the sound of the late 90s - each track a memory of a constant soundtrack everywhere you’d go - and yet it never did and does overstay its welcome. Had so much fun listening to this - even though I never really knew it as an album.

Two recent(ish) songs immediately spring to mind. Houdini by Eminem and I'm Good by Bebe Rexha - there are many more. It's 2000-and-20-something, you can pretty much sample and manipulate existing sounds in ways you could not have dreamt possible 20 years ago. And yet here we are, just lifting an existing piece of music wholesale and not even bothering to change any of the melodic or rhythmic content to "create" and new composition - nope, just alter a couple of the words and were done. Rewind a couple of decades or so, and Norman Cook is laboriously building up a library of samples and musical snippets of interest from obscure sources on FLOPPY FUCKING DISCS which he would eventually use to assemble musical tapestries that at least have the decency to distance themselves from those sources by several degrees of creativity. A bit cheesy and of-its-time this album may be, but this is how - if you are going to take existing work and craft it into something new - it is supposed to be done.

Definitely Fatboy Slim's seminal album, for those familiar. About as mainstream as it gets for this big beat era, as you've got smash hits such as "Right Here, Right Now", "The Rockafeller Skank", and "Praise You". Inspired use of sampling and not too heavy/overbearing in the "beat" aspect of it all. One of the more accessible big beat works, if we're being honest.

So good

This rocks for what it is, can't really imagine better. But if Rust Never Sleeps is a 5...

Never listened to the whole album before. I can dig it!

Love the classic 90’s style but I find it gets a tad monotonous

I’ve enjoyed FBS hits since hearing on the radio as a kid. Didn’t know most were from this album! Rest of the songs were fun too.

Dated technically, but contemporary in beats and samples. Rockafeller Skank was a jam and still is.

I’ve always preferred Prodigy and to a lesser extent Chemical Brothers as far as late 90s electronic hit acts go. This one is cool too, but the repetition of the samples does wear on one eventually.

Some great tunes, some not so great, but the album is an absolute classic.

Had it's moments. Cool tone sweep followed by metric modulation.

Truly great. Criticizing repeated lyrics here is like criticizing rock music for having riffs. It's the style, it works perfectly, and does exactly what it's supposed to do Edit Apr 15 2026: 5 --> 4. I have a lot of nostalgia for it, but I don't feel it enough for a 5/5 here

Right Here, Right Now The Rockafeller Skank Gangster Tripping Praise You

Shocked at how much I truly enjoyed this. Would not listen often, but definitely would work on occasion.

This album fucks.

This was almost a 5 and I was shocked by that.

Very good...

nice

I listened to this a couple hundred times BITD and never knew the wall of LPs wasn't the proper cover art

Fatboy is f**ing and f**ing and f**ing in heaven.... Epic album. Takes me me back to grade 12. And then the Big Beach Boutique II concert, while I was living in Brighton, just around the corner from Norman's studio. This album, along with Dig Your Own Hole, Homework and Orbital's Insides are what first got me into electronic music, which was initially a hard sell as I was mostly into rock and rap. Love Norman's rap and funk sensibilities. The high points are super high on this album, aka Funk Soul Brother, Praise You, and really the first few tracks. There is some filler in the middle though, which is why I dropped this down to a four.

Quality, vibey houseish Best song - Praise You

7/10 - It was a pretty fun listen. A lot of cool electronic sounds. A lot of the songs were repetitive but that is a little expected for older electronic songs.

A lot better than most of the other 90s-2000s electronica/techno on the list

I didn't expect something like this, but it surprised me pleasantly. I even saved it to hear it later.

Epic mood-setter. Great vibes.

Had me diving off the balcony tbh

I've also seen the videos :)

i was doing the christopher walken shuffle with spike jones in front of the cinema if you kno what i mean #dvdwatcher

3,5

Oooooo yeah! Takes me back. Love how the album ends.

Pretty banging tbf enjoyed the classics

I know this album very well. It was a album I liked testing my bass on whatever sound system I had at the time (When I was young like Kalifornia or Love island (it builds to the mother load)). I think by this point I had a subwoofer setup. I didn’t like fatboy slim when I first experienced it. It grew on me however and at the time so did other music like chemical brothers. 15 years old when this came out! Solid album for me and fact its outside of my normal music listening it still manages to wiggle its way in for me.

This is really good. Club/party music is not in my wheelhouse, but FBS has produced an accessible, yet really interesting, album worth of beats, riffs, and samples that are designed to keep your dance floor hopping. It’s fun & listenable, very well crafted, and showcases the artist’s talent & sharp instinct for what keeps the flow flowing. Four.

Still a banger

Basically a full album of beats. And honestly they’re really great. I just wish there was a little bit less repetition. Even just basic lyrics over some of the songs would’ve elevated this into a great album.

oh my god……the chimp is surfing!!!!

72/100. You've Come a Long Way, Baby by Fatboy Slim is a good big beat album with infectious energy. While it can feel repetitive, the beats are strong enough to keep it engaging. Overall, a fun and enjoyable listen, even if it doesn’t reinvent the genre.

Maan this was really fun. There were a bunch that i liked

Hell yeah. Consistent, groovy, garbage can drum loops, could get down to all this hard.

funky beats and great samples. what’s not to love?

I don't need a full album of this all at one time but most of these songs bop.

A welcome reprise! 3 or 4 of these songs are so woven into the fabric of British society its impossible to objective about and whilst i knew them like national landmarks i dont think. I'd ever listened to the album Turns out its relatively good. For the complainers who call it repetitive, they dont understand this type of music. It builds in waves to generate euphoric reaction and this album certainly does its job. It is a little gauche in its approach and can pander to the lowest common denominator, but when your goal is to get a sea of people dancing like loons thats ok. We have to praise you like we should.

Felt like I was losing my mind but in a good way

Big beat. This subgenre will forever hold a special place in my heart, given my age when it was popular; but as I and the world have evolved, it's just not as tangible as it once was. For one thing, this is dancing music - not casual listening music - and I do much less of the former nowadays... However, given this album's release date and purpose, I think it's fairly good. It's got exceptional mixing, some trancey rhythms, and lots of energy. All the things a good dance-oriented album should have. It's definitely not a casual listening album, though - so if that's the forum (like this challenge), then it can come across as repetitively oppressive at times. Still, for what it is when it was, I can't give it less than a 4. Oh, and a special shoutout to Praise You - that's a classic track.

Music to be strictly listened to in a field in nort-east Somerset at 3AM on a late June night

Solid most of the way through, some classic earworms, not really my genre but a good 4

This was surprisingly great. Perfect background music for work

Very fun!

Great. Fun to listen to, very upbeat but interesting.

A LOT all at once, but so many classics here. All I'm missing is Weapon of Choice.

More 90s fun!

Really fun.

Some classics here. Changed the way how DJ mixes can be for me.

Never realized that this album had a different (and very off-putting) cover in the UK. Regardless, I loved the Big Beat scene at the time and although this has aged poorly it still puts one in a pretty good mood.

quite fun tbh, liked it more than I thought I would

The last two songs are the weakest, but I’m still at 4 stars for it. I enjoyed it much more than his 1996 album. Fantastic production. Despite the genre, it still feels organic to me, no doubt a product of much of the sampling material. It’s just got a hell of a bite, and it’s still so hooky. Very happy to basically discover this one for the first time. 4/5

Super Album mit geilen Party Liedern 4/5

Fav: The Rockafeller Skank Least Fav: Fucking In Heaven Heard all of these already in nightclubs, nice surprise

slaps

Unique sounds and some good tracks.

strong nostalgia trip here. kinda surprised my kid liked it too, so there's some staying power here.

Give the poor man a break. 4.5 big beats

A banger of an album. Very nice background music with not much to think about. Simple beats yet it works.

I enjoyed it surprisingly much!

lucy said that a lot of this sounds like the part of a 90s family movie where the chimp/dog/animal they’ve met starts doing a bunch of crazy tricks on the ski slope/court/skate ramp/computer

Thick sound, juicily melodic and real

Fun and harmless. Occasionally interesting

I can only listen to Fatboy Slim in small doses. Listening to the whole album in one sitting gets really overwhelming. Great music but, I need to listen to other tracks between these songs.

Great start to the album

The singles from this were pretty inescapable so there's a certain amount of nostalgia. I like it more than "Better Living Through Chemistry", but less than "Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars" which doesn't appear to be on the list. Even that one would be unlikely to scrape a 5, though, Fatboy Slim is fine, but not world-shaking. Fave tracks - "Praise You" from the singles, "Love Island" from the other tracks....

Fun head bopping rave-ish club music

I enjoyed this. Solidly 7/10 for me. Album title is prescient as I’ve gained some appreciation for electronic music in the year since I started this project. I used to pretty much rate electronic albums 1 or 2 pretty much by the end of their opening tracks. I would be curious to see if I still feel that way towards some of those records. This one has some songs that were popular in the mainstream, so there is some familiarity here that helps my rating.

Most of the time this was a lot of fun. A little of the time this was obnoxious

Everything fatboy slim is good. There is kind of no bad song. They have a unique electronic vibe.

It's a trip! It's got a funky beat, and I can bug out to it!

A bit too quirky/annoying for me, but some amazing big beats in there!

Like many of these albums lately, not my usual thing but you can't deny how well this is put together.

Praise You rewired my brain as a preteen Love Island rips

Not really made to be sat down and listened to, but that made it kind of interesting too. Some great, dumb big beats, loads of fun in the right context. But a lot of filler over the hour too. Big album in terms of where dance music was at the time, which made me wonder about rounding up from the 3.5 it's getting...

instantly flashes back to a movie where a bunch of cool teens are synchronized line dancing to Funk Soul Brother at a prom or something?

I hear your complaints about some of the repetitiveness, but as a someone listening to this for the first time im Ok with it. Would I listen to this over and over? no, definitely not. Are the songs fun? Yes. Praise you avicci levels of hook and feel. He's not hitting a home run but he sure aint striking out. I've learned to appreciate a good sample.

I surprised myself and liked this one.

Many classics from Fatboy slim, solid album

Classic hits and I mostly enjoyed the 'others' more than i might have initially expected. I will say some of the early techno sounds/tropes have not aged the best

Awesome album except for one annoying song

I really like it actually- pleasantly surprised. While I do wish there was more lyrics the beats bang so hard. Would like a rapper to sample some

7/10

Iconic.

Fun EDM album. Not too overly repetitive or monotonous.

Some big tunes here! I knew half of them, even though I only initially recognised 3 songs from the tracklist The non singles seemed more like filler, and were a bit long. But I still enjoyed the album I saw Fatboy Slim at a festival years ago, but forgot all about it until listening to this. Instant flashbacks of getting sunburnt and drinking cider in a field. Good times 4 ⭐️

I cannot remember what got me initially interested in Fatboy Slim. I think Soul Surfing was music in a commercial and Gangster Trippin' was in the soundtrack for the movie Go. The music really resonated with me. This album is brilliant and I couldn't even tell you how many times I've listened to it. You should listen to it now! Fun fact, Fatboy Slim (aka Norman Cook) played bass for the Housemartins before becoming Fatboy Slim.

I really liked this one. Brought back some nostalgic memories of trying to shred "the rockafeller skank" on just dance.

awesome

Awesome electronic jams that I hadn't listened to in a while.

Gute Banger vom Fat Boy.

reminds me a lot of my childhood strangly enough.

Surprisingly good

A very fun version of the avalanches. Not saying the avalanches are not fun but I'd say this is a perfect time capsule of what the 90's were

Such a fun lesson. I forget how much I like fat boy slim songs are totally going into the rotation

perhaps a lot of the repetitive beats and crazy loud noises should bother me here, but they really didn't a whole lot. maybe a little. but the album is pretty fun and doesn't take itself seriously, which i appreciated. i wasn't expecting much out of this one but it was pretty enjoyable!

I bought this album many years ago. I saw the clip for The Rockafeller Skank on MTV at the time. I found the music a bit exhausting, but the clip was very funny. Later, I also saw Right Here, Right Now on MTV. I was thrilled, the piece is one of my favorites and is played again and again. Yes, the music is repetitive, but I like that. So I was looking forward to listening to this album again. Well, I guess my taste has changed a bit. Towards the end of the album, I didn't feel like listening to it any more. But it was still nice to hear it again. 4/5

Kick ass as usual

very entertaining, some bops in there

good, but no song catched me like the first one. could be because im listening at work.

Right about now

Some real head bangers here, but I still only come back for the hits

I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Definitely one of the better albums of that kind of music.

Never listened to Fatbot Slim and didn't know he was responsible for Right Here, Right now and Rockafeller Stank (didn't know it was called that). Liked it, probably wouldn't spin it too often.

A cold Monday morning was probably the worst time to listen to this album and may have cost it the extra star

An exceptional dance album

Solid electronic album, it may have aged poorly somehow, but I find the music by Fatboy Slim really "fun" (and this is an adjective that is not often used to describe music).

Amazing, especially considering it's a single person. You've come a long way baby.

He sehr nöch amene 5i für mich. Finds sehr sehr geil

ich kenn ihm de right here! recht geil eigentli meeega 90er. schono repetitiv aber s goht au mega los. aaah rockafeller skank isch das mit funk soul brother. au en banger eigentli. det wos halb so schnell wird aso die zweit hälfti vom song isch huuuere streng. fucking in heaven isch chli viel findi. gangster trippin het meega cooli samples. build it up tear it down isch chli langwilig. s tönt mit de ziit eeh alles irgendwie glich. californiaaa 🤙 soul surfing isch wieder chli cooler geils soul sample. nocher breakbeat time. youre not from brighton findi sehr sehr streng. aso au recht cool aber jo sehr repetitiv. fuck praise you isch seeehr geil. hani kennt. sehr sehr geil mega feelgood. love island isch wieder sehr sehr dumm. goht aber recht ab. über gwüssi streckene ischs langwilig gsi s album well zu eintönig und afoch nervös aber wenns funktioniert isches soooo geil

Somehow I know a lot of Fatboy Slim songs when I didn’t think I’d ever heard more than two or three. Had a blast listening to this. Fun mashups and grooves. 4.5/5

What can you say. An album I can listen while wandering round the house, as I’ve committed so much of it to memory.

Enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would. Obviously I knew all of the classics, but there was something particularly great about listening to the album in full. Glad I did!

Right about now right about now right about nowwwwww

Way more enjoyable than I remember, I figured this was going to be an album I liked as a kid and hated as an adult but its better than I thought. The hits do the heavy lifting here but the rest isnt bad, a little repetitive sure, but thats a hallmark of the genre.

Really fun album that’s buoyed by great singles. Praise You is a 5/5 on its own!

ein weiterer oldtimer aus meiner plattensammlung! reingehört und hängengeblieben aus interesse, was norman cook aka fatboy slim nach housemartins, beats international und freak power als nächstes ”bringt”. ja, house/dance-lastig, aber immer wieder frisch und frech.

Ja, die Platte gefällt mir. Guter Mix aus tanzbarer Musik und Einsatz von Technik. Erstaunlich, dass dafür ein Atari ST und Floppy Disks genügten.

A bit bubblegum but quite entertaining, especially the 3-4 bangers 3.8

Fatboy Slim? Fatboy Slay!

Right Here Right Now // The Rockefeller Skank // Gangster Trippin // Praise You // Love Island 4.5/5

Not very daring as an album but I enjoy the beats. 7.5/10 Favorite songs: Right Here Right Now, Rockafeller Skank, Gangster Tripping, Kalifornia, Love Island Would I listen to it again? Maybe once in a while when I need something that makes me move.

Echt wel nice eigg

Not really a fan of this genre, but I did enjoy this. Absolutely belongs on this list.

Some impressive tracks take the album to a higher level.

Also ich war positiv überrascht wie viele Songs ich doch davon kannte. Es hat echt Spaß gemacht zu hören obwohl die letzten Songs sich sehr in die Länge gezogen haben. Dennoch war es sehr cool auch mal zu erfahren woher die Songs und Originals kommen.

Il y a des disques qui sont des marqueurs temporels, des bornes kilométriques indélébiles plantées au bord de l'autoroute de nos vies. Ils ne sont pas forcément les plus profonds, les plus intelligents ou les plus émouvants, mais leur simple évocation nous replonge instantanément dans une époque, une odeur, une sensation. "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" de Fatboy Slim est l'un de ces monolithes. Un monolithe de pur plaisir régressif, un monument élevé à la gloire de l'hédonisme décérébré. Et putain, qu'est-ce que c'était bon. Nous sommes en 1998, le cadavre du Grunge est encore chaud mais commence à sentir, la Britpop est en pleine gueule de bois carabinée et cherche désespérément un taxi pour rentrer chez elle. Le Trip-Hop de Bristol, bien que génial, commence à tourner un peu en rond dans son propre brouillard de fumée. Et là, débarque un type, Norman Cook, l'ex-bassiste des très propres sur eux The Housemartins (oui, oui, le groupe de Paul Heaton, celui des pulls jacquard et des mélodies pop parfaites), qui balance à la face du monde un disque qui sent la bière tiède, la sueur de club et la connerie extatique. À l'époque, derrière le comptoir de mon magasin de disques, je voyais le truc arriver avec un mélange de fascination et de snobisme. Le "Big Beat", comme on l'appelait, un genre musical dont le QI moyen devait frôler celui d'une huître sous anxiolytiques. Des grosses rythmiques piochées chez les rois du breakbeat, des samples évidents comme le nez au milieu de la figure, des scratchs, des slogans débiles répétés jusqu'à l'hypnose. Sur le papier, c'était tout ce que le fan de post-punk, de post-rock et de néofolk que j'étais pouvait détester. C'était la fête pour les nuls, le fast-food de la musique électronique. Et pourtant... Et pourtant, il fallait être sourd, ou d'une mauvaise foi à faire passer un politicien pour un saint, pour ne pas reconnaître l'efficacité redoutable de la machine. "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" n'est pas un album, c'est une putain de machine de guerre festive. Un rouleau compresseur conçu pour anéantir toute velléité de réflexion et transformer n'importe quel salon en dancefloor improbable. L'album n'essaie jamais d'être autre chose que ce qu'il est : une collection de bombes soniques. Il n'y a pas de message, pas de concept fumeux, pas d'état d'âme. Juste une envie irrépressible de faire bouger les culs et c'est peut-être ça, le coup de génie de Norman Cook. Là où des artistes comme Aphex Twin ou Underworld (que j'adore, ne vous méprenez pas) construisaient des cathédrales électroniques complexes et labyrinthiques, Fatboy Slim, lui, a construit un hangar à patates géant avec une boule à facettes et un bar à volonté. Et devinez où les gens se sont le plus amusés ? Inutile de détailler les morceaux, ils sont gravés dans l'inconscient collectif. "The Rockafeller Skank" et son "Right about now, the funk soul brother" samplé jusqu'à l'écoeurement, mais qui fonctionne à chaque putain de fois. "Praise You" et son piano de gospel lo-fi, son clip amateur génial qui a retourné MTV, une ode à la joie simple, sans fard, presque punk dans son dénuement. "Right Here, Right Now" et son envolée lyrique piquée à je ne sais plus qui, qui a servi de bande-son à absolument TOUT pendant deux ans : pubs pour voitures, reportages sportifs, génériques télé... On en pouvait plus, mais secrètement, on tapait du pied. C'est un disque qui ne s'écoute pas, il se subit. Il vous agresse joyeusement, il vous rentre dedans avec la subtilité d'un supporter de foot anglais un soir de victoire. Les boucles sont pachydermiques, les scratchs sont grossiers, les idées sont d'une simplicité biblique. Et c'est précisément pour ça que ça marche. Norman Cook ne cherche pas à impressionner, il cherche l'efficacité maximale. Il pique un riff de guitare ici, une ligne de basse funky là, un slogan crétin ailleurs, et il passe le tout à la moulinette de ses machines pour en faire un carburant de fête hautement inflammable. Alors, est-ce que c'est un grand album au sens noble du terme ? Est-ce que c'est une oeuvre qui va changer votre perception de la musique ? Non, bien sûr que non. Ma note de 4 sur 5 reflète bien ça car ce n'est pas "Disintegration" ou "Spiderland". Il n'y a pas de quoi se taper la tête contre les murs en pleurant sur la condition humaine. Mais sa place dans les "1001 Albums" est tout sauf volée. Pourquoi ? Parce que "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" est un instantané parfait de son époque. C'est la bande-son d'une fin de siècle un peu idiote, insouciante, qui voulait juste oublier le bordel ambiant en dansant sur des rythmes primaires. C'est l'album qui a fait entrer le Big Beat dans tous les foyers, qui a prouvé qu'on pouvait faire de la musique électronique qui soit à la fois populaire, fun et un minimum crédible. C'est un plaisir coupable, une régression jouissive. Un disque qui ne vous rendra pas plus intelligent, mais il peut, l'espace d'une heure, vous rendre un peu plus heureux. Et parfois, c'est tout ce qu'on demande à la musique.

Nice Electronic music

Some of the songs are great but they also get very repetative.

8/10

Pretty damn good! The ones I really liked were the ones I already knew were bangers - Right Here Right Now, Rockafeller Skank, Praise you - and I really enjoyed Gangster Tripping too. The rest of it was nothing astounding but all solid.

"You've Come a Long Way, Baby" ist ein energiegeladenes Album, das den Geist der späten 90er-Jahre perfekt einfängt. Mit Hits wie "The Rockafeller Skank", "Praise You" und "Right Here, Right Now" hat Fatboy Slim nicht nur die Clubszene, sondern auch die Popkultur stark beeinflusst. Das Album bietet eine Mischung aus elektronischen Beats, funkigen Samples und wuchtigen Basslinien, die es zu einem unverkennbaren Klassiker machen. Es ist ein Album, das sowohl tanzbar als auch experimentell ist, und es hat den Big-Beat-Sound in den Mainstream gebracht. "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" hat seinen festen Platz in der Geschichte der elektronischen Musik und bleibt auch heute noch ein einflussreiches und mitreißendes Werk.

90s party Some bangers on here

I feel like I already know 70% of this album, without having listened before. Lots of fun. Great cover art.

Det er er festlig omgang. Jeg blev sendt tilbage, og fik hørt det hele 2 gange. Flere bangers på en jeg havde regnet med.

4/5 Although obviously the hits slap, as well as some other great moments, there are some passengers in the tracklist that are just ok, and too long. Overall, however, there are enough standout tracks to make this a great album. Right Here Right Now 5/5 (FAV) Rockafeller Skank 3.5/5 Fucking in Heaven 4.5/5 Gangster Trippin 3/5 Build It Up, Tear It Down 2/5 (LEAST FAV) Kalifornia 4/5 Soul Surfing 4.5/5 You're Not from Brighton 5/5 Praise You 5/5 Love Island 3.5/5 Acid 8000 3.5/5

Pretty funny to me that we had another Fatboy Slim album and I started by saying "I know the hits and they aren't here." Well, we found them. This one's got the big ones, and it's just a great ride. Sonically feels like a perfect album to soundtrack a JSRF game. "Rockafeller Skank" is a classic from my youth, as is "Praise You," we love that one too. Hadn't heard "In Heaven" before but that's a certified jam too. Great album! Favorite tracks: Praise You, Rockafeller Skank, In Heaven, Right Here Right Now, You're Not From Brighton. Album art: Apple music has this lame cover of a bunch of shelves of records, but the OG of the fat boy with a shirt that says "I'm #1 So Why Try Harder" is so epic, such a classic. 4/5

verrrry what I think of 90s sounds; obvi knew some of the songs, but definitely found a couple others to add to some party playlists, happy listen

Awesome beats, especially if you consider how it was made. In 2024 this would be much easier to make, but back then he had to cut and paste it all using a sampler, which is a PITA to work with. Impressive albeit a little repetitive.

'The Rockafeller Skank' used to be one of my most hated songs in the 90s, mostly because it was way overplayed on the radio. Remembering that, I fully believed I'd hate this album, but surprisingly... I did not. It was funky, at times silly, but mostly really fun to listen to. I just wish it wasn't so bloated; the length of several songs could've easily been cut down by 30%. Still, I had a really great time listening to this. 4 stars

I have a bit of a nostalgia for this kind of music, and have also started to enjoy the kind of meditative quality of the repetitive nature of the music

Big, beaty tour de force. A couple of absolutely slamming tunes in Right Here Right Now and Praise You and Gangsta Trippin also good. Also love the skewiff funky vibe of Fucking in Heaven. Middle stretch of the album is less poppy and more of a clobbering dance workout and not as strong. The exotic Love Island and epic Acid 8000 make for a triumphant pair of closing tracks though.

Favorite Track: Rockafeller Skank Praise You Built It Up, Tear It zdiwn

Terribly fun

Know the singles but never listened to a Fatboy Slim album. Enjoyed it far more than I expected to, was expecting some generic house for the album tracks but there were loads of ideas in this. The way he samples the bits of speech/singing into ever smaller syllables gets a bit tedious but I guess he mostly pioneered this so fair play. I think if I heard almost any of these tracks on their own id really enjoy it, as a full album I'm not sure, but still surprisingly good 3.5.

A real pioneer - what I enjoyed most is he never lets you get bored of a song. Very rarely is the same 4 bars repeated, there's always some slight difference, introduction of extra beats or instruments, or manipulation of the vocals. The album starts very strong, does meander a bit, but then comes back on form towards the end. I knew all the main tracks, but none of the ones I didn't know particularly resonated with me. I think my hesitation about giving it a 5 means it must be a 4.

Kinda surprised this isn't more highly rated on this list..... It was absolutely huge in the UK. Another that doesn't translate too well across the pond? I would say it's not really my thing, but there are so many iconic tracks. There was a massive thing about it being made by one guy in his bedroom at the time. Don't think that would be that out of the ordinary now really. Right here right now, the rockafeller skank, gangster tripping and praise you are all great. The rest of it isn't bad at all either At least a 4. Probably closer to 4.5

Groovy, energetic, lively, and fun. A bit repetitive, but still enjoyable the whole way through, and a great late 90s time capsule!

“Right Now You Funk Soul Brother! Check it out now you funk soul brother!” There was a point in the late 1990s when EDM ruled the world, and Fat Boy Slim was there wearing his crown. I’m not sure who came first, FBS or Oakenfold but between the two of them they created another decade away from the grunge, Nu-Metal, singer-songwriter pop of the early 90s. Praise You and Rockefeller Skank were all over the media, and I heard Gangster Trippin on the “Go!” Movie Soundtrack. This album was more radio-friendly that his previous work but still a lot of fun!

2 Fatboy Slim albums. I swear we already reviewed this one but it must have been a different album. This has the classic Fatboy Slim tracks that are still regulars spins everywhere: "Right Here, Right Now", "Rockafeller Skank", "Gangster Trippin", and maybe the best of the bunch: "Praise You". I never though of Fatboy Slim as an "album" artist. He was always about the singles but this is a good album with several now classic tracks. (Shit, that last sentence made me feel so old.).

Good vibes, not a favourite

3.6 rounded to 4 Very listenable dance music including the cross over hit Praise You.

Not bad

Sigue soñando tan fresco como el primer día.

Very good, no snoozers

Right about now…from the first song to the last song I’m in. Goes to show one that repetition can be a good thing when mixed with talent. And the sampling throughout the album makes for a fun guessing / listening game. This could be a 5. I had just recently made the Housemartins connection and that’s cool.

Ein Klassiker.

4.0

Musically this isn’t a perfect album, but nostalgia strikes again.

7/10. It's repetitive, but the mixing is really cool. :)

OK I like this one. The singles are bangers, and the rest of the album goes alright too

Daft Punk if they ate McDonalds

Fun aka ACIIIIIDDDDD. I remember hearing the big songs from this album on tv/radio/whatnot back when it was released and it was enjoyable, but for whatever reason I did not buy the album. Most of it still sounds pretty good. The overall vibe I got from this album is montage soundtrack with Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright. Which is a good thing.

You've Come a Long Way, Baby by Fatboy Slim is a vibrant testament to Norman Cook's musical enthusiasm and innovative sampling. The album's standout tracks, Gangster Trippin and Praise You, effectively blend various genres, showcasing Cook's adeptness at creating catchy, memorable tunes. While not typically a fan of this genre, I found this album surprisingly accessible and engaging. Initially, I dismissed it, feeling overwhelmed by the market's saturation with big beat and electronic music. However, a closer listen reveals the craftsmanship and creativity that sets it apart. Cook's previous musical projects inform this work, but it ventures into new, refreshing territory. His infectious energy permeates the album, making it a unique entry in the late '90s music scene. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 6 STAND OUT TRACK - Gangster Trippin

This album shows a real evolution in house electronic music could be taken seriously. Not only are the songs catchy, but they play with motifs and often feature a considerable amount of theme and variation. It’s not just a handful of samples played the same way for 3-7 minutes at a time, and I think that makes it stand out against the bleeps and bloops that came before it.

It is what it is. And it's still pretty fun

Super fun. I'm not sure that you MUST to listen to, but it is a great dance record

Not my musical cup-o-tea, but no denying Right Here, Right Now, The Rockefeller Skank, Gangster Trippin', and Praise You are straight up bops. 3.75/5

Lots of classics on this one album!

Classic stuff!

After lamenting last week that better living through chemistry isn't as good as you've come along way baby, I've had You've Come a Long Way Baby by Fatboy Slim. I still think I'm right and this is a lot better, I do agree that it can get very repetitive at times and I'm not a fan of a few songs as it feels like the drag on too long, but still good stuff and a 4

Definitely the best of Fatboy Slim, like taking a time machine to the late 90s

Fun! I had never heard it before in its entirety and it was a fun listen.

Iconic album. Like all good electronic music, it's just a little annoying.

This still slaps. I had a lot of fun listening to this - however, some of the songs dragged on a bit and I found myself feeling frustrated by the constant repetitions.

More hits on it than i remembered like right here right now and funk soul brother. Kinda need to be in the mood for the album lol

Serious college flashbacks. This album is a lot of fun.

I was in my final year of primary school when this album dropped. It was EVERYWHERE. It was inescapable. It was a totally new sound, blending genres, subverting tropes. The "electronic" music I'd grown up on was Darude and Sash!. I had not had much exposure to hip hop. Maybe this album isn't quite as revolutionary as it initially seemed but I don't think it's impact can be over-stated. An extra star just for that.

I laughed out loud when I saw this was album of the day. It is fun and catchy and woke up some 90s nostalgia. Man, this does remind me why everyone knows or should know to never date a DJ though lol

Turns out repetition can be good.

90s Dance-house-techno-big beat record. All bangers. Every track danceable. Loved the looping short vocal samples and the big drop beats. Great fusion of rock, jazz and funk in some tracks. So much fun. Favorites: Rockafella skank, Gangster trippin, Kalifornia, You're not from Brighton, Praise you.

Dude really earned that parental warning label

**Album Review: "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" by Fatboy Slim** Released in 1998, "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" is the second studio album by English big beat musician Fatboy Slim, also known as Norman Cook. This album marked a significant moment in the electronic music scene, bridging the gap between underground dance music and mainstream pop culture. Here's an in-depth review focusing on its lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, along with the pros and cons. ### Music and Production **Music:** The album is a quintessential example of the big beat genre, characterized by heavy breakbeats, acid house-inspired synthesizers, and an eclectic mix of samples. Each track is a high-energy amalgamation of various influences, from funk and hip-hop to rock and electronic dance music. 1. **"Right Here, Right Now"** - The opening track sets the tone with its pulsating rhythm and iconic build-up. The bassline is powerful, and the layering of samples creates an anthemic feel, making it a staple in both clubs and commercials. 2. **"The Rockafeller Skank"** - Perhaps the most recognizable track, this song combines a surf guitar riff, vocal snippets, and a driving beat. The repetitive "Right about now, the funk soul brother" line, sampled from rapper Lord Finesse, becomes an earworm. 3. **"Gangster Trippin"** - This track features a heavier, more aggressive beat with samples from The Art of Noise and Dust Junkys. It's a chaotic yet controlled piece that showcases Fatboy Slim's ability to blend diverse elements into a cohesive sound. 4. **"Praise You"** - A departure from the album's more intense tracks, "Praise You" offers a more soulful, gospel-infused vibe. The sample from Camille Yarbrough’s "Take Yo’ Praise" is central to its appeal, creating a warm, uplifting atmosphere. **Production:** Norman Cook's production on this album is meticulous and innovative. He demonstrates a masterful ability to manipulate samples, turning snippets of existing songs into entirely new compositions. The production quality is high, with each track featuring a rich, full sound that emphasizes the low-end frequencies essential to dance music. Cook’s use of effects like reverb, delay, and filtering enhances the dynamic range of the album, keeping listeners engaged throughout. ### Lyrics and Themes **Lyrics:** The album is not particularly lyric-focused, as is typical in the big beat genre. Instead, it relies heavily on sampled vocals. These samples, often looped and repeated, serve more as rhythmic and melodic elements than as conveyors of complex messages. For example: - **"The Rockafeller Skank"** features the repeated line "Right about now, the funk soul brother," which, while catchy, doesn’t offer deep lyrical content. - **"Praise You"** is one of the few tracks with a more coherent lyrical message, centered around gratitude and positive affirmation. **Themes:** The overarching theme of the album is hedonistic celebration. It encapsulates the late 90s party culture, where the emphasis was on having a good time, dancing, and enjoying the moment. Tracks like "Gangster Trippin" and "Build It Up - Tear It Down" exemplify this with their relentless energy and upbeat tempos. Another theme is nostalgia, as seen in the use of samples from older songs. Cook’s ability to repurpose these samples creates a bridge between past and present musical eras, giving the album a timeless quality. ### Influence and Legacy "You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby" played a crucial role in bringing electronic music to a wider audience. It was a commercial success, with several singles charting globally. Its influence can be seen in various aspects: 1. **Mainstream Acceptance** - The album’s success helped to legitimize electronic music within mainstream pop culture, paving the way for future electronic artists to achieve similar recognition. 2. **Sampling Techniques** - Cook's innovative use of sampling inspired many producers. His method of blending disparate samples into cohesive tracks showcased the creative potential of the technique. 3. **Cultural Impact** - Songs like "Praise You" and "The Rockafeller Skank" became cultural touchstones, frequently used in films, commercials, and TV shows, embedding them in the public consciousness. 4. **Big Beat Genre** - The album solidified the big beat genre's place in music history. While the genre was already gaining traction, "You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby" brought it to the forefront, influencing contemporaries and new artists alike. ### Pros and Cons **Pros:** 1. **Innovative Production** - Norman Cook's production techniques are groundbreaking. His skillful manipulation of samples and creation of intricate, danceable beats set a high standard in the electronic music genre. 2. **Eclectic Sound** - The album’s diverse range of influences, from funk to rock to hip-hop, makes it a rich auditory experience. Each track offers something unique, keeping the listener engaged. 3. **High Energy** - The relentless energy throughout the album makes it perfect for parties and clubs. Tracks like "Right Here, Right Now" and "The Rockafeller Skank" are designed to get people moving. 4. **Cultural Relevance** - The album has left a lasting impact on popular culture, with several tracks becoming iconic in their own right. Its influence is still felt in electronic music today. **Cons:** 1. **Repetitive Elements** - The heavy reliance on looping samples can become monotonous for some listeners. The repetitive nature of tracks like "The Rockafeller Skank" might not appeal to those looking for more lyrical or melodic diversity. 2. **Niche Appeal** - While the album was a commercial success, its primary appeal lies within the dance music community. Listeners who prefer more traditional song structures and lyrical depth might find it less accessible. 3. **Era-Specific Sound** - Some aspects of the production are very much of their time. The big beat style, while influential, might sound dated to modern listeners accustomed to contemporary electronic music trends. ### Conclusion "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" by Fatboy Slim is a landmark album in the history of electronic music. Its innovative use of sampling, high-energy tracks, and eclectic influences make it a standout example of the big beat genre. The album played a significant role in bringing electronic music to mainstream audiences and has left a lasting legacy in the music world. Despite some repetitive elements and its niche appeal, its cultural impact and production quality make it a timeless piece worth revisiting.

Oh this is an old favorite, I love all the mixes.

I especially like Right Here Right Now, the Rockafeller Skank, Love Island

This is specifically what I didn't like or understand about electronic music when I was growing up and taking cues from my older brother about what I was allowed to like and listen to.

90s jams at their finest.

Reviewed the album on a walk with the dogs and I feel about it like I did when it was first released two or three good songs that don’t burrow into your brain and get annoying. His later collaborations are better and don’t turn off people with anxiety where the repetitive beats and phrases don’t overwhelm.

yes, great boy

Very much of its time, this was the sounds of the summer of 1998 for me, but 25 years later (almost) I was fully expecting it to have aged badly, but by the time I got to the fourth track, "Gangster Trippin", I was fully invested and chair boogying... It's a layered cake of repetitive banging beats, pitched sequenced sounds, repetitive sampled vocals, I can certainly appreciate the craft that went into it, moreso that it was done without the modern tools people take for granted, I mean he produced it using C-Lab Creator on an Atari ST that was already pretty old by 1998 standards (watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLjgXPDzeZo to see how homebrewed his studio was). Nostalgia ain't what it used to be, but I enjoyed this trip down memory lane, though it does get a little weak in the back end aside from "Praise You".

Praise You is a top 10 music video

De fleste af numrene kunne være godt være op til et minut kortere, men langt de fleste af dem er kæmpe bangers alligevel

Fed plade. Stort set alle dem man kender. I flere af sangene lød det som om min hjerne gik i stykker - på en god måde!

Really good songs Some aren't tho.

AlienSpin - Track1 AlienOverheat/AlienGlitch - Track2 AlienDance - Track6 and +

This album is a trip and can take you anywhere, no passport needed! 4/5

- very enjoyable I love the dj sound - the songs were catchy - good gaming music

Well, I'm already familiar with Fatboy Slim as a big-beat producer, particularly for the songs "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You" from this album that I've heard on alternative radio. Needless to say, the rest of the album is of similar quality to those two tracks. This is a very electronic album, where Slim experiments with beat loops, samples, and track manipulation to create fresh rhythms to groove to. Sure it's a bit repetitive and long, but that comes with the territory of the big-beat genre. If that's not your cup of tea, I get it. For everyone else, give this a shot.

Classic, love it

The Rockafeller Skank, Right Here, Right Now and Praise You… some of the best 90s tracks all on one album. And the ones I’m less familiar with are really fun too. Go watch Spike Jonze’s Praise You music video if you haven’t, absolute treat.

Cracking album, full of bangers and very enjoyable even for somebody who isn't usually fond of this genre of music.

Very enjoyable

"Here we go" i thought, another fucking album which samples shit to hell and back. Just what i need after a few mediocre hip hop albums. Im not sure what it is, but sampling should be outlawed for many artists. Im not normally one for dance music albums either unless they are compilations. But this really hit the spot. Right here, right now. Absolute banger. Rockafeller skank, banger. Gangster tripping, banger. Praise you, absolute banger. Plenty of bangers on this album. The album starts really well, very strong and gets weaker as you go until you hit praise you. build it up, tear it down also good. Lots of stand out tracks. The samples are actually fun, catchy and make you wanna rock it a bit. Even if you didnt know who fatboy slim was, you will have heard many of these songs. Which i think is a testament to the quality. These songs have been used on adverts, TV, films, you name it. Theres at least 4 very strong singles on this album. Probably 5 imo with build it up, tear it down. The sampling on this is great. Very catchy lyrics throughout the main songs. The front cover is pretty iconic too. Overall, a very good album for me. Rating - 4/5

And I thought I would hate this album. There is something mesmerizing about it. It repeats, it can get annoying, but I enjoyed it way more than a person should be allowed.

This is the Fatboy Slim album that I was familiar with. It's got most of his/their best songs many of which still hold up today. I thoroughly enjoyed the re-listen. It's got a pretty iconic late 90's techno sound. Glad to see it represented on here. 3.53 stars

I don't remember how but I know this album really well, in spite of never having owned it. Fatboy slim wasn't the first to turn sampling into an art form in it's own right but my word did he do it well. What's amazing is that in 2024 he is still an A list DJ and people still love what he does. This is a fantastic album, can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere