''You've Come a Long Way, Baby'' is the second
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
by English
electronic music
Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...
producer
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook (born Quentin Leo Cook, 31 July 1963), also known as Fatboy Slim, is an English musician and DJ who helped popularise the big beat genre in the 1990s. His music makes extensive use of Sampling (music), samples from eclectic ...
(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
Astralwerks (or Astralwerks Records) is an American record label primarily focused on electronic music that is now owned by Universal Music Group. Its material is distributed via Capitol Music Group in the United States. The label was founded in ...
. ''You've Come a Long Way, Baby'' proved to be Cook's global breakthrough album,
peaking at number one on the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
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
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. Four
singles were released from the album: "
The Rockafeller Skank
"The Rockafeller Skank" is a song by English big beat musician and DJ Fatboy Slim. It was released as the lead single from his second studio album, '' You've Come a Long Way, Baby'' (1998), on 8 June 1998. The single peaked at number six on the ...
", "
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.
Background
Cook bought obscure vinyl records and sampled elements that he liked. Throughout the 1990s he built up a library of these samples on floppy discs to create collages.
He loaded these into an
Akai S900
The Akai S900 is a 12-bit sampler, with a variable sample rate from 7.5 kHz through to 40 kHz. It was common in recording studios until it was superseded two years later by the S1000.
An expanded version, the Akai S950, was released in 1988 al ...
sampler connected via
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (; MIDI) is an American-Japanese technical standard that describes a communication protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, ...
to an
Atari ST
Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's Atari 8-bit computers, 8-bit computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available i ...
computer with
C-Lab Creator software to record and manipulate the samples. For most of the songs he added the bassline and sampled the other elements in a
Big Beat
Big beat is an electronic music genre that usually uses heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns – common to acid house/techno. The term has been used by the British music industry to describe music by artists such as the ...
style.
In early 1998 Cook had success with several remixes while trying out some of the obscure records during his DJ sets.
Through the use of a time-stretch method and collaborating with his mixer/engineer Simon Thornton, Cook compiled the songs at his home studio in
Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
, known as the House of Love.
Title and artwork
The title ''You've Come a Long Way, Baby'' was derived from a marketing slogan for
Virginia Slims
Virginia Slims is an American brand of cigarettes owned by Altria. It is manufactured by Philip Morris USA (in the United States) and Philip Morris International (outside the United States).
Virginia Slims are narrower ( circumference) than stan ...
cigarettes. The cover art, conceived by Red Design, uses a photograph of an obese young man dressed in a T-shirt bearing the words "I'm #1 so why try harder" while holding a cigarette.
The photograph was taken at the 1983 Fat People's Festival in
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The city is located in the Southside (Virginia), Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River ( ...
, and provided by the
Rex Features photo library. Cook spent years attempting to identify the man on the cover, hoping to pay him, but as of 2025 had not been successful.
Additional photography for the ''You've Come a Long Way, Baby'' liner notes was provided by Simon Thornton.
The cover image was changed in North America to an image of shelves stacked with records.
Critical reception
Critics liked ''You've Come a Long Way, Baby''. According to
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...
of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
, it "came damn close to being the definitive
big beat
Big beat is an electronic music genre that usually uses heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns – common to acid house/techno. The term has been used by the British music industry to describe music by artists such as the ...
album... a seamless record, filled with great imagination, unexpected twists and turns, huge hooks, and great beats."
[ In 2000, the album was ranked number 81 in '' Q'' magazine's readers' poll of the "100 Greatest British Albums Ever". The album was also included in the book '']1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music criti ...
''.
In 1999, it was certified 3× platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...
(BPI), 3×Platinum by the Australian Record Industry Association and platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA).
Track listing
Sample credits
* "Right Here, Right Now" contains samples of "Ashes, the Rain, and I", written by Dale Peters and Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler Walsh (born Joseph Woodward Fidler; November 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Best known as a member of the rock band Eagles (band), Eagles, his five-decade career includes solo work and stints in other ...
and performed by the James Gang, and a line from the 1995 '' Strange Days'', spoken by actress Angela Bassett
Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. Known for her work in film and television since the 1980s, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Angela Bassett, various accolades, including a Primetime ...
.
* "The Rockafeller Skank" contains samples of "Vinyl Dogs Vibe", written and performed by Lord Finesse, "Sliced Tomatoes", written by Winifred Terry and performed by the Just Brothers, "Beat Girl", written by John Barry and performed by John Barry and his Orchestra, "Join the Gang", written and performed by David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
, "I Fought the Law
"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets and popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, becoming a top-ten hit for the band in 1966. Their version of the song was ranked No. 175 on the ''Rolling Stone'' li ...
", written by Sonny Curtis
Sonny Curtis (born May 9, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter. Known for his collaborations with Buddy Holly, he was a member of the Crickets and continued with the band after Holly's death. Curtis's best known compositions include " Wa ...
and performed by the Bobby Fuller Four, "Who You Wit II", written and performed by Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
, "Twistin' N' Twangin'", written and performed by Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy (April 26, 1938 – April 30, 2024) was an American guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had a string of hit records produced by Lee Hazlewood which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" guitar sound, including ...
, "Why Can't You Love Me", written by Brian Poole and Alan Blakely and performed by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, and "Soup", written by Karl "J.J." Johnson and performed by the J.J. All-Stars.
* "Gangster Trippin" contains samples of "Entropy
Entropy is a scientific concept, most commonly associated with states of disorder, randomness, or uncertainty. The term and the concept are used in diverse fields, from classical thermodynamics, where it was first recognized, to the micros ...
", written and performed by DJ Shadow
Joshua Paul Davis (born June 29, 1972 in San Jose, California, San Jose, California), better known by his stage name DJ Shadow, is an American DJ and record producer. His debut studio album, ''Endtroducing.....,'' was released in 1996.
He uses l ...
(Josh Davis), "Beatbox Wash", written and performed by the Dust Junkys (Sam Brox, Ganiyu Pierre Gasper, Stephen Jones, Nicholas Lockett and Myke Wilson), "Word Play" and "The Turntablist Anthem", written and performed by the X-Ecutioners
The X-Ecutioners, originally known as X-Men, are a group of American hip hop DJs/ turntablists from New York City, New York. The group formed in 1989 and currently consists of three DJs, including Total Eclipse, DJ Boogie Blind, and DJ Precis ...
, "Change the Mood", written and performed by Jackie Mittoo
Donat Roy Mittoo (3 March 1948 – 16 December 1990), better known as Jackie Mittoo, was a Jamaican-Canadian keyboardist, songwriter and musical director. He was a member of The Skatalites and musical director of the Studio One record label.
...
, "Sissy Walk", written by J.C. Hill, J. Stiles and J. Hopson and performed by Freedom Now Brothers, and "You Do It", written and performed by Ann Robinson
Ann Robinson (born May 25, 1929) is an American former actress and stunt horse rider. She had a leading role in the science-fiction classic ''The War of the Worlds (1953 film), The War of the Worlds'', and starred in the 1954 film ''Dragnet (1 ...
.
* "Build It Up – Tear It Down" contains samples of "The Acid Test", written by Patricia Miller and performed by the Purple Fox.
* "Soul Surfing" contains samples of "I'll Do a Little Bit More", written by Earl Nelson and Fred Smith and performed by the Olympics.
* "Praise You" contains samples of "Take Yo Praise", written and performed by Camille Yarbrough, "Balance and Rehearsal", by the audio company JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer headquartered in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. The company was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing, an American audio engineer and loudspeaker designer. JBL currently serves the ho ...
, "Lucky Man"m written by Jim Peterson and performed by Steve Miller Band
The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1966. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles ...
, " What I'd Say", written by Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...
and performed by Rare Earth, "Running Back to Me", written by Randy Oda, Tom Fogerty and Bobby Chocran and performed by Ruby
Ruby is a pinkish-red-to-blood-red-colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapph ...
, "You Should Be High Love", written by Billy Squier
William Haislip Squier (, born May 12, 1950) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who had a string of arena rock and crossover hits in the early 1980s. His best-known songs include " The Stroke", " Lonely Is the Night", " My Kinda Love ...
and Desmond Child and performed by Squier, "Joe Bell", written and performed by Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, songwriter, composer, and actor. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records in the 1960s, serving as an in-house songwr ...
, "It's a Small World" from the album '' Mickey Mouse Disco'', written by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, and the theme from the cartoon series ''Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
''Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids'' (often referred to simply as ''Fat Albert'') is an educational American animated television series created, produced, and hosted (in live action bookends) by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to a nu ...
'', written by Ricky Sheldon and Edward Fournier.
Personnel
Credits for ''You've Come a Long Way, Baby'' adapted from liner notes.
* Norman Cook – performer, keyboards, synthesisers, bass, samplers, scratching, drum programming, production
* Red Design – photography
* Simon Thornton – engineering
Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
, mixing, photography
* Eve
Eve is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be. Creation myths develop through oral traditions and there ...
– provides the vocals for the song on "Cowboy".
* Freddy Fresh – provides the vocal sample for the song on "Fucking in Heaven".
* Myriam Tisler – provides the vocals for the song on "Radioactivity".
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
External links
*
*
You've Come A Long Way Baby
at Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...
{{Authority control
1998 albums
Fatboy Slim albums
Skint Records albums