Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino (born February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Lou… Read Full Bio ↴Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino (born February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana, died October 24, 2017), was a classic R&B and rock and roll singer, songwriter and pianist. He was the best-selling African-American singer of the 1950s and early 1960s whose congenial, non threatening personality allowed him to succeed despite a period of deep-seated racial segregation. Domino is also a pianist with an individualistic bluesy style showing stride and boogie-woogie influences.

In 1986, he was among the first batch to get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. "Ain't That A Shame" and "Blueberry Hill" were named part of The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll. In 2004, "Blueberry Hill" was named #81 and "Ain't That A Shame" was named #431 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs Of All Time. In 2004, he was named #25 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time.

In the wake of Domino's rescue from his 9th ward home during 2005's Hurricane Katrina, the Tipitina's Foundation organized a tribute album to the elder artist featuring Robert Plant, Norah Jones, Paul McCartney and numerous other acts that owe a creative debt to this seminal rock n roll pianist.

Prisoner
Fats Domino Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, I wish I had someone to love me
Someone to call me their own
Oh, I wish I had someone to live with
'Cause I'm tired of livin' alone

Oh, please meet me tonight in the moonlight
Please meet me tonight all alone
For I have a sad story to tell you

It's a story that's never been told

Now, if I had the wings of an angel
Over these prison walls I would fly
And I'd fly to the arms of my poor darlin'
And there I'll be willing to die

So please meet me tonight in the moonlight
Please meet me tonight all alone

For I have a sad story to tell you
It's a story that's never been told

Overall Meaning

The Prisoner's Song by Fats Domino is a heart-wrenching ballad that speaks of the loneliness and desperation of someone who is incarcerated. The opening lines of the song," Oh, I wish I had someone to love me, someone to call me their own, oh, I wish I had someone to live with, 'cause I'm tired of livin' alone" sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The prisoner is yearning for someone to love and share his life with, and his loneliness is palpable. He is so desperate for companionship that he is willing to risk being caught by the guards for a chance to meet someone in the moonlight.

The lyrics go on to speak about the story that the prisoner wants to share with his hypothetical lover. The story has never been told before, implying that it is a secret or something that the prisoner is ashamed of. He compares himself to an angel trapped behind prison walls, dreaming of flying away to his lover's arms. The final plea for a meeting in the moonlight is a desperate cry for human connection, and the prisoner seems willing to risk it all for a chance to share his story with someone.

Overall, "Prisoner's Song" is a touching and melancholic song that highlights the human need for love and companionship, even in the darkest of times.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, I wish I had someone to love me
I yearn for someone to love me and care for me deeply.

Someone to call me their own
I hope to find someone who will claim me as theirs, and someone I can claim as mine.

Oh, I wish I had someone to live with
I want a person to share my life with, to live together and support each other.

'Cause I'm tired of livin' alone
I am feeling weary and lonely living by myself; I need someone to share my life with.

Oh, please meet me tonight in the moonlight
I implore you to come and see me tonight in the bright moonlight.

Please meet me tonight all alone
Let us spend some time together in private tonight.

For I have a sad story to tell you
I have a heart-wrenching story that I need to share with you.

It's a story that's never been told
It is a story that I have never shared with anyone else before.

Now, if I had the wings of an angel
I wish I had supernatural abilities to fly high above and free myself from this place.

Over these prison walls I would fly
I would fly over these tall walls that keep me captive in this place.

And I'd fly to the arms of my poor darlin'
I would fly to my lover's embrace, who is also enduring suffocating misery.

And there I'll be willing to die
I will not fear death when I am with my beloved; I will be at peace.

So please meet me tonight in the moonlight
I beseech you to come and be with me tonight, where the bright moonlight shines upon us.

Please meet me tonight all alone
Let us meet privately, just the two of us.

For I have a sad story to tell you
I have a painful and silent tale that I really need to share with you.

It's a story that's never been told
It is a unique and private story that no one else knows except me.

Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: GUY MASSEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Perry Amberson

6y↑4

Fats was such a great interpreter of songs of all kinds from all eras.

Shirley Jennings

7y↑4

I appreciate your tribute to Fats Domino. Thank You,

44robnl

4y↑2

I don't know when I heard this song for the first time but it has always been one of my favorites. There are quite a few of covers of this song, very few by R&B artists.