Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Fatboy Slim's debut album, Better Living Through Chemistry, was one of the surprises of the big beat revolution of 1996 -- an eclectic blowout, all tracked to thunderous loops and masterminded by Norman Cook, a former member of the British pop band the Housemartins. It might not have been as startlingly fresh as the Chemical Brothers, but the hard-hitting beats and catchiness, not to mention consistency, of Better Living was a shock, and it raised expectations for Fatboy Slim's second album, You've Come a Long Way, Baby. And that record itself was something of a surprise, since it not only exceeded the expectations set by the debut, but came damn close to being the definitive big beat album, rivaling the Chemicals' second record, Dig Your Own Hole. The difference is, Cook is a record geek with extensive knowledge and eclectic tastes. His juxtapositions -- the album swings from hip-hop to reggae to jangle pop, and then all combines into one sound -- are wildly original, even if the music itself doesn't break through the confines of big beat. Then again, when a record is this forceful and catchy, it doesn't need to break new stylistic ground -- the pleasure is in hearing a master work. And there's no question that Cook is a master of sorts -- You've Come a Long Way, Baby is a seamless record, filled with great imagination, unexpected twists and turns, huge hooks, and great beats. It's the kind of record that gives big beat a good name.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $17.49/month
Joseph Walsh, Composer - Norman Cook, Composer, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, Instruments - Dale Peters, Composer - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Instruments - Winfred Terry, Composer - John Barry, Composer, Lyricist - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist - John Terry, Composer, Lyricist
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Producer, Programmer, Vocals - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Producer, Vocals, Instruments, Performance - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist - Josh Davis, Composer - Nicholas Lockett, Composer, Vocals - Leslie Hurdle, Performance
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Producer - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Producer, Programmer - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist - Aaron Gilbert, Composer
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Producer - Fred Smith, Composer - Earl Nelson, Composer - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Producer, Programmer - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist - Gary Bradford, Programmer - Martin Jenkins, Programmer, Instruments - Alan Mark Hornby, Programmer, Instruments
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Producer, Instruments - Camille Yarborough, Composer - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist - Gary Bradford, Programmer
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer - Fatboy Slim, Composer, Performance, MainArtist
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2008 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Norman Cook, Composer, Producer, Programmer - Fatboy Slim, Composer, MainArtist
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Album review
Fatboy Slim's debut album, Better Living Through Chemistry, was one of the surprises of the big beat revolution of 1996 -- an eclectic blowout, all tracked to thunderous loops and masterminded by Norman Cook, a former member of the British pop band the Housemartins. It might not have been as startlingly fresh as the Chemical Brothers, but the hard-hitting beats and catchiness, not to mention consistency, of Better Living was a shock, and it raised expectations for Fatboy Slim's second album, You've Come a Long Way, Baby. And that record itself was something of a surprise, since it not only exceeded the expectations set by the debut, but came damn close to being the definitive big beat album, rivaling the Chemicals' second record, Dig Your Own Hole. The difference is, Cook is a record geek with extensive knowledge and eclectic tastes. His juxtapositions -- the album swings from hip-hop to reggae to jangle pop, and then all combines into one sound -- are wildly original, even if the music itself doesn't break through the confines of big beat. Then again, when a record is this forceful and catchy, it doesn't need to break new stylistic ground -- the pleasure is in hearing a master work. And there's no question that Cook is a master of sorts -- You've Come a Long Way, Baby is a seamless record, filled with great imagination, unexpected twists and turns, huge hooks, and great beats. It's the kind of record that gives big beat a good name.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 01:01:59
- Main artists: Fatboy Slim
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Skint Records
- Genre: Electronic Dance
© 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Skint Records Limited, a BMG Company
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.