What a Fool Believes
| “What a Fool Believes” | |||||
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| Single by The Doobie Brothers from the album Minute by Minute |
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| Released | January 1979 | ||||
| Format | 7" | ||||
| Recorded | August 1978 | ||||
| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 3:41 | ||||
| Label | Warner Bros. | ||||
| Writer(s) | Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins |
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| Producer | Ted Templeman | ||||
| The Doobie Brothers singles chronology | |||||
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"What a Fool Believes" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, and recorded by The Doobie Brothers for their 1978 album Minute by Minute (with McDonald singing lead vocals). The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 14, 1979, remaining in that position for just one week.[1] However, the song received 1980 Grammy Awards for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
"What a Fool Believes" was one of the few non-disco No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 during 1979.
Contents |
Lyrics
The song tells the story of a meeting between a man and a woman who had dated some time ago. The man is the titular "fool" who discovers, but is unable to accept, that the woman meant far more to him than he did to her. Although he clings fondly to the memories of their previous time together and yearns to restore their bond as he remembers it, it is clear that in actuality, their relationship was never particularly special to her. Even as she attempts, with a polite apology, to end his fantasy, he continues to hold fast the belief that some day they may be reunited as a couple.
Other versions by Loggins and McDonald
(and The Doobie Brothers)
Loggins released a version of the song (prior to the Doobies) on his 1978 album Nightwatch, and a live version on his 1990 album Kenny Loggins Alive.
There is a Loggins/McDonald live duet on Loggins' 1993 album Outside: From the Redwoods.
Warner Brothers also released a 12" single disco version by The Doobie Brothers (backed with "Don't Stop To Watch the Wheels"). Mixed by disco producer Jim Burgess, at 5:31 the song is considerably longer than 3:41 versions on the 7" single and the Minute by Minute LP. The 12" version also has a more pronounced bass-driven drumbeat.[2][3]
Cover versions
Several very different (and some not so different) cover versions of the song have been recorded, including:
- 1980: Aretha Franklin - from the album Aretha[4]
- 1991: Matt Bianco - from Samba in your casa and 12" Vinyl
- 1991: George Michael - from Live In Birmingham, a 1991 live bootleg[5]
- 1996: Compilation album Romantic Guitars: Amour
- 1997: The Wades - from The Feel Good Factor[6]
- 1998: M People - from The Best of M People (also on 1999 album Testify)
- 1998: Peter Cox - from Peter Cox
- 1999: Aretha Franklin - from Greatest Hits[4]
- 2000: Self - from Gizmodgery, where all the music is made on toy instruments
- 2000: Dionne Warwick - from Dionne Sings Dionne Vol.2
- 2003: Taste the Waste - live performances[7]
- 2004: Courtney Murphy - Australian Idol 2004
- 2007: Lackthereof[8] - from Bridging the Distance: a Portland, OR covers compilation
- 2008: Neri per Caso & Mario Biondi - from the album Angoli diversi
"Appearances" in other media
- A fictional account of the creation of this song was featured in the first episode (June 2005) of Yacht Rock, an Internet series featuring characters of Michael McDonald and the Doobies. In the parody, Kenny Loggins inspires McDonald to write the song after Doobie guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter threatens to kick McDonald out of the band unless he writes a hit song for them.
- The song was used in "The Monkey Suit", the 21st episode of the 17th season (14 May 2006) of the The Simpsons TV show. It was used as background music for an animatronic representation of biblical creation theory.
- The song was used in one of the Stella shorts.
- The song was featured on the original movie soundtrack of Frankie and Johnny.
Other songs with this name
An unrelated song with the same title, written by Kavon Shah, C Ridenhour, K Bryant Jackson and Veda, appears on the 2005 Public Enemy album New Whirl Odor.
References and notes
- ^ Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 1996, Billboard Books, p.189
- ^ What A Fool Believes (12"), discomusic.com. They comment: Disco from an unlikely artist ... "What A Fool Believes" was remixed by the late Jim Burgess to enhance its dance floor appeal. Another good Doobie Brothers 12 inch release was "Real Love".
- ^ This 12" single was recorded at 33 1/3 rpm, which enables better bass response; see 12" single for more information.
- ^ a b Aretha Franklin has two versions of this song, with the 1999 version being an edited version of the 1980 one.
- ^ George Michael at musiclovers.de. What a Fool Believes appears as track 14 on this bootleg recording, and is designated as one of George Michael's "rare recording"s. Most recently retrieved: 2007-09-14.
- ^ The Wades at Soul and funk music.com. Most recently retrieved: 2007-09-14.
- ^ The Taste the Waste Blog mentions several performances in December 2003, particularly New Year's Eve at the Chicago Playboy Club. Most recently retrieved: 2007-09-14.
- ^ Lackthereof web site. Most recently retrieved: 2007-09-14.
| Preceded by "Tragedy" by The Bee Gees |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single April 14, 1979 |
Succeeded by "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart |
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