Recorded in 1991

The Fool

Written by Lee Hazlewood • Naomi Ford • Unreleased song

Last updated on June 22, 2019

Timeline This song was recorded in 1991

Master album

Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)
By Paul McCartney

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Get Back sessions - January 8, 1969 - Day 5
Jan 08, 1969
Get Back sessions - January 21, 1969 - Day 10
Jan 21, 1969
Lympne Castle Jam Session
May 08, 1979

From Wikipedia:

“The Fool” is a song written by Naomi Ford and Lee Hazlewood and performed by Sanford Clark. It reached #5 on the U.S. R&B chart, #7 on the U.S. pop chart, and #14 on the U.S. country chart in 1956.[…]
The song was ranked #42 on Billboard magazine’s Top 50 singles of 1956.

Paul McCartney played this song during his 1991 “Unplugged” concert, but it didn’t make it on the released album.

Lyrics

Gather round me buddies

Hold your glasses high

And drink to a fool, a crazy fool who told his baby goodbye

Too late he found out he loves her

So much he wants to die

But drink to a fool, a crazy fool who told his baby goodbye

He needs her, he needs her so

He wonders why he let her go-oo-oo

She's found a new love, buddy

He's a lucky guy

So drink to the fool, 'cause I'm that fool who told his baby goodbye

He needs her, he needs her so

He wonders why he let her go-oo-oo

She's found a new love, buddy

He's a lucky guy

So drink to the fool, 'cause I'm that fool who told my baby goodbye

My baby goodbye

Who told my baby, who told my baby...

Bootlegs

Kansas City (Batz)
Unofficial album
4:04 • Studio version
Rock & Roll Jam Sessions
Unofficial album
2:34 • Studio rehearsal
Plugged and Unplugged
Unofficial live • Released in 1992
4:04 • Live • L1
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Producer, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Percussion (?) Robbie McIntosh : Acoustic guitar Hamish Stuart : Acoustic bass, Vocal harmonies Paul Wickens : Piano (?) Blair Cunningham : Drums Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Eddie Klein : Assistant engineer Gary Stewart : Assistant engineer Peter Craigie : Assistant engineer Gary Bradshaw : Monitor engineer
Concert From "MTV Unplugged" in Wembley, United Kingdom on Jan 25, 1991
Lympne Castle Sessions
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
2:37 • Studio rehearsal
Recording : May 1979 • Studio Lympne Castle
A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions - Jan 8th, 1969 - 3 & 4
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
0:24 • Rehearsal • Jan.08 - D3-16 - The Fool 8.86
Session Recording: Jan 08, 1969 • Studio Twickenham Film Studios, London, UK

See all bootlegs containing “The Fool”

Live performances

“The Fool” has been played in 1 concerts and 2 soundchecks.

Year	Soundchecks	Concerts
1960	0	0
1961	0	0
1962	0	0
1963	0	0
1964	0	0
1965	0	0
1966	0	0
1967	0	0
1968	0	0
1969	0	0
1970	0	0
1971	0	0
1972	0	0
1973	0	0
1974	0	0
1975	0	0
1976	0	0
1977	0	0
1978	0	0
1979	0	0
1980	0	0
1981	0	0
1982	0	0
1983	0	0
1984	0	0
1985	0	0
1986	0	0
1987	0	0
1988	0	0
1989	0	0
1990	0	0
1991	0	1
1992	0	0
1993	0	0
1994	0	0
1995	0	0
1996	0	0
1997	0	0
1998	0	0
1999	0	0
2000	0	0
2001	0	0
2002	0	0
2003	0	0
2004	0	0
2005	0	0
2006	0	0
2007	0	0
2008	0	0
2009	0	0
2010	2	0
2011	0	0
2012	0	0
2013	0	0
2014	0	0
2015	0	0
2016	0	0
2017	0	0
2018	0	0
2019	0	0
2020	0	0
2021	0	0
2022	0	0
2023	0	0
2024	0	0

Latest concerts where “The Fool” has been played

MTV Unplugged
Jan 25, 1991 • United Kingdom • Wembley • Limehouse Television Studios • TV show

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