The Fool on the Hill
Encyclopedia
"The Fool on the Hill" is a song by The Beatles
. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney
(credited to Lennon–McCartney) and recorded in 1967
. It was included on the Magical Mystery Tour EP and album, and presented in the Magical Mystery Tour film
, with a promotional sequence shot near Nice
, in France
from 30–31 October 1967.
:
Alistair Taylor
, in the book Yesterday, reports a mysterious incident involving a man who inexplicably appeared near him and McCartney during a walk on Primrose Hill
and then disappeared again, soon after McCartney and Taylor had conversed about the existence of God
; this allegedly prompted the writing of the song.
McCartney played the song for John Lennon
during a writing session for "With a Little Help from My Friends
", and Lennon told him to write it down. McCartney did not; he was sure he would not forget it. In his 1980 interview with Playboy
, Lennon said, "Now that's Paul. Another good lyric. Shows he's capable of writing complete songs."
version of the song on 6 September 1967. This version was later released on the Anthology 2
compilation. Recording began in earnest on 25 September, with significant overdubs
by the Beatles on 26 September. Mark Lewisohn
said that the 26 September version was "almost a re-make." A take
from 25 September - noticeably slower, somewhat heavier and with slightly different vocals - is also included on Anthology 2. After another session on 27 September where McCartney added another vocal, the song sat for a month before flutes were added on 20 October.
of Allmusic said that "The Fool on the Hill" was the best of the new songs on Magical Mystery Tour aside from "I Am the Walrus
". Tim Riley, a music critic who has contributed to NPR, was not impressed, and unfavourably compared the subject of this song to fools in Shakespeare. Riley wrote, "Possibilities in this song outweigh its substance—it's the most unworthy Beatles standard since 'Michelle
.'"
on their 1979 tour of the UK
. He included on his 1989-1990 world tour as well. The performances on this tour incorporated sound bites from Martin Luther King, Jr.
's I Have a Dream
speech. A live version from this tour is found on the album Tripping the Live Fantastic
. The song surfaced again for McCartney's 2001-2002 tours
, and another live version appeared on the Back in the U.S.
album.
s of the song.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
(credited to Lennon–McCartney) and recorded in 1967
1967 in music
The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The...
. It was included on the Magical Mystery Tour EP and album, and presented in the Magical Mystery Tour film
Magical Mystery Tour (film)
Magical Mystery Tour is an hour-long British television film starring The Beatles that originally aired on BBC1 on 26 December 1967...
, with a promotional sequence shot near Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 30–31 October 1967.
Origins
McCartney said the song relates to Maharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
:
Alistair Taylor
Alistair Taylor
James Alistair Taylor was the English personal assistant of Brian Epstein who accompanied him to the Cavern Club when he first saw The Beatles play on 9 November 1961...
, in the book Yesterday, reports a mysterious incident involving a man who inexplicably appeared near him and McCartney during a walk on Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill is a hill of located on the north side of Regent's Park in London, England, and also the name for the surrounding district. The hill has a clear view of central London to the south-east, as well as Belsize Park and Hampstead to the north...
and then disappeared again, soon after McCartney and Taylor had conversed about the existence of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
; this allegedly prompted the writing of the song.
McCartney played the song for John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
during a writing session for "With a Little Help from My Friends
With a Little Help from My Friends
-Joe Cocker version:Joe Cocker's version was a radical re-arrangement of the original, in a slower, 6/8 meter, using different chords in the middle eight, and a lengthy instrumental introduction...
", and Lennon told him to write it down. McCartney did not; he was sure he would not forget it. In his 1980 interview with Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
, Lennon said, "Now that's Paul. Another good lyric. Shows he's capable of writing complete songs."
Recording
McCartney recorded a solo demoDemo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
version of the song on 6 September 1967. This version was later released on the Anthology 2
Anthology 2
Anthology 2 is a compilation album by The Beatles, released by Apple Records in March 1996. It is the second of the three-volume Anthology collection, all of which tie-in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. The opening track is "Real Love", the second of the two recordings that...
compilation. Recording began in earnest on 25 September, with significant overdubs
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
by the Beatles on 26 September. Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn is an English author and historian, regarded as the world's leading authority on the English rock band The Beatles.-The Beatles and related subjects:...
said that the 26 September version was "almost a re-make." A take
Take
A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production.-Film:In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup"...
from 25 September - noticeably slower, somewhat heavier and with slightly different vocals - is also included on Anthology 2. After another session on 27 September where McCartney added another vocal, the song sat for a month before flutes were added on 20 October.
Personnel
- Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
– vocalLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, recorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, penny whistle - John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, Jaw harp - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– acoustic guitar, harmonica - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, finger cymbals, maracas - Christopher Taylor – fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
- Richard Taylor – flute
- Jack ElloryAlfred John ElloryAlfred John Ellory or Jack Ellory was a British musician best known for playing flute on several of the James Bond films in the 1960s...
– flute
- Personnel per Ian MacDonaldIan MacDonaldIan MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
. Flautists also documented by Mark LewisohnMark LewisohnMark Lewisohn is an English author and historian, regarded as the world's leading authority on the English rock band The Beatles.-The Beatles and related subjects:...
.
Critical reaction
Richie UnterbergerRichie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
of Allmusic said that "The Fool on the Hill" was the best of the new songs on Magical Mystery Tour aside from "I Am the Walrus
I Am the Walrus
"I Am the Walrus" is a 1967 song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Lennon claimed he wrote the first two lines on separate acid trips. The song was in the Beatles' 1967 television film and album Magical Mystery Tour, and was the B-side to the #1 hit "Hello,...
". Tim Riley, a music critic who has contributed to NPR, was not impressed, and unfavourably compared the subject of this song to fools in Shakespeare. Riley wrote, "Possibilities in this song outweigh its substance—it's the most unworthy Beatles standard since 'Michelle
Michelle (song)
"Michelle" is a love ballad by The Beatles, mainly written by Paul McCartney, with the middle eight co-written with John Lennon. It is featured on their Rubber Soul album. The song departs from most of The Beatles' other recordings in that some of the lyrics are in French...
.'"
Performance History
The Beatles were no longer performing regular concerts when "The Fool on the Hill" was released, so they never played the song live. Paul McCartney first performed it live with WingsWings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
on their 1979 tour of the UK
Wings UK Tour 1979
On 23 November 1979, Paul McCartney's band Wings began a 19-date concert tour of the United Kingdom to promote their newest album, Back to the Egg....
. He included on his 1989-1990 world tour as well. The performances on this tour incorporated sound bites from Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
's I Have a Dream
I Have a Dream
"I Have a Dream" is a 17-minute public speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered on August 28, 1963, in which he called for racial equality and an end to discrimination...
speech. A live version from this tour is found on the album Tripping the Live Fantastic
Tripping the Live Fantastic
Tripping the Live Fantastic is Paul McCartney's first official live album and his first release of concert material since Wings' 1976 Wings over America live package. It was released in 1990 as triple LP, double cassette and double CD. Tripping the Live Fantastic reached #16 in the UK and #26 in...
. The song surfaced again for McCartney's 2001-2002 tours
Driving USA Tour
The Driving USA Tour was Paul McCartney's first concert tour of the 21st century and of any kind since 1993's New World Tour. For the first time in nearly a decade, McCartney returned to the road following the death of first wife, Linda McCartney, the death of George Harrison, and 9/11. This was...
, and another live version appeared on the Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S. is a double live album by Paul McCartney composed of highlights from his spring 2002 Driving USA Tour in the US in support of McCartney's 2001 release Driving Rain...
album.
Cover versions
Music service Allmusic lists more than 100 cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of the song.
| Year | Artist | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Sérgio Mendes Sergio Mendes Sérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk.... |
(single) | Reached #6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... chart; and spent six weeks at #1 on the easy listening chart Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... . Released on his album Fool on the Hill Fool on the Hill (Sergio Mendes album) Fool on the Hill is the fourth album by Sérgio Mendes and Brasil '66.The band on this album is the second version of Brasil '66. Mendes replaced all of the original band members for this album... . |
| 1968 | Eddie Fisher Eddie Fisher (singer) Edwin Jack "Eddie" Fisher , was an American entertainer. He was one of the world's most famous and successful singers in the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show. His divorce from his first wife, Debbie Reynolds, to marry his best friend's widow, Elizabeth Taylor, garnered... |
(single) | Charted on the Record World magazine Non-Rock survey, the first version of the song to make the US singles charts and the last US chart single by Fisher |
| 1968 | Bobbie Gentry Bobbie Gentry Roberta Lee Streeter , professionally known as Bobbie Gentry, is a former American singer-songwriter notable as one of the first female country artists to compose and produce her own material... |
Local Gentry Local Gentry Local Gentry is the third album by Bobbie Gentry. The second of four albums she released in 1968, it was produced by Kelly Gordon.-Side one:# "Sweete Peony 2:26" *# "Casket Vignette 2:34" *... |
|
| 1969 | The Four Tops | The Four Tops Now! | |
| 1969 | Corry Brokken Corry Brokken Corry Brokken is a former Dutch singer.Brokken won the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest, representing the Netherlands singing "Net als toen"... |
||
| 1969 | Petula Clark Petula Clark Petula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II... |
Just Pet | |
| 1969 | Stone the Crows Stone the Crows Stone the Crows were a blues band formed in Glasgow in late 1969.-History:The band were formed after Maggie Bell was introduced to Les Harvey by his elder brother, Alex Harvey... |
Stone the Crows | |
| 1970 | Shirley Bassey Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"... |
(single) | Reached number 48 on the UK Singles chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... . |
| 1971 | The Chopsticks | All Of a Sudden | |
| 1976 | Helen Reddy Helen Reddy Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10... |
All This and World War II All This and World War II All This and World War II is a 1976 musical documentary that juxtaposes Beatles songs, performed by a number of musicians, with World War II newsreel footage and 20th Century Fox films from the 1940s... |
|
| 1977 | Björk Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk... |
Björk Björk (album) Björk is the first official release from the Icelandic singer Björk. In 1976, Björk appeared on Icelandic radio singing "I Love to Love" through the music school she attended, which led her to a record deal... |
|
| 1981 | Sarah Vaughan Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."... |
Songs of the Beatles | |
| 1982 | John Williams John Williams (guitarist) John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in... |
The Portrait of John Williams | Classical guitar version |
| 2007 | Aretha Franklin Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All... |
Rare & Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul Rare & Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul Rare & Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul is a 2007 two-disc compilation album featuring unreleased and rare songs by Aretha Franklin recorded between 1966 and 1973 on Atlantic Records... |
Recorded in 1970 during the sessions for This Girl's in Love with You This Girl's in Love with You This Girl's In Love With You is a 1970 album by Aretha Franklin. It reached Billboards Top 20 and was reissued on compact disc through Rhino Records in the 1990s.... . |
| 2007 | Vera Lynn Vera Lynn Dame Vera Lynn, DBE is an English singer-songwriter and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during World War II. During the war she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops... |
The Singles Collection | |
| 2009 | Mark Mallman Mark Mallman Mark Mallman is a Minnesota musician and composer for film.-Education:Mallman graduated from Waukesha South High School in 1991. He studied jazz piano at The Milwaukee Conservatory of Music then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1991... |
Minnesota Beatle Project, Vol. 1 |