The Fool (Sanford Clark song)

"The Fool"
Single by Sanford Clark
B-side	"Lonesome for a Letter"
Released	June 1956 (1956-06)
Genre	Rockabilly
Length	2:42
Label	Dot
Songwriter(s)	Naomi Ford, Lee Hazlewood
Sanford Clark singles chronology
"The Fool" (1956) "Usta Be My Baby" (1956)

"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. ^[1]

Al Casey played guitar on the record ^[2] and it was ranked #42 on Billboard magazine's Top 50 singles of 1956. ^[3]

Other charting versions

• The Gallahads, reaching #62 on the U.S. pop chart in 1956. ^[4]
• Don Gibson, hitting #22 on the U.S. country chart in 1978. ^[5]

Other versions

• Edna McGriff in 1956; her single did not chart. ^[6]
• Joe Seneca on his 1956 EP. ^[7]
• Mac Wiseman on his 1960 album Mac Wiseman Sings 12 Great Hits. ^[8]
• Johnny Burnette on his 1961 album Johnny Burnette Sings. ^[9]
• Bob Luman put out a single in 1962; it did not make the charts. ^[10]
• Bonnie Guitar's single in 1963 did not chart. ^[11]
• Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' recorded two versions - the first was in the beat group style in 1964, for an album that was subsequently aborted. This track has been issued on various compilations since the 1980s.
• Chris Farlowe in 1965; this did not make singles charts ^[12]
• Johnny Kidd & the Pirates as the B-side to their 1966 single "Send for That Girl". ^[13]
• Bobby Bare on his 1970 album This is Bare Country. ^[14]
• Roger Miller on his 1970 album 1970. ^[15]
• Elvis Presley on his 1971 album Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old) . ^[16]
• The Animals (credited as The Original Animals) released a version on their 1977 reunion album Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted . ^[17]
• Robert Gordon as the B-side to his 1977 single "Endless Sleep". ^[18]
• Johnny Lee on his 1984 album Til' the Bars Burn Down
• Mano Negra on their 1991 album King of Bongo . ^[19]
• Bedlam on their 1999 compilation album Anthology. ^[20]
• Richard Thompson on his 2003 album 1000 Years of Popular Music. ^[21]
• The Iveys on their 2017 live album Badfinger Origins: The Iveys Anthology, Volume 1 – Live at The Empire, June 7, 1966, Neath, South Wales. ^[22]

References

1. "Sanford Clark, "The Fool" Chart Positions" . Retrieved August 24, 2018.
2. "Sanford Clark, "The Fool" Single Release". Discogs . June 1956. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
3. "1956's Top Popular Records" Billboard January 26, 1957: 60
4. "The Gallahads, "The Fool" Chart Position" . Retrieved August 24, 2018.
5. "Don Gibson, "The Fool" Chart Position" . Retrieved August 24, 2018.
6. "Edna McGriff, "The Fool" Single Release" . Retrieved August 24, 2018.
7. "Joe Seneca EP". Discogs . Retrieved August 24, 2018.
8. "Mac Wiseman, Mac Wiseman Sings 12 Great Hits". Discogs . 1960. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
9. "Johnny Burnette, Johnny Burnette Sings". Discogs . 1961. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
10. "Bob Luman, "The Fool" Single Release". Discogs . 1962. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
11. "Bonnie Guitar, "The Fool" Single Release". Discogs . 1963. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
12. "Chris Farlowe, "The Fool" Single Release". Discogs . 8 October 1965. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
13. "Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, "Send for That Girl" Single Release" . Retrieved August 24, 2018.
14. "Bobby Bare, This is Bare Country". Discogs . 1970. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
15. "Roger Miller, 1970". Discogs . 1970. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
16. "Elvis Presley, Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old)". Discogs . 2 January 1971. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
17. "The Animals, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted". Discogs . 1977. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
18. "Robert Gordon, "Endless Sleep" Single Release". Discogs . 1977. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
19. "Mano Negra, King of Bongo". Discogs . 1991. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
20. "Bedlam, Anthology". Discogs . 1999. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
21. "Richard Thompson, Anthology". Discogs . 2003. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
22. "The Iveys, Badfinger Origins: The Iveys Anthology, Volume 1 – Live at The Empire, June 7, 1966, Neath, South Wales". Discogs . 25 June 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2018.