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Beatles forums => Songs => Song Of The Week Series => Topic started by: nimrod on February 05, 2013, 11:49:45 PM

Title: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: nimrod on February 05, 2013, 11:49:45 PM
Day after day,
Alone on a hill,
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he's just a fool,
And he never gives an answer,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Well on the way,
Head in a cloud,
The man of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him,
or the sound he appears to make,
and he never seems to notice,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

And nobody seems to like him,
they can tell what he wants to do,
and he never shows his feelings,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Ooh, ooh,
Round and round and round.

And he never listens to them,
He knows that they're the fools
They don't like him,

The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Ooh,
Round and round and round

Kind of Pauls 'Nowhere Man' I think, a beautiful song that Ive always loved, Paul was on top form, those lyrics are brilliant.....!

The first appearance of “The Fool On The Hill” in the group’s history was on March 29th, 1967.  The group was assembled at Paul’s home in St. John’s Wood, London, to continue the composition of a new song for Ringo to sing on the “Sgt. Pepper” album, namely “With A Little Help From My Friends.”  Beatles biographer Hunter Davies was present on this day and, as related in his 1968 book “The Beatles,” he explains the premier of another new song:

“Paul then went back to his guitar and started to sing and play a very slow, beautiful song about a foolish man sitting on the hill.  John listened to it quietly, staring blankly out of the window, almost as if he weren’t listening.  Paul sang it many times, la-la-ing words he hadn’t thought of yet.  When at last he finished, John said he’d better write the words down or he’d forget them.  Paul said it was okay.  He wouldn’t forget them.  It was the first time Paul had played it for John.  There was no discussion.  Then they lit a marijuana cigarette, sharing it between them”

When asked about “The Fool On The Hill” during his 1980 Playboy interview, John replied, “Paul again, proving that he can write lyrics if he’s a good boy.”  Paul concurs, adding:  “’Fool On The Hill’ was mine and I think I was writing about someone like Maharishi.  His detractors called him a fool.  Because of his giggle he wasn’t taken too seriously.  It was this idea of a fool on the hill, a guru in a cave, I was attracted to.  I remember once hearing about a hermit who missed the Second World War because he’d been in a cave in Italy, and that always appealed to me.”

Song Written: March - September, 1967
Song Recorded: September 25, 26, 27, October 20, 1967
First US Release Date: November 27, 1967
First US Album Release: Capitol #SMAL-2835 “Magical Mystery Tour”
US Single Release:  Capitol Cema #S7-18890
Highest Chart Position:  n/a
British Album Release: Parlophone #PSCP 718 “The Beatles/1967-1970”
Length: 3:00
Key: D major
Producer: George Martin
Engineers: Ken Scott, Richard Lush, Phil McDonald

Instrumentation:

Paul McCartney -  Lead Vocals, Piano (Hamburg Steinway Baby Grand), Recorder, Bass Guitar (1964 Rickenbacker 4001 S)
John Lennon -  Rhythm Guitar (1964 Gibson J-160E), Harmonica (Hohner chromatic)
George Harrison - Rhythm Guitar (1962 Gibson J-160E), Harmonica (Hohner chromatic)
Ringo Starr - Drums (1964 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl), maracas,  finger cymbals
Christopher Taylor -  flute
Richard Taylor -  flute
Jack Ellory -  flute
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: tkitna on February 06, 2013, 12:58:14 AM
Its a nice enough song, but not one of my favorites. I think I liked it better when I was younger. Now, not so much. It gets tiresome for me after a few listens, but I havent heard it for awhile. Overall score though would be just alright to a certain skip at times.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 06, 2013, 01:30:16 AM
I love this song!

Here's its evolution from demo to released version...

The Beatles- The Fool On The Hill Demo, Take 4, & Original (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZbQ1WETH4o#ws)



A lot can be done with this song like Sérgio Mendes and Brasil '66 did with this Bossa Nova arrangement...

Sergio Mendes & Brasil´66-The fool on the hill (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzP-KvfC8QQ#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Klang on February 06, 2013, 02:59:37 AM

Sergio Mendes & Brasil´66-The fool on the hill ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzP-KvfC8QQ#[/url])


Probably one of the best Beatles covers ever.

 :)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 06, 2013, 03:53:59 AM
Probably one of the best Beatles covers ever.

 :)



I agree.  Lani Hall and Karen Philipp had such beautiful voices.



(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/24328933/Srgio+Mendes++Brasil+66+U1691761.jpg)



Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 - The Fool on the Hill (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liGxuSn-4aI#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 06, 2013, 04:03:45 AM
(http://i26.tinypic.com/9kt0ud.jpg)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on February 06, 2013, 04:56:03 AM
Nice song, sad lyrics about the loneliness of a misunderstood person, beautiful use of flutes. Maybe not an instant classic, but a winner anyway.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 06, 2013, 05:00:11 AM
...sad lyrics about the loneliness of a misunderstood person...

They were clues.    ;D 
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Dcazz on February 06, 2013, 02:20:44 PM
I think the flutes give it the sense of fool it needed. Beautifully crafted song all around!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: nimrod on February 06, 2013, 08:49:55 PM
never heard the Sergio Mendes version before Baz, very good ;)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 07, 2013, 03:04:02 AM
never heard the Sergio Mendes version before Baz, very good ;)


You like that Kev, huh?  Here's their Bossa Nova arrangement of With A Little Help From My Friends...


Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - With A Little Help From My Friends (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hApnXp7RSwE#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 07, 2013, 04:20:41 AM
1989...


Paul McCartney - Fool On The Hill Live (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hlw_9ldThs#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on February 07, 2013, 04:47:16 AM
I've found this version in Spanish by this Peruvian female singer.

Robertha El Tonto de La Colina Audiofoto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCvZIOXqX9A#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on February 07, 2013, 04:51:02 AM
They were clues.    ;D

Imagine if the song would have been called "The Fool On The Till"...
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Snoopy66 on February 08, 2013, 08:50:16 AM
Well, I can listen to it, but not too often  ;D. This song is far to be one of my favourite.

Snoopy
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 13, 2013, 04:33:12 AM
When the Magical Mystery Tour LP was released here, Penny Lane, All You Need Is Love and Hello Goodbye got a lot of radio airtime.  When I bought the album, I discovered several more great songs.  I liked The Fool On The Hill right away.  It was a bit old-fashioned in its sound and, for me, very welcomed after the Sgt Pepper Summer.

The Fool On The Hill was really brought to popularity by Sérgio Mendes and Brasil '66 in 1968.  Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass were still very popular too.  But Brasil '66 was more fun to watch.   ;)


Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Pretty World (HQ audio) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoN6tGEKjCM#ws)


FOOL ON THE HILL - Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEHckjjbE8I#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 13, 2013, 04:44:14 AM
Imagine if the song would have been called "The Fool On The Till"...

Maybe I'm short on imagination here but what would have happened?
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 13, 2013, 04:45:11 AM
Good morning Miss Winters, Miss Winters, Miss Winters...


The Beatles - The Fool On The Hill (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDtK7xUIDxk#ws)




;)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 13, 2013, 05:02:56 AM
Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '88


Sergio Mendes & Brasil '88   The Fool On The Hill (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZkGBGiMR8M#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on February 13, 2013, 05:27:15 AM
Maybe I'm short on imagination here but what would have happened?

I don't know if I'm using the substantive "till" correctly, but it would have been a clear clue. ;)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 13, 2013, 05:39:34 AM
I don't know if I'm using the substantive "till" correctly, but it would have been a clear clue. ;)

The Fool On The Cash Register?  Yeah, I can see that.  He sold his songs to Michael Jackson.  The real Paul would never do that!


(I'm really stretching my imagination here)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on February 13, 2013, 01:31:20 PM
The Fool On The Cash Register?  Yeah, I can see that.  He sold his songs to Michael Jackson.  The real Paul would never do that!


(I'm really stretching my imagination here)

Haha, no, I wanted to use "till" as a kind of synonym of "coffin". Surely I'm wrong, but it's the closer word to "hill" I've found.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Bobber on February 13, 2013, 03:54:57 PM
I agree.  Lani Hall and Karen Philipp had such beautiful voices.

Examples for Agnetha and Anni-Frid.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 14, 2013, 12:27:07 AM
Examples for Agnetha and Anni-Frid.

Definitely!

Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 took their version of The Fool On The Hill to #6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and to #1 on the easy listening chart where it stayed at that position for six weeks in 1968.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: BLEEN on April 11, 2013, 04:59:14 PM
Always loved this tune, I really dig the mysterious feel as it goes into the chorus.

Anyone happen to know how they achieved that weird effect at the 2:40 mark? Kinda sounds like a sped up loop or something.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: nimrod on April 11, 2013, 09:22:27 PM
Always loved this tune, I really dig the mysterious feel as it goes into the chorus.

Anyone happen to know how they achieved that weird effect at the 2:40 mark? Kinda sounds like a sped up loop or something.

mostly done on a mellotron

btw I always thought the fade out at the end of this track was way too fast
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: tkitna on April 12, 2013, 12:02:03 AM
btw I always thought the fade out at the end of this track was way too fast


I was always ready for it. (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-laughing002.gif)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on April 12, 2013, 01:01:59 AM
I love this song!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: nimrod on April 12, 2013, 02:04:18 AM
I was always ready for it. ([url]http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-laughing002.gif[/url])


:D

maybe they ran out of tape and had to do a quick end
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Kevin on April 13, 2013, 07:01:49 PM
I really like this song. Great atmosphere.
I've always thought though that what with the whimsical lyric and swirling production that this sounds more like a contempory Lennon song than the crystal-clear pop McCartney had become so adept at producing. More Stawberry Fields than Penny Lane. Wonder if Paul set out to write a John Song.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on April 13, 2013, 08:45:27 PM
Wonder if Paul set out to write a John Song.


He did.  And it wound up sounding like a Paul song...


Every Little Thing (2009 Stereo Remaster) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqdb2R5sN40#ws)



 ;D




Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on April 14, 2013, 03:15:21 AM
^

I love that song too!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: nimrod on April 14, 2013, 07:32:28 AM
He did.  And it wound up sounding like a Paul song...


Every Little Thing (2009 Stereo Remaster) ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqdb2R5sN40#ws[/url])



 ;D







One of my top 5 Beatle songs this
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on April 15, 2013, 04:07:32 AM
One of my top 5 Beatle songs this

I love this song!

Wait.  I said that already.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on April 15, 2013, 04:12:57 AM
Here's how John and George played their guitar parts...

Beatles - Every Little Thing Guitar Secrets (Original) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGeHpguAUeU#ws)


Just a pretty, pretty love song!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: nimrod on April 15, 2013, 11:40:09 PM
good stuff............wonder how they stitch those vids together ? (must be an app)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on April 16, 2013, 02:20:33 AM
Kev, Rob Taylor sometimes stitches three together in his instructional videos...


Beatles To A Tee (A Hard Days Night) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_J76cV4MLM#)




 :)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: nimrod on April 16, 2013, 05:25:17 AM
the mind boggles :-/
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - THE FOOL ON THE HILL
Post by: Hello Goodbye on April 17, 2013, 03:24:58 AM
the mind boggles :-/


My fingers boggle, Kev!  But I was happy to hear Rob Taylor explain how Sir George Martin produced George's solo at 0:50 - 1:04 in the above video.

Very few guitarists can play that fast.  Wayne Moss' rapid-fire sixteenth notes come to mind backing Bob Dylan's I Want You...


Bob Dylan - I want you - original version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAUuRBlJXjU#)


(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_riMGR1xxxk8/TBg39hOeZDI/AAAAAAAAH5s/Z-bb96evNKo/s400/young+wayne.jpg)