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