What a Fool Believes
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| “What a Fool Believes” | ||
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| Single by The Doobie Brothers from the album Minute by Minute |
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| Released | January 1979 | |
| Format | 7" | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 3:41 | |
| Label | Warner Bros. | |
| Writer(s) | Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins |
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| Producer | Ted Templeman | |
"What a Fool Believes" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, and recorded by The Doobie Brothers for their 1978 album Minute by Minute (with McDonald singing lead vocals). The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 14, 1979, remaining in that position for just one week.[1] However, the song received 1980 Grammy Awards for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
Loggins released a version of the song (prior to the Doobies) on his 1978 album Nightwatch, and a live version on his 1990 album Kenny Loggins Alive. There is also a Loggins/McDonald live duet on Loggins' 1993 album Outside: From the Redwoods.
In 1979, a 12" disco single of the song was released. Mixed by disco producer Jim Burgess, at 5:27 the song was slightly longer than the LP version and had a more pronounced bass-driven drumbeat.[citation needed]
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[edit] Cover versions
Several very different (and some not so different) cover versions of the song have been recorded, including:
- 1980: Aretha Franklin - from the album Aretha[2]
- 1991: Matt Bianco - from Samba in your casa and 12" Vinyl
- 1991: George Michael - from Live In Birmingham, a 1991 live bootleg[3]
- 1996: Compilation album Romantic Guitars: Amour
- 1997: The Wades - from The Feel Good Factor[4]
- 1998: M People - from The Best of M People (also on 1999 album Testify)
- 1998: Peter Cox - from Peter Cox
- 1999: Aretha Franklin - from Greatest Hits[2]
- 2000: Self - from Gizmodgery, where all the music is made on toy instruments
- 2000: Dionne Warwick - from Dionne Sings Dionne Vol.2
- 2003: Taste the Waste - live performances[5]
- 2004: Courtney Murphy - Australian Idol 2004
- 2007: Lackthereof[6] - from Bridging the Distance: a Portland, OR covers compilation
- 2008: Neri per Caso & Mario Biondi - from the album Angoli diversi
[edit] "Appearances" in other media
- A fictional account of the creation of this song was featured in the first episode (June 2005) of Yacht Rock, an Internet series featuring characters of Michael McDonald and the Doobies. In the parody, Kenny Loggins inspires McDonald to write the song after Doobie guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter threatens to kick McDonald out of the band unless he writes a hit song for them.
- The song was used in "The Monkey Suit", the 21st episode of the 17th season (14 May 2006) of the The Simpsons TV show. It was used as a background music for an animation representing the creation theory.
- The song was also used in one of the Stella shorts.
- The song was featured on the original movie soundtrack of Frankie and Johnny.
[edit] Other versions
An unrelated song with the same title, written by Kavon Shah, C Ridenhour, K Bryant Jackson and Veda, appears on the 2005 Public Enemy album New Whirl Odor.
[edit] References and notes
- ^ Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 1996, Billboard Books, p.189
- ^ a b Aretha Franklin has covered the song twice (1980 and 1999), with two quite different versions.
- ^ George Michael at musiclovers.de. What a Fool Believes appears as track 14 on this bootleg recording, and is designated as one of George Michael's "rare recording"s. Most recently retrieved: 2007-09-14.
- ^ The Wades at Soul and funk music.com. Most recently retrieved: 2007-09-14.
- ^ The Taste the Waste Blog mentions several performances in December 2003, particularly New Year's Eve at the Chicago Playboy Club. Most recently retrieved: 2007-09-14.
- ^ Lackthereof web site. Most recently retrieved: 2007-09-14.
| Preceded by "Tragedy" by The Bee Gees |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single April 14, 1979 |
Succeeded by "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart |
