The Greatest Oldies Music

Oldies Musics

The Doobie Brothers – What A Fool Believes

About the Song

“What A Fool Believes” is a classic rock ballad that captures the bittersweet emotions of a lost love. Written by Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald, the song was first released in 1978 by The Doobie Brothers and quickly became a hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The song’s lyrics tell the story of a man who is struggling to move on from a failed relationship. He reflects on the good times they had and the mistakes he made, wishing he could have done things differently. The song’s chorus, “What a fool believes he sees,” emphasizes the protagonist’s disillusionment and regret.

The Doobie Brothers’ vocals are soulful and expressive, conveying the emotion and vulnerability of the lyrics. The melody is catchy and memorable, making it easy to sing along to. The instrumentation is simple yet effective, with a prominent piano riff and a soulful saxophone solo.

“What A Fool Believes” is a timeless song that continues to resonate with audiences today. Its themes of love, loss, and regret are as relevant now as they were when the song was first released. The song’s catchy melody and heartfelt lyrics have made it a classic of rock music.

In addition to its musical appeal, “What A Fool Believes” has also had a significant cultural impact. It was the Doobie Brothers’ first number-one hit in the United States, and it helped to solidify their status as one of the most popular rock bands of the 1970s. The song has also been covered by numerous artists, including Kenny Loggins himself, Barbra Streisand, and Dolly Parton.

“What A Fool Believes” is a classic song that has stood the test of time. It is a testament to the power of music to capture the complexities of human emotion. The song’s message of love, loss, and regret continues to inspire people today.

Here are some additional points that you could include in your introduction:

  • The song’s historical context: “What A Fool Believes” was released in 1978, during the peak of the disco era. It was a departure from the band’s previous rock sound, but it was a critical and commercial success.
  • The song’s themes: The song explores themes of love, loss, and regret. It also touches on themes of hope, forgiveness, and moving on.
  • The song’s musical style: “What A Fool Believes” is a ballad with a soulful melody and a soft rock groove. The instrumentation is simple yet effective, and the production is high-quality.
  • The song’s cultural impact: “What A Fool Believes” was a groundbreaking song that helped to define the sound of soft rock. It also had a significant impact on popular culture, influencing other artists and inspiring countless fans.
  • The song’s legacy: “What A Fool Believes” remains a popular song today. It is often covered by other artists, and it is still played on radio stations around the world.

John Hartman Dead: Drummer for Doobie Brothers Was 72

Video

Lyrics: What A Fool Believes

He came from somewhere back in her long ago
The sentimental fool don’t see
Tryin’ hard to recreate
What had yet to be created once in her life
She musters a smile
For his nostalgic tale
Never coming near what he wanted to say
Only to realize
It never really wasShe had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He’s watching her goBut what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
And nothing at all keeps sending him…Somewhere back in her long ago
Where he can still believe there’s a place in her life
Someday, somewhere, she will returnShe had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He’s watching her go

But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
There’s nothing at all
But what a fool believes he sees…

 

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Tucked away in a private drawer, far from the polished sets of her television show, lay a bundle of 341 letters. These were not press clippings or scripts; they were brittle, handwritten testimonies from servicemen stationed in remote barracks, deep in war-torn tunnels, and across desolate battlefields. During the long years of the Second World War, as Hollywood presented a glossy, curated image of American life, Donna Reed spent her nights reading these letters and, more remarkably, personally answering them. This was the quiet, invisible work that defined her, long before the public labeled her the quintessential television mother. Behind the camera during her production years, Reed was a different person entirely. She was rarely seen holding a script for a scene; she was more likely to be found hunched over lighting diagrams or studying the intricacies of cinematography. She possessed an uncredited producer’s mind, constantly analyzing how the frame could better reflect the reality of the family she was trying to depict. The studio environment was frequently cold and high-pressured, but she moved through it with a meticulous attention to detail that frustrated those who wanted to treat her as merely another pretty face in the cast. These tactile remnants—the stacks of ink-stained paper and the forgotten notes on camera angles—tell the story of a woman who never truly fit the box Hollywood built for her. While the world remembers the steady, comforting image of a television home, she lived a life carved out of hard labor and deep empathy. She carried the weight of those soldiers’ stories and the technical burdens of the studio floor until her final days, forever balancing the fragility of her public image against the demanding, gritty reality of her actual life.