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554:; the record spent 30 weeks on the hitlist, however not in a single run: it entered in June 1969, spending just 3 weeks on the charts peaking at #31, and upon re-entering in the last weekly chart of 1977, it spent another staggering 27 weeks in the charts, peaking at #2 for 5 consecutive weeks in the spring of 1978. It was rewarded by a golden disc for its huge sales.
266:, a few blocks from where the song was first written. It has been recorded in most styles including pop, blues, r&b, c&w, rock, and reggae, and can be found on internet lists from âWords of Inspirationâ to âThe Most Depressing Songs of All Timeâ, and is even mentioned on a website devoted to vampires.
222:. The record companyâs Dutch affiliate had not realized the incorrect writer and publisher information was edited on the label: the song had been credited to Slinger Francisco, Mighty Sparrowâs real name. The situation was later corrected and the record would become the #3 hit of 1978.
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admitted that he had told people he wrote the song, but corrected things before a Los
Angeles audience in 1988. One recording artist apparently told the president of a record label that he had written a âgreat new songâ and then played his version of âOnly a FoolâŠâ over the phone.
148:â and Coburn added a lyric. The writers did not receive the usual $ 25 or $ 50 advance, but the company did pay for a one-hour demo recording which took place with studio players including Frank Owens (piano) and Kenny Karen (vocals). The session ended early so producer
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charted in 1969 in the UK as well as in the
Netherlands, where it re-entered the charts in 1977, spending a staggering 27 weeks on the charts and peaking at #2 in the spring of 1978. During its charts stay, in March 1978, âOnly a Foolâ appeared in
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In addition to the aforementioned mistake in the
Netherlands, quite a few singer-songwriters have been credited with the composition, some by their own doing, and some through the assumptions of others.
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spent the final ten minutes changing the original uptempo concept to a ballad approach. He asked Karen to do his best Jerry Butler impression, and asked Owens to play the way he had on the
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records (that piano part is still copied today on many of the newer versions of the song.) The next day, at Coburnâs suggestion, the writers took the demo to
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There are now more than 80 versions of the song with new recordings all the time. In some ways it has come full circle. In recent years it was recorded by
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The record received âeasy listeningâ airplay but not much in the way of sales. However, the song took off overseas through cover versions in the
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under new title "Prelude to: âTo All the Girls'" aka "To All the Girls" (Prelude); (uses excerpt of Mighty
Sparrow recording; 2 million sold)
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who is from the Bronx, the first by a New York singer since 1965; it was recently performed at
Brooklyn College in New York by the
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The song has since become a true standard in
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and Shelly Coburn in response to a request by United
Artists Music who was looking for songs for British duo
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with Byron Lee & the
Dragonaires (1966 recording re-issued in the Netherlands; 27 weeks on charts)
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as âMuisto vain jÀÀ", a top five hit performed by Jouko and Kosti. In 1968, the song was included on
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250:(Anders Wendin), and German as "Noch einen Tag und es ist aus".
320:(Trinidad); steel drums instrumental; listed as âOnly a Foolâ
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It has also been translated into Dutch as "Zonder Gevoel" by
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is a song that was composed in
Brooklyn New York in 1964 by
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Jouko and Kosti (Finland) top five single (in 2009 film
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214:'s International Charts section at #8 in the
582:http://www.normanbergen.com/only_a_fool.html
483:(only available as bonus single on box set:
444:(Netherlands) (in Dutch as âZonder gevoelâ)
117:Learn how and when to remove this message
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160:at Old Town Records for jazz singer
55:adding citations to reliable sources
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146:I Want to Hold Your Hand
468:in 2002; CBS TV series
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51:improve this article
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