Description
The Fool on the Hill was recorded in 1967 by the Beatles and included on the ground-breaking Magical Mystery Tour album and film. It was written by Paul McCartney but credited to Lennon–McCartney.
This haunting song describes a solitary figure who is not understood by others, but is actually wise: someone, McCartney said, like the Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who was called a fool by his detractors. The imbecile/genius ambiguity is harmonically portrayed in the key structure of the song, which alternates between D major and minor.
Alistair Taylor – PA to the Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein – recalls that he and McCartney had been discussing the existence of God whilst out on a walk on Primrose Hill in London when a well-dressed man inexplicably appeared then disappeared. This rather mysterious occurrence, said Taylor, was the inspiration for the song.
The Fool on the Hill received a mixed reception and was never released as a single by the Beatles. It did, however, become a top 10 hit single in a ‘bossa nova’ version produced in 1968 by Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66. It has subsequently been recorded by a whole plethora of artists including Uretha Franklin, Shirley Bassey, Vera Lynn and, more latterly, the Eurythmics.
For copyright reasons this title is only available in printed sheet music format. Also for copyright reasons, it is not available to customers in Japan.
