About The Song
“Everybody Plays the Fool” is a renowned song initially recorded by The Main Ingredient, an American R&B group, in 1972. The track was penned by J. R. Bailey, Rudy Clark, and Ken Williams. It served as the lead single from their album “Bitter Sweet,” featuring “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me?)” as its B-side. Led by the soulful vocals of Cuba Gooding Sr., the song quickly rose to popularity, conveying a timeless message about the universal experience of heartbreak. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in fall 1972 and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. It was also certified gold by the RIAA.
The song “Everybody Plays the Fool” by The Main Ingredient carries a universal theme of heartbreak and vulnerability, resonating with the shared human experience of making mistakes and enduring the pain of lost love. The song taps into the commonality of heartbreak and the vulnerability inherent in falling in love. It communicates the message that everyone, without exception, undergoes the anguish of being deceived or hurt in a relationship at some point in life. During times of heartache, the song serves as a reminder that suffering is not an isolated experience, fostering a sense of shared humanity.
Lyrics
[Intro]
Okay, so you're heartbroken
You sit around mopin'
Crying, crying
You say you're even thinking about dying?
Well, before you do anything rash
Dig this
[Chorus]
Everybody plays the fool sometime
There's no exception to the rule
Listen, baby
It may be factual, may be cruel
I ain't lying
Everybody plays the fool
[Verse 1]
Falling in love is such an easy thing to do
And there's no guarantee that the one you love
Is gonna love you
Oh, loving eyes, they cannot see
A certain person could never be
Love runs deeper than any ocean
It clouds your mind with emotion
[Chorus]
Everybody plays the fool sometime
There's no exception to the rule
Listen, baby
It may be factual, may be cruel
I wanna tell you that
Everybody plays the fool
[Verse 2]
How can you help it when the music starts to play
And your ability to reason is swept away
Oh, heaven on earth is all you see
You're out of touch with reality
And now you cry, but when you do
Next time around someone cries for you
[Chorus]
Everybody plays the fool sometime
They use your heart just like a tool
Listen baby
They never tell you so in school
I wanna say it again
Everybody plays the fool
Listen to me, baby
Everybody plays the fool sometime
(There's no exception to the rule)
No exception to the rule
It may be factual, may be cruel sometimes
Everybody plays the fool
[Outro]
Listen, listen, baby
Everybody plays the fool