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"Fool to Cry"
Single by The Rolling Stones
from the album Black and Blue
B-side
Released16 April 1976[1]
StudioMusicland, Munich, Germany
GenreSoul[2]
Length4:08 (single edit)
5:04 (album version)
LabelRolling Stones
SongwriterJagger/Richards
ProducerThe Glimmer Twins
The Rolling Stones singles chronology
"Out of Time"
(1975) 		"Fool to Cry"
(1976) 		"Hot Stuff"
(1976)
Official video
"Fool to Cry" on YouTube

"Fool to Cry" is a ballad[2] by English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1976 album Black and Blue.

The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Mick Taylor had just left the band and the Stones were left without a lead guitarist. The recording of Black and Blue acted as a sort of audition for new guitarists, which led to session man Wayne Perkins playing guitar on this track.[citation needed] Jagger plays electric piano and Nicky Hopkins performs acoustic piano on the track, with Hopkins also playing the string synthesizer.

Released as the lead single off Black and Blue in 1976, "Fool to Cry" reached No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The full track lasts just over five minutes, whereas the single (as well as edits, this also fades out at the end) lasts just over four minutes.

Cash Box called this "a departure for the Stones", saying that "the beat is relaxed, vocals are laid over a foundation of Fender Rhodes and guitar, all played with funky style" and also praised Jagger's falsetto vocals and Richards' "searing guitar riffs".[3] Record World said that "this ballad rivals 'Angie' in its soul drenching qualities" and noted that there were "superb performances all around".[4]

"Fool to Cry" was the only track from Black and Blue to appear on the Stones' career-spanning greatest hits albums Forty Licks in 2002 and GRRR! in 2012.

Chart performance

[edit]

Covers

[edit]

Lena Dunham, creator and star of HBO's Golden Globe-winning show Girls, commissioned Tegan and Sara to cover the Rolling Stones' "Fool to Cry" for the show's official soundtrack.[20] American singer and songwriter Taylor Dayne covered the song for her 2008 studio album Satisfied.[21]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Fool to Cry

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
"Fool to Cry" is a ballad written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones for their 1976 studio album Black and Blue. Released as the album's lead single in April 1976, the track features Jagger on electric piano and guest guitarist Wayne Perkins providing distinctive watery fills and solos during his audition to replace departing guitarist Mick Taylor. It achieved commercial success, peaking at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The song's lyrics reflect a vulnerable, introspective narrative from the perspective of an overburdened man seeking reassurance from his loved ones, including his who calls him "daddy," drawing from Jagger's personal experiences as a to his young Jade at the time. Jagger later described it as "another of our heartmelting ballads, a bit long and waffly at the end maybe, but I like it," noting its origins in the period when Jade was around a lot. Musically, the track stands out on for its orchestration, incorporating piano and synthesizer contributions from , which contrasted with the album's broader experimentation in , , and influences amid the band's transitional phase following Taylor's departure. Perkins, recommended by , ultimately did not join the band—Ronnie was selected instead—but his performance on "Fool to Cry" added a unique, audition-like authenticity to the recording. Though not as enduringly as earlier Stones hits, "Fool to Cry" exemplifies the band's in the mid-1970s toward more emotive and diverse sounds, and it remains a fan favorite for its emotional depth and live performances, including a rare rendition featuring Jagger on . The was reissued in expanded form as part of the 2025 deluxe edition of , highlighting its place in ' catalog.

Background

Writing and inspiration

"Fool to Cry" was written by and during ' transitional period in late 1974 and early 1975, following the departure of longtime guitarist in December 1974. This marked a challenging phase for the band, as they auditioned potential replacements—including , , and —while navigating creative uncertainties and shifting dynamics between Jagger and Richards. The song emerged amid these band transitions, reflecting a broader experimental ethos that pushed the group beyond their foundations. Jagger drew personal inspiration from his family life during this time, particularly his relationship with his four-year-old daughter, Jade, born in 1971 to Jagger and his then-wife Bianca. In a 1993 interview, Jagger described the track as originating from "the period when I had a young child, my daughter Jade, around a lot, calling me 'daddy' and all that," portraying it as a reflection of a joyful domestic moment despite the song's underlying vulnerability. This personal context infused the lyrics with themes of emotional fragility, where comfort comes from familial bonds amid inner turmoil. Jagger's vocal performance, notably his prominent falsetto, was influenced by soul singers like , whose emotive style shaped the track's leanings. This choice aligned with the album's experimental shift toward , , and influences, as the Stones explored diverse sounds during their and sessions. The result was a that captured Jagger's vulnerability while signaling the band's evolving musical identity.

Recording and personnel

"Fool to Cry" was recorded during the sessions, with principal work taking place in December 1974 at in , . Additional overdubs, possibly including lead vocals, likely occurred in early 1975 at locations such as the De Doelen concert hall in , . The track was produced by the Glimmer Twins, the production pseudonym used by and . The recording came amid a transitional period for following Mick Taylor's departure as lead guitarist in late 1974. The band held auditions for a replacement, and American session guitarist , who contributed to several album tracks including "Hand of Fate" and "Hey Negrita," provided the distinctive guitar parts that helped shape "Fool to Cry" before Ron Wood joined the group later in the sessions. The song's arrangement featured a core lineup from the band alongside key session players. handled lead vocals and played the Fender , delivering the track's signature woozy keyboard tone. contributed phased guitar with wah-wah effects. added decorative guitar licks. provided acoustic piano flourishes and string synthesizer. played bass, while supplied drums, emphasizing subtle hi-hat timekeeping. The album version of "Fool to Cry" clocks in at 5:04, but it was edited down to 4:08 for its single release. The song is credited to the songwriting partnership of Jagger and Richards.

Composition

Musical style

"Fool to Cry" is classified as a ballad that incorporates elements, representing a notable shift for away from their foundational blues-rock sound toward more diverse stylistic explorations in the mid-1970s. The song follows a verse-chorus structure with a relaxed mid-tempo pace of approximately 68 beats per minute (BPM), creating an intimate and laid-back atmosphere through its 4/4 . Mick Jagger's prominent vocals deliver the melody with emotional vulnerability, while his lines introduce a subtle funky undertone that syncs with . Instrumentally, the track features wah-wah guitar riffs contributed by session guitarist , adding a textured, muted edge alongside ' phased . Lush layers, played by , provide orchestral swells that evoke the sophisticated soul arrangements of 1970s acts like , enhancing the ballad's sentimental depth. In terms of production, "Fool to Cry" shares emotional resonance with the band's earlier piano-driven "Angie" from but distinguishes itself through more experimental elements, such as the funky rhythms and symphonic textures that reflect the transitional phase of the Black and Blue sessions in .

Lyrics and themes

The of "Fool to Cry" present a of a weary returning home after a long night of work, overwhelmed by the pressures of life and feeling that "the whole world's let [him] down." He finds solace first from his young , who sits on his knee and whispers reassurance, followed by his lover who urges him to share his , emphasizing familial and romantic bonds as anchors amid exhaustion. The song's structure builds from this on emotional fatigue to a resolution through these intimate reassurances, culminating in the repeated chorus : " daddy, you're a fool to cry / You're a fool to cry / And it seems like the whole world's let you down." Central themes include , as the narrator confronts his emotional breakdown in a rare display of fragility for a track, paternal love through the tender interaction with his , and resilience fostered by loved ones' . These elements highlight the restorative power of personal relationships against broader worldly burdens, portraying not as weakness but as a response to stress. The refrain "you're a fool to cry" serves as a symbolic critique of traditional stoicism, particularly the expectation that men suppress tears, instead affirming emotional expression as valid and supported by those closest to him. This draws from Mick Jagger's real-life experiences as a father; as he later reflected, the song stems from "the period when I had a young child, my daughter Jade, around a lot, calling me 'daddy' and all that," capturing the comfort derived from such bonds. Jagger's falsetto vocal delivery further underscores the song's intimate vulnerability.

Release

Commercial performance

"Fool to Cry" was released as a single on April 8, 1976, in the United States by under catalog number RS 19304, with "Hot Stuff" as the B-side, while the release on April 16 used catalog number RS 19121 and featured "" on the B-side. The single achieved significant commercial success, peaking at No. 10 on the US for two weeks in late May and early 1976. It also reached No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. In other markets, it charted at No. 11 in and No. 8 in the . This made "Fool to Cry" the only track from the album to reach the top 10 in both the US and . On the , the single debuted at No. 63 on the chart dated April 24, 1976, climbed steadily, and held its peak position for the weeks of May 29 and June 5 before spending a total of 11 weeks on the chart. In the UK, it entered the Official Singles Chart on May 1, 1976, and remained for 10 weeks. It ranked No. 78 on the US Billboard year-end Hot 100 chart for 1976. The single received no major certifications from organizations like the RIAA, though its strong performance on radio airplay helped drive sales of the parent album Black and Blue.

Promotion

"Fool to Cry" was issued as the lead single from the Rolling Stones' 1976 album Black and Blue on April 8 in the US and April 16 in the UK, spotlighting the band's evolving sound with prominent soul elements in the track's ballad structure and orchestration. The release aligned with promotional efforts underscoring Black and Blue's blend of rock with funk, reggae, and soul influences, marking a departure from the group's earlier blues-rock roots. The single's rollout coincided with the announcement and launch of the ' 1976 Tour of Europe, which opened on April 28 in , , allowing the band to showcase material from the new album live from the outset. In contemporary interviews, described "Fool to Cry" as a key example of the album's experimental approach, though he noted reservations about its commercial viability as a single, citing popular internal demand as the reason for its selection. No traditional music video was created for "Fool to Cry" upon its 1976 release, as such productions were uncommon for rock singles at the time; instead, a promotional clip featuring Jagger's vocals over a , filmed during studio sessions or rehearsals, was distributed for television and radio broadcast to build anticipation. International editions of the single varied by market, with several European countries issuing picture-sleeve versions that depicted in an emotive pose evocative of the song's vulnerable delivery and lyrical themes of emotional fragility.

Reception

Critical response

Upon its release in 1976 as the lead single from the album Black and Blue, "Fool to Cry" received praise in contemporary reviews for Mick Jagger's vocal performance and the song's soulful elements. In Rolling Stone, critic Dave Marsh highlighted the ballad as part of the album's standout material, noting that it was "material he [Jagger] can sing with pride until he's 50," emphasizing its enduring emotional resonance amid the record's experimental funk and reggae influences. Similarly, in a review for By Jeff Burger, the track was described as a "soul ballad [that] well limns a mood of quiet desperation with a minimum of lyrics," commending its atmospheric depth and Jagger's tender delivery, though the album overall drew mixed responses for its stylistic shifts during the band's transition following Mick Taylor's departure. Some critics observed that the song represented a less edgy direction for compared to their earlier rock anthems, viewing it as a commercial pivot toward softer balladry. This perspective aligned with broader commentary on as an uneven effort experimenting with soul and groove, where "Fool to Cry" stood out but was seen by some as prioritizing accessibility over the band's signature raw energy. Retrospective assessments have largely celebrated the song's "sweet and sublime" qualities, particularly its symphonic orchestration and Jagger's fragile falsetto, which convey a bruised vulnerability in themes of heartbreak and solace. uDiscover Music has underscored its elegance, likening the stirring string synthesizers and piano to the Philly soul of The Delfonics at their most graceful, positioning it as a high point of the Stones' sentimental side. American Songwriter has emphasized the emotional depth in its portrayal of a protagonist seeking reassurance from loved ones, calling it a "heartmelting ballad" that reveals Jagger's personal tenderness, inspired by his relationship with his daughter Jade, and distinguishing it from earlier piano-driven hits like "Angie" through its soul experimentation.

Commercial legacy

"Fool to Cry" stands as the only track from the 1976 album Black and Blue included on the Rolling Stones' major retrospective compilations, such as Forty Licks (2002) and GRRR! (2012), which collectively sold millions of copies worldwide and sustained the song's commercial viability through reissues and expanded accessibility. These inclusions have contributed to renewed interest, evidenced by the song's digital streaming totals of approximately 4.7 million plays on Spotify as of November 2025 for its primary remastered version. The track's placement in these high-selling anthologies underscores its role in exemplifying ' experimental soul and influences during their 1970s phase, helping to anchor Black and Blue's enduring catalog value, which earned from the RIAA for over one million units shipped. While "Fool to Cry" itself received no major awards, it continues to receive regular on radio stations, maintaining its presence in broadcast rotations decades after its initial release, which peaked at number 10 on the Hot 100.

Live performances

1976 tour

"Fool to Cry" debuted live during ' Tour of '76 on April 28, 1976, at the Festhalle in , , and was performed at nearly every subsequent show on the tour, with prominently featuring on and his vocals to underscore the song's vulnerability. The tour, which promoted the band's newly released album , showcased the track as a centerpiece amid more upbeat numbers. The live arrangement closely mirrored the studio recording, incorporating ' distinctive wah-wah guitar lines that added a subtle edge, while spotlighting the fresh dynamic of the lineup with Ron Wood fully integrated on following Mick Taylor's departure. Notable performances included the four-night stand at Les Abattoirs in from June 4–7, , where footage reveals a relatively acoustic, laid-back interpretation offering a rare intimate view of the Black and Blue-era sound. During one of the German dates, Richards reportedly dozed off onstage mid-song due to exhaustion, later recalling it as a moment of unintended feedback jolting him awake. Audiences embraced "Fool to Cry" as a fan favorite for its emotional respite and contrast to the setlist's high-energy rockers like "" and "Hey Negrita," providing a soulful breather that highlighted Jagger's .

Later performances

Following its debut during the 1976 tour, "Fool to Cry" became one of ' rarest live staples, with only 14 documented performances in the subsequent decades. The song saw sporadic revivals, including twice in 2018 during the (London and Marseille) and once on October 24, 2021, at U.S. Bank Stadium in . It reappeared on the 2022 Sixty European Tour, making its tour debut at the in on August 3, 2022, featuring an updated arrangement that highlighted emotional keyboard elements and Jagger's refined delivery. This performance marked the first live rendition since 2021, underscoring the track's status as a "deep cut" surprise for fans. The rarity continued into the 2024 Hackney Diamonds Tour, with "Fool to Cry" reappearing during the U.S. leg at in on July 13, 2024, where Jagger's enduring vocal prowess brought fresh intensity to the ballad amid a fuller band sound. These modern outings evolved the original's intimate arrangement into more expansive live interpretations, emphasizing the band's matured dynamics while preserving its soulful core.

Covers

"Fool to Cry" has been covered by several artists. In 2013, recorded a version for the soundtrack to the series Girls, Vol. 1. Dutch band performed a live cover in 1996. In 2008, American singer included a cover on her FadED. Saxophonist featured a rendition on his 2008 Stones World, with drummer and vocalist . Italian singer Scubba, featuring Moana, released a version in 2005.

References

  1. https://americansongwriter.com/the-meaning-behind-fool-to-cry-by-the-rolling-stones-and-the-backstory-of-the-guitarist-whos-auditioning-on-the-track/
  2. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-rolling-stones/fool-to-cry
  3. https://americansongwriter.com/watch-a-rare-1976-video-of-the-rolling-stones-performing-their-hit-ballad-fool-to-cry-featuring-mick-jagger-on-piano/
  4. https://www.antimusic.com/news/25/1111the_rolling_stones_preview_fool_to_cry_from_black_and_blue_reissue.shtml
  5. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-rolling-stones-fool-to-cry-feature/
  6. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-jagger-186667/
  7. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/rolling-stones-black-and-blue-super-deluxe-reissue/
  8. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-rolling-stones-songs-40475/
  9. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rolling-stones-black-and-blue/
  10. https://getsongbpm.com/song/fool-to-cry/DQAGB
  11. https://www.musicology.blog/unraveling-the-soulful-layers-of-fool-to-cry-by-the-rolling-stones/
  12. https://www.vintageguitar.com/48594/pop-n-hiss-the-rolling-stones-black-and-blue/
  13. https://genius.com/The-rolling-stones-fool-to-cry-lyrics
  14. http://www.timeisonourside.com/SOFoolTo.html
  15. https://www.discogs.com/master/52736-The-Rolling-Stones-Fool-To-Cry
  16. https://www.facebook.com/sajukebox/posts/april-8-1976-the-rolling-stones-fool-to-cry-bw-hot-stuff-rolling-stones-rs-19304/1056199373206968/
  17. https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/rolling-stones-fool-to-cry/
  18. https://powerpop.blog/2024/06/04/rolling-stones-fool-to-cry/
  19. https://tsort.info/music/r3kx6r.htm
  20. https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28195/rolling-stones/
  21. https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/variety-bestselling-singles-1976_topic269.html
  22. https://www.facebook.com/sajukebox/posts/april-23-1976-the-rolling-stones-black-and-blue-is-released-all-things-music-plu/1070963248397247/
  23. http://www.timeisonourside.com/chron1976.html
  24. https://newmusicunited.com/2013/06/16/the-rolling-stones-fool-to-cry-1976/
  25. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/black-and-blue-86726/
  26. https://byjeffburger.com/1976/05/06/6764/
  27. https://classicrockreview.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/the-rolling-stones-black-and-blue-1976-2/
  28. https://open.spotify.com/album/3fa1xn0sPbLIVO3vdTPsE6
  29. https://kworb.net/spotify/artist/22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe_songs.html
  30. https://music.fandom.com/wiki/Black_And_Blue:The_Rolling_Stones
  31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwAehFYbIPo
  32. https://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/the-rolling-stones-bd6ad22.html?songid=63d6d613
  33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqxEPzOSRZM
  34. https://en.as.com/entertainment/the-rolling-stones-song-that-once-put-keith-richards-to-sleep-on-stage-its-a-very-boring-tune-n/
  35. https://www.jambase.com/article/rolling-stones-berlin-setlist-videos
  36. https://iorr.org/tour22/berlin.htm
  37. https://www.noise11.com/news/the-rolling-stones-play-the-rarely-performed-live-fool-to-cry-for-los-angeles-20240715
  38. https://rockcellarmagazine.com/the-rolling-stones-play-fool-to-cry-sofi-stadium-video-watch-2024/
  39. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rolling-stones-fool-to-cry-2024/
  40. https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/1210793/versions
  41. https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/44756/versions
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