Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)

"Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)"
"Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)"
Single by Sonia
from the album Sonia
Released	20 May 1991
Length	3:44
Label	I.Q.
Songwriter(s)	Tony Hiller; Barry Upton;
Producer(s)	Nigel Wright
Sonia singles chronology

"Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" is a song by British singer Sonia. It was produced by Nigel Wright for Sonia's second studio album, Sonia (1991). The song was written by Tony Hiller, who had success in the 1970s as manager for Brotherhood of Man, and one-time member Barry Upton. This song was released in May 1991 by label I.Q. as the album's first single and became a top-10 hit in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Background and writing

Co-writer Barry Upton commented that he had initially written the song with Diana Ross in mind, but Sonia's A&R man, Simon Cowell heard the song and took it for her. After the single's success, Upton was keen to work with her directly, but Cowell prevented this.^[2]

Critical reception

James Hamilton from Record Mirror wrote, "Produced by Nigel Wright now, the irrepressible redhead returns on a different label with a 'You Can't Hurry Love'-like 0-192.8bpm frothy bouncer reminiscent of 'Save All Your Kisses for Me' (instrumental flip), a useful addition at that popular tempo for mobile jocks."^[3] Mark Frith from Smash Hits described "Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" as "a hand-clapping, trombone-touting song about love, boys and heartbreak that should have been made in 1963. Sonia would be The Supremes if she could find two other people like her".^[4]

Chart performance

In the United Kingdom, "Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" debuted at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart on 1 June 1991, climbed to number ten in its fourth week, and fell off the top 100 after eight weeks.^[5] It also reached a peak of number six in Ireland,^[6] number 29 in Finland and number 51 in Germany. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it started at number 64 on the chart edition of 15 June 1991, peaked at number 31 two weeks later and charted for a total of five weeks.^[7]

Track listings

7-inch and cassette single^[8]^[9]

"Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)"
"Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (instrumental)

12-inch single^[10]

A. "Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (extended club mix)

B. "Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (instrumental)

CD single^[11]

"Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (7-inch version)
"Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (extended club mix)
"Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (instrumental)

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)"
Chart (1991)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[7]	31
Europe (European Airplay Top 50)^[12]	23
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[13]	29
Germany (GfK)^[14]	51
Germany Airplay (Music & Media)^[15]	18
Ireland (IRMA)^[6]	6
Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)^[16]	14
Sweden Airplay (Music & Media)^[17]	18
UK Singles (OCC)^[5]	10

References

^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 18 May 1991. p. 21.
^ Interview with Barry Upton, "Everybody knows Sonia" website, 2007
^ Hamilton, James (25 May 1991). "DJ Directory: Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 6. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
^ Frith, Mark (15 May 1991). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. p. 44. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Official Charts > Sonia". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
^ ^a ^b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Only Fools". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 26. 29 June 1991. p. 25.
^ Only Fools (Never Fall in Love) (UK 7-inch single sleeve). I.Q. Records. 1991. ZB 44613.
^ Only Fools (Never Fall in Love) (UK cassette single sleeve). I.Q. Records. 1991. ZK 44613.
^ Only Fools (Never Fall in Love) (UK 12-inch single sleeve). I.Q. Records. 1991. ZT 44614.
^ Only Fools (Never Fall in Love) (UK CD single liner notes). I.Q. Records. 1991. ZD 44614.
^ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 28. 13 July 1991. p. 25. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via World Radio History.
^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Sonia". Sisältää hitin – 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 241. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
^ "Sonia – Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
^ "National Airplay - Germany" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 36. 7 September 1991. p. 28. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via World Radio History.
^ "Radio Luxembourg Singles". umdmusic.com. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
^ "National Airplay - Sweden" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 33. 17 August 1991. p. 19. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via World Radio History.

[1] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 18 May 1991. p. 21.

[2] Interview with Barry Upton, "Everybody knows Sonia" website, 2007

[3] Hamilton, James (25 May 1991). "DJ Directory: Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 6. Retrieved 12 September 2025.

[4] Frith, Mark (15 May 1991). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. p. 44. Retrieved 10 December 2022.

[uk-5] "Official Charts > Sonia". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2022-11-24.

[irish-6] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Only Fools". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 August 2022.

[Eurochart-7] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 26. 29 June 1991. p. 25.

[8] Only Fools (Never Fall in Love) (UK 7-inch single sleeve). I.Q. Records. 1991. ZB 44613.

[9] Only Fools (Never Fall in Love) (UK cassette single sleeve). I.Q. Records. 1991. ZK 44613.

[10] Only Fools (Never Fall in Love) (UK 12-inch single sleeve). I.Q. Records. 1991. ZT 44614.

[11] Only Fools (Never Fall in Love) (UK CD single liner notes). I.Q. Records. 1991. ZD 44614.

[Airplay-12] "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 28. 13 July 1991. p. 25. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via World Radio History.

[13] Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Sonia". Sisältää hitin – 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 241. Retrieved 5 July 2022.

[sc_Germany_Sonia-14] "Sonia – Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 7 August 2022.

[15] "National Airplay - Germany" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 36. 7 September 1991. p. 28. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via World Radio History.

[16] "Radio Luxembourg Singles". umdmusic.com. Retrieved 27 April 2025.

[17] "National Airplay - Sweden" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 33. 17 August 1991. p. 19. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via World Radio History.

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v t e Sonia
Studio albums	Everybody Knows (1990) Sonia (1991) Better the Devil You Know (1993)
Singles	"You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" (1989) "Can't Forget You" (1989) "Listen to Your Heart" (1989) "Counting Every Minute" (1990) "You've Got a Friend" (1990) "End of the World" (1990) "Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (1991) "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" (1991) "You to Me Are Everything" (1991) "Boogie Nights" (1992) "Better the Devil You Know" (1993) "Hopelessly Devoted to You" (1994) "Wake Up Everybody" (1995)
Related articles	Stock Aitken Waterman Nigel Wright Big Fun

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