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The Beatles — The Fool On The Hill
Album: Magical Mystery Tour
Avg rating:
8.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1992









Released: 1967
Length: 2:54
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Day after day, alone on a hill
The man with the foolish grin
Is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him
They can see that he's just a fool
And he never gives an answer

But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round

Well on the way, head in a cloud
The man of a thousand voices
Talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him
Or the sound he appears to make
And he never seems to notice

But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round

And nobody seems to like him
They can tell what he wants to do
And he never shows his feelings

But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round

Ohh oh-oh-oh-oh ohh-oh-oh
Round and round and round and round and round
He never listens to them
He knows that they're the fool
They don't like him

The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round

Ohhhh
Round and round and round and round and
Ohhhh
Comments (140)add comment
 jp33442 wrote:

Is it me or am i just so fucking sick of the Beatles, if I don’t hear another song by them no problem


Go see a physician. Get that mellon checked. 
One of the best songs I've ever heard. I love it ... 
 drover wrote:

One of the few Beatles songs that just doesn't connect with me.



Well Maybe 
 jp33442 wrote:

Is it me or am i just so fucking sick of the Beatles, if I don’t hear another song by them no problem




Too bad for you.
 thewiseking wrote:

God

Found a nice little story in 'songfacts' about this song. You're probably right, wise king.
c.
 jp33442 wrote:

Is it me or am i just so fucking sick of the Beatles, if I don’t hear another song by them no problem


Do you live on a hill?
 tinypriest wrote:

Who was that fool on the hill?



God
I think that amongst all songs that could be considered “pop songs,” the instrumentation of this song can be considered most unusual. I don't even need all fingers on one hand to count the songs I know that prominently feature a recorder…
oh my...

it is probably you

play more beatles, they got a bazillion songs you can play
Is it me or am i just so fucking sick of the Beatles, if I don’t hear another song by them no problem
Just an outstanding piece of music....WHAT A MELODY!!! 10 10 10 10
Most excellent! If you have not seen Get Back and you are a Beatle fan...you must see it...the first one is jaw dropping cool!
The definition of a fool is... "One that does not listen".  
Have we all been fools at one time or another?
Who was that fool on the hill?
 kingart wrote:

You'd be better off begging for the island of Manhattan to walk north. 



Thanks but no thanks!  We don't need Noo Yawk in the Great White North, we've already got Montreal!  
 dimar wrote:

Glad to say I grew up in the era when The Beatles were at the top of their game.  I have memories of listening to them on the radio while I ate breakfast before school.  Takes me back whenever I hear them.



Saturday Club on the radio...All you need is Love on the BBC World broadcast. What memories.....you had to be there.
 acolt wrote:
The Beatles are allowed to have a song  that's merely "decent." It's not blasphemy.  The world will not end.

This is one of those songs.
 
Whaat? Exactly this one is far beyond decent, the lyrics, the instrumentation, voice... it's a perfect little song! I understand the concept of taste and I accept your oppinion  - I love this one. There are other "decent" songs from the Beatles ... and yes, the world doesn't end due to that :-)
Every Beatles song sounds like it was recorded yesterday. What they did was amazing.
The Beatles are allowed to have a song  that's merely "decent." It's not blasphemy.  The world will not end.

This is one of those songs.
Fools on Capital Hill Love the Beatles though
ahhhhhhhhhh...........the Gods!
Love Maggie Bell's version better
Folks do understand how stupid they sound when they say they hate this, don't they?
 alexpohlenz wrote:
Please, I beg you.Do not put The Beatles on!

 
You'd be better off begging for the island of Manhattan to walk north. 
 4merdj wrote:

... mas o original é o original, cara ... {#Sunny}

 
true, but Sergio's really swings
On_The_Beach:

You clearly jinxed the US presidential election.   You extra-territorial bad boy.  
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/702383705990537216/i6pnLKVQ.jpg
 Steely_D wrote:

Yep. It always makes me a bit vertiginous to remember buying Sgt Pepper's when it came out and listening to the new music...

 
And getting that sheet of fake mustaches and buttons inside the album sleeve. It was my first album.
 dimar wrote:
Glad to say I grew up in the era when The Beatles were at the top of their game.  I have memories of listening to them on the radio while I ate breakfast before school.  Takes me back whenever I hear them.

 
Yep. It always makes me a bit vertiginous to remember buying Sgt Pepper's when it came out and listening to the new music...
 Skydog wrote:
i have come to like the version by Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66 better

 
... mas o original é o original, cara ... {#Sunny}
i have come to like the version by Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66 better
Glad to say I grew up in the era when The Beatles were at the top of their game.  I have memories of listening to them on the radio while I ate breakfast before school.  Takes me back whenever I hear them.
Please, I beg you.Do not put The Beatles on!
Great song, but that flute is making my ears bleed.
 jagdriver wrote:

Bullshit to your "bullshit."

When John and George didn't want to tour anymore (for several very valid reasons), they quickly figured out that they could just send Ed Sullivan, et al., some video tape. Their videos were always featured items on such variety shows, kept them current (i.e., a presence before their worldwide fans), and were groundbreaking. Just as A Hard Days Night paved the way for The Monkees a few years later, so these video "performances" paved the way for MTV and, later, YouTube.

 
"Scopitones" were 16mm films played on special jukebox-like devices, featuring recording artists in short films as early as the 1950s.
this is awful. 
again I sit here looking out at the incomparable Flatirons, connected to all moments connected by this song, this mystical musical flowering and joyous interplay of frequencies, this trippy yet sublime composition that turns in on itself in the end and begins again
 coloradojohn wrote:
I feel lucky and blessed to have been serenaded on radio and vinyl by these masters of melody and crafters of wordplay back in the day...

 
Amen to that Brother!

It stands as the perfect illustration of the zeitgeist of that moment in time
 
{#Cheers}  Sir Paul — {#Cheers}
Call the post-Beatles Sir Paul what you want--and I've called him plenty--he was a melodic genius.
I feel lucky and blessed to have been serenaded on radio and vinyl by these masters of melody and crafters of wordplay back in the day...
sorry, just too utterly depressing.... PSD immediately please..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 bronorb wrote:


I grew up in the sixties and I don't recall the hype being outrageous. I'm sorry but IMHO the Beatles were THAT good. We waited for each new album with great anticipation and the funny thing was that each album surprised you. It was always something different. They constantly reinvented themselves and MMT was a perfect example of that. It followed Sgt. Pepper's which was groundbreaking in and of itself. And then you had the White Album. Another 180 change in direction. Through it all ran these great pop tunes on each album that people loved. My parents even found songs that they liked on these albums.
There had never been a band so talented AND creative before.
And I doubt there ever will again.

 
My thoughts and recollections exactly{#Clap}
 bronorb wrote:


I grew up in the sixties and I don't recall the hype being outrageous. I'm sorry but IMHO the Beatles were THAT good. We waited for each new album with great anticipation and the funny thing was that each album surprised you. It was always something different. They constantly reinvented themselves and MMT was a perfect example of that. It followed Sgt. Pepper's which was groundbreaking in and of itself. And then you had the White Album. Another 180 change in direction. Through it all ran these great pop tunes on each album that people loved. My parents even found songs that they liked on these albums.
There had never been a band so talented AND creative before.
And I doubt there ever will again.
 
  My thoughts and recollection exactly {#Clap}

 johnjconn wrote:


well stated:
   - Good band
   - Highly overrated

True on both points.

They were good and they were way over hyped up.  Even John agreed with that.
But I still like them

 

I grew up in the sixties and I don't recall the hype being outrageous. I'm sorry but IMHO the Beatles were THAT good. We waited for each new album with great anticipation and the funny thing was that each album surprised you. It was always something different. They constantly reinvented themselves and MMT was a perfect example of that. It followed Sgt. Pepper's which was groundbreaking in and of itself. And then you had the White Album. Another 180 change in direction. Through it all ran these great pop tunes on each album that people loved. My parents even found songs that they liked on these albums.
There had never been a band so talented AND creative before.
And I doubt there ever will again.
 jagdriver wrote:
Bullshit to your "bullshit."

When John and George didn't want to tour anymore (for several very valid reasons), they quickly figured out that they could just send Ed Sullivan, et al., some video tape. Their videos were always featured items on such variety shows, kept them current (i.e., a presence before their worldwide fans), and were groundbreaking. Just as A Hard Days Night paved the way for The Monkees a few years later, so these video "performances" paved the way for MTV and, later, YouTube.
 
Maybe it's more fair to claim The Beatles popularized the music video concept.  (Most folks can't name pre-MTV music videos, and even fewer could name pre-Monkees stuff, which is blatantly inspired by the Beatles' films.)  I'm not going to claim the Wikipedia article is definitive, but at least it has facts and references for a broader context.  Zep's one-word "bullshit" response isn't helpful. 
 Zep wrote:


Bullshit.

 
Bullshit to your "bullshit."

When John and George didn't want to tour anymore (for several very valid reasons), they quickly figured out that they could just send Ed Sullivan, et al., some video tape. Their videos were always featured items on such variety shows, kept them current (i.e., a presence before their worldwide fans), and were groundbreaking. Just as A Hard Days Night paved the way for The Monkees a few years later, so these video "performances" paved the way for MTV and, later, YouTube.
I like the doubling of vocal for the chorus, but at the same time I don't like it. Maybe I would have liked it more if Paul had sung it more closely the way he does in the first take. Too many variables in pitch and timing. Oh well. He succeeded. He's Beatles...nuff said.
 max_p wrote:
Flutes are not very rock and roll. 'cept Tull

 
RP isn't a rock and roll station, thank God
This is a lesser Beatles tune in my book.  Singable?  Yes.  Great on MMT album?  Check, especially with "Flying" after it.  But I guess it's only "pretty good" because I wouldn't spin it by itself. 

I may upgrade, but the "video" from the Magical Mystery Tour "film" is dreadful dull and amateurish--and since I saw it a few months back really weighs on my rating--fair or not. 
 redeyespy wrote:
This one's for Mr. Trotsky (no, not Leon), my 10th grade English teacher who played this in class one afternoon. We spent most of the period discussing the lyrics--pure poetry, imo.
 
If a teacher tried to do that today they'd be cited for lacking the requisite amount of "rigor" in their lesson.
Classic Goodness
Flutes are not very rock and roll. 'cept Tull
Man, this song makes me smile like a fool everytime - simply love it.

This song is soooo good for the ears...

the story of my life...  sigh...  a great song from a marvelous album...
I generally prefer John's songs over Paul's, but this one of his better ones. Magical Mystery Tour is my favorite Paul song, which is on the same album as this.
Regarding the debate about "first music video ever," it really does depend on what you mean. I would consider those 1950's Alan Freed films (such as "Don't Knock the Rock" and "Mister Rock and Roll") to be little more than collections of music videos.
RobK wrote:
Beatles - good band but highly overrated IMO.
There's always someone ...
Haven't listened to this old tune in a long, long time. What magic. Together they were gods.
They have only transcended the generations. Been on the hill lately ?RobK wrote:
Beatles - good band but highly overrated IMO.
This one's for Mr. Trotsky (no, not Leon), my 10th grade English teacher who played this in class one afternoon. We spent most of the period discussing the lyrics--pure poetry, imo.
Beatles - good band but highly overrated IMO.
fab4fan wrote:
No it's you who obviously has such low standards and bad taste in music that you can't even hear what a beautiful song this is!
Let me guess; your second-favourite Beatles song is "Mr. Moonlight"?
On_The_Beach wrote:
You must have pretty low standards.
No it's you who obviously has such low standards and bad taste in music that you can't even hear what a beautiful song this is!
TexasAggies wrote:
If you think the chord progression in "Great Gig In The Sky" is "tuneless," I'd have to say you've probably never played a note of music in your life. Sure, this is a beautiful song by Paul, but no need to trash another gorgeous song in the process of complimenting this one.
I don't have to play a note of music in my life,I have a very sharp ear for music and I always have since I was a child. I grew up with a lot of music in my house,my father was a big Bob Dylan fan when he was younger,he had Leonard Cohen,Peter Paul and Mary,and Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass albums and my sister who is 4 years older had a very big diverse music collection and I had my own radio at age 8 that I listened to a lot. So I know I hate Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin's music! Plus the guy who gave The Fool on The Hill a yawn,gave a Pink Floyd song a good rating!
parrothead wrote:
The Beatles invented music videos.This was the first song to be released as a single video. Which came from the Magical Mystery Tour movie. The rest is history as they say.
Bullshit.
renlat wrote:
Very bizarre !! I thought Paperback Writer was the first one, filmed in the Chiswick House gardens.
Analysis paralysis
fab4fan wrote:
What? This is a beautiful song,one of Paul's best in The Beatles!
You must have pretty low standards.
celadonstone wrote:
FWIW (bidding starts at 1 cent and goes down from there), the first publicly available music video was actually on TV. The producers of the "Ozzie & Harriet" show dedicated a segment of one episode to help get the youngest son's musical career off the ground... Ricki Nelson singing (I think) "Travelin' Man".
Ok, but I was focusing on the Beatles efforts and which came first. Not the 'first music video ever'. A lot of folks could claim that, Wiki covers some of them including Rick Nelson's, however, it does depend on the circulation of the video and time period whether it can take such credit. Again, URL is available here: (click here)
Very bizarre !! I thought Paperback Writer was the first one, filmed in the Chiswick House gardens.
FWIW (bidding starts at 1 cent and goes down from there), the first publicly available music video was actually on TV. The producers of the "Ozzie & Harriet" show dedicated a segment of one episode to help get the youngest son's musical career off the ground... Ricki Nelson singing (I think) "Travelin' Man".
Ok, but I was focusing on the Beatles efforts and which came first. Not the 'first music video ever'. A lot of folks could claim that, Wiki covers some of them including Rick Nelson's, however, it does depend on the circulation of the video and time period whether it can take such credit. Again, URL is available here: (click here)
celadonstone wrote:
??This is theri first video attempt? I need someone around at the time to back me up, but I thought the weird little Strawberry Fields movie (they're goofing in trees and there's a piano) they sent out was their first attempt at a video, which they sent out after they had stopped touring... FWIW (bidding starts at 1 cent and goes down from there), the first publicly available music video was actually on TV. The producers of the "Ozzie & Harriet" show dedicated a segment of one episode to help get the youngest son's musical career off the ground... Ricki Nelson singing (I think) "Travelin' Man".
parrothead wrote:
The Beatles invented music videos. This was the first song to be released as a single video. Which came from the Magical Mystery Tour movie. The rest is history as they say.
??This is their first single video attempt? I need backup on this, but what aboutthe short Strawberry Fields Forever promo film (they're goofing around a big tree and there's a piano) was their first single 'video'. It was after they had stopped touring. Dick Clark showed the SFF movie on his Bandstand show, saying this is all we've heard from those Beatles lately. Wikipedia notes that SFF came out 40 years ago sometime last week, 2/13/1967, versus FOTH, which came out in Nov. 1967. The SFF "video" I refer to is at Youtube: (click here) Bio on music videos: (click here)
fab4fan wrote:
You must have been listening to Pink Floyd's totally tuneless "music"...
If you think the chord progression in "Great Gig In The Sky" is "tuneless," I'd have to say you've probably never played a note of music in your life. Sure, this is a beautiful song by Paul, but no need to trash another gorgeous song in the process of complimenting this one.
masterhead wrote:
Ok Beatles connossieurs.. who are they talking about? I have heard several theories... Please enlighten me...
It's Paul mocking the Maharaja Yogi, the guy they'd just spent some time with in India. Paul was the first to see through his bullshit, and John Lennon was close behind. Seems only poor George fell for it.
On_The_Beach wrote:
Love the Beatles but I don't think this is one of their better efforts.
What? This is a beautiful song,one of Paul's best in The Beatles!
9
meydele wrote:
Agreed. Not stellar.
I have a bit of a prefrerence for John Lennon songs, this isn't JL song...
On_The_Beach wrote:
Love the Beatles but I don't think this is one of their better efforts.
Agreed. Not stellar.
On_The_Beach wrote:
Love the Beatles but I don't think this is one of their better efforts.
Love the Beatles but I don't think this is one of their better efforts.
The Beatles invented music videos.This was the first song to be released as a single video. Which came from the Magical Mystery Tour movie. The rest is history as they say.
masterhead wrote:
Ok Beatles connossieurs.. who are they talking about? I have heard several theories... Please enlighten me...
there's a story i've heard that paul was walking his dog one morning, and the dog got loose while he was admiring the view from the top of a hill that overlooks london and thinking about god, when this mysterious man appeared at his elbow... they exchanged greetings, talked about the beauty of the view, and before paul could ask another question, the man had vanished. the meeting had a profound effect on him, and he went home and wrote the song.
ploafmaster wrote:
Obvious 10, for me. First Beatles album I ever owned, and one of my faves.
Not only the first Beatles album I bought but the first album I ever bought. I still have it. Its in great shape and now my son and daughter listen to it (and love it as well). Great tune.
Paul's magic.... how to pass from a siiiimple quiet, comfortable atmosphere to something darker, less pop-pier...more deepier...and then come back again.... round and around.... lovely
sheer foolish fun. 10.
Obvious 10, for me. First Beatles album I ever owned, and one of my faves.
I'm wearing out the 10s this morning!! Keep playing this great music!!!
Wow! That probably was the only song that could follow The great gig in the sky from PF without having a heart attack. Good choice Bill!!
Fab 4!
The anthology version is interesting.
llazare wrote:
I keep forgetting how many Beatles tunes there are that I adore. Haven't heard this in a while. In fact, haven't listened to Magical Mystery Tour at all recently.
Just dragged this cd out yesterday. It still holds a place of esteem in the Beatles collection.
Great segue from PF...
phineas wrote:
DD Joe 1 wrote:
*yawn*...
Geez, they write a song about you and that's all you can respond with?
LOL!
joe1 wrote:
*yawn*...
Yawn? You must have been listening to Pink Floyd's totally tuneless "music" not this beautiful Paul McCartney Beatles song where he plays the recorder himself very well I might add and sings it beautifully too! You might want to get your hearing checked! :-s <-X
llazare wrote:
I keep forgetting how many Beatles tunes there are that I adore. Haven't heard this in a while. In fact, haven't listened to Magical Mystery Tour at all recently.
Ditto, Ilazare. This disk gets lost in the hype around the disks before and after. I had forgotten how many enduring tunes it sported until catching several on RP. Now, if I could just get my US turntable to work on UK current I could hear this, once again, on the vinyl it was minted on.....
I keep forgetting how many Beatles tunes there are that I adore. Haven't heard this in a while. In fact, haven't listened to Magical Mystery Tour at all recently.
ArbiterOfGoodTaste wrote:
Not their very best, but a swell song for sure.
Ok Beatles connossieurs.. who are they talking about? I have heard several theories... Please enlighten me...
Not their very best, but a swell song for sure.
joe1 wrote:
*yawn*...
Geez, they write a song about you and that's all you can respond with?
llism wrote:
You know, it's funny: All the Beatles songs that got played to death when I was younger kind of turned me off to them, but as soon as I started listening to the stuff that wasn't played, I really began to enjoy their talent as a band. It seems that a lot of artists are unwittingly a part of this "Jimi Hendrix Syndrome," (as I call it) wherein several of a group's marginal songs (Purple Haze, anyone?) get picked up by commercial radio and played endlessly, while the real gems hardly get any exposure at all.
I agree with you in general, but this song has never been one of my favorite Beatles tunes. This is not bad, but there are many that have more energy, innovation, and musicality.
toastee wrote:
The order of greatness is as follows: 1) Beatles 2) Led Zeppelin 3) Avril Lavigne 4)
Two of these names belong together Two of these names are kind of the same But one of these names is not like the others And now it's time to play our game.....
VBKashmir wrote:
I think Fool in the Rain kicks more butt. Then again Zeppelin is head and tails above the beatles anyway. (im going to get hurt for that.)
The order of greatness is as follows: 1) Beatles 2) Led Zeppelin 3) Avril Lavigne 4)
Fantastic!
BillG wrote:
Actually you're both right. That part is a mix between a real flute and some sort of keyboard - quite likely a mellotron - occasionally both. They're right on top of each other in the mix so it can be confusing. -bg
Speaking as a producer/keyboard player, the flute and recorder parts in "Fool on the Hill" are certainly both Mellotron and real, with a Mellotron at the beginning and a couple of real instruments coming in later to cover melodies. The tone of the "flutes" at the beginning is a dead giveaway of being a Melotron, while the phrasing of the melodies later could not have been done by that instrument. Also, note that while samplers nowadays are quite versatile at the user's point of view (having just resampled a choir from choir samples myself), the only way new "samples" could be fed into the Mellotron realitically would be by the manufacturer (who, incidentally, is still in business), since the "samples" are actually physical tapes that have to be recorded one tape from a master, one note at a time. Go to (click here) for more details about the instrument. Raven
Originally Posted by dignan2: It must suck to be you. I'm sorry.
Timeless!
It must suck to be you. I'm sorry.
Originally Posted by jkearney: Y'know, the Beatles always got a bit too much airplay. They sound so dated now.
I agree that the Beatles had too much air play in their hay day, but I don\'t hear them too often anymore, and this is definately one of the better choices. Bravo RP :D
YES! YES! YES!
One of the greatest Beatles songs ever!!!
AHH the masters are playing again.
Pure pleasure. :p
I remember seeing the Magical Mystery Tour debut on TV back in England on the old black and White and TV ... it made quite an impresion at the time not to mention Walrus...
Originally Posted by drover: Too bad it's not a flute but a recorder or a large penny whistle, probably not even played live either but sampled into a Mellotron.
Actually you're both right. That part is a mix between a real flute and some sort of keyboard - quite likely a mellotron - occasionally both. They're right on top of each other in the mix so it can be confusing. -bg
Doesn\'t get much better, I\'m awed when I hear old Beatles like this -
Haven\'t heard this in an eon. It\'ll be stuck in my head all day but that\'s okay - I\'ll gladly make room!!
Originally Posted by phiagurl: Plus — as a flutist — I lovelovelovit when musicians incorporate this beautiful instrument into their songs.
Too bad it's not a flute but a recorder or a large penny whistle, probably not even played live either but sampled into a Mellotron.
ditto