"Fooled Around and Fell in Love" is a song written and performed by blues guitarist Elvin Bishop with Mickey Thomas on lead vocals. It appeared on his 1975 album Struttin' My Stuff, and was released as a single the following year.
| "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Elvin Bishop | ||||
| from the album Struttin' My Stuff | ||||
| B-side | "Have a Good Time" | |||
| Released | February 1976 | |||
| Recorded | 1975 | |||
| Studio | Criteria (Miami)[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:35 (album version) 2:59 (single version) | |||
| Label | Capricorn | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Elvin Bishop | |||
| Producer(s) | Bill Szymczyk | |||
| Elvin Bishop singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "Fooled Around And Fell In Love" on YouTube | ||||
Background edit
Bishop does not sing lead vocals on the track. He felt that his gravelly voice would not do the song justice; he invited vocalist Mickey Thomas, who was a background singer in his band at the time, to sing it. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in May 1976.[4] The record was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 23, 1976.[5] In Canada, the song reached #22 on the singles chart[6] and #8 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[7] The single reached #3 in the New Zealand Singles Chart.[8]
Based on his work with Bishop, Thomas was invited to become the lead singer for Jefferson Starship (which would later evolve into simply Starship).[3]
In popular culture edit
The song is featured in the films Queens Logic (1991), Illtown (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), Summer of Sam (1999), Big Daddy (1999), According to Spencer (2001), The Devil's Rejects (2005), The Family Stone (2005), Invincible (2006), The Education of Charlie Banks (2007), Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008), Stand Up Guys (2012), Lovelace (2013), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie (2017).[citation needed]
Style edit
In their 1990 essay "Rock and Sexuality", Simon Frith and Angela McRobbie suggest the song "lyrically captures" the distinction in rock music between "cock rock" and "teeny bop".[9]
Personnel edit
- Mickey Thomas - lead and backing vocals
- Elvin Bishop - lead guitar
- Johnny 'V' Vernazza - lead and rhythm guitar (duelling guitar leads with Bishop), backing vocals.
- Philip Aaberg – piano
- Mike Keck – organ[10][11]
- Donny Baldwin – drums, percussion
- Michael Brooks – bass
- Reni Slais – backing vocals[12]
- Bill Szymczyk – producer
Chart performance edit
Weekly charts edit
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Year-end charts edit
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Cover versions edit
- In 1978, the Julian Laxton Band from South Africa reached #13 there.[21]
- In 1985, T. G. Sheppard had a #21 country hit with a cover. A music video was also produced and has aired on CMT, TNN and GAC.[22]
- In 2019, Miranda Lambert released a track featuring her Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars Tour support acts Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Elle King and Caylee Hammack. It won the Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year and was nominated for the Country Music Association Award for Musical Event of the Year.[23]
- In 2006, Rod Stewart performed his rendition of the song on Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time.
References edit
- ^ Cogan, Jim; Clark, William (2003). Temples of Sound: Inside the Great Recording Studios. San Francisco, United States: Chronicle Books. p. 216. ISBN 0-8118-3394-1.
- ^ Pollock, Bruce (2014). Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era. Routledge. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-135-46296-3.
- ^ a b Janovitz, Bill. "Fooled Around and Fell in Love - Elvin Bishop | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7677-6.
- ^ "RIAA records search". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
- ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. July 26, 1976. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
- ^ Frith, Simon; McRobbie, Angela (1990). Frith, Simon; Goodwin, Andrew (eds.). On Record: Rock, Pop and the Written Word. London: Routledge. p. 320. ISBN 0-415-05306-4. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- ^ "Elvin Bishop – Struttin' My Stuff". Discogs. 1975. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- ^ Barnes, Bill (February 16, 2017). "I REMEMBER CLIF". Confessions of a Lapsed Bohemian. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- ^ "Travelin' Shoes – Elvin Bishop – Apr 3, 1976".
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. July 26, 1976. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
- ^ "Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. May 15, 1976. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
- ^ Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles 1955–2002
- ^ "SA Charts 1965 – March 1989". Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
- ^ "Top Selling Singles of 1976 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1976. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
- ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1976". cashboxmagazine.com. December 25, 1976. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
- ^ "SA Charts 1965 – March 1989". Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ TG Sheppard – Fooled Around And Fell In Love on YouTube
- ^ "Miranda Lambert's 'Fooled Around' wins a 2020 ACM Award". The Tennessean. September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2021.