Known in Northern soul circles as "The Human Percolator," blue-eyed soul sh… Read Full Bio ↴Known in Northern soul circles as "The Human Percolator," blue-eyed soul shouter Billy Harner was born and raised in Philadelphia, first emerging in 1964 with backing band the Expressions on the Lawn release "Anymore." His supporting unit proved short-lived, as the label of his follow-up, "Coney Island Wild Child," credited Harner alone, and in 1965 he signed to Cameo/Parkway to release "All Through the Night." After the release of 1966's "Let's Get in Line," Harner moved to the Kama Sutra imprint, where he recorded a series of cult-classic singles including "Homicide Dresser," "What About the Music," and the Northern soul favorite "Sally's Sayin' Somethin'," a minor hit that charted in Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles in the summer of 1967 but failed to gain national momentum. In late 1968, Harner signed to the local independent label Open/OR, where his debut release, the luminous ballad "A Message to My Baby," was licensed for wider distribution on Atlantic. Another Northern classic, the scorching Gamble-Huff track "I Struck It Rich" preceded the 1969 release of Harner's sole LP, She's Almost You. The album met the same discouraging fate as his previous releases, and after one final effort for the obscure 66 + 6 label, the Chris Kenner cover "Something You Got," the singer quit his music career to open his own barbershop in Camden, NJ. In the 1990s, Harner resurfaced on the East Coast oldies circuit. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Fool Me
Billy Harner Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I remember when you filled my heart with joy
Was I blind to the truth just there to fill the space
'Cause now you have no interest in anything I have to say
And I have allowed you to make me feel dumb
What kind of fool am I that you so easily set me aside

You made a fool of me
Tell me why

You say that you don't care but we made love
Tell me why
You made a fool of me you made a fool of me

I want to kiss you
Does she want you with the pain that I do
I smell you in my dreams
But now when we're face to face you won't look me in the eye
No time no friendship no love
Don't say don't touch you I can't touch you no more
Can't touch you any more any more
I don't touch you anymore

You made a fool of me
Tell me why
You say that you don't care but we made love

Tell me why
You made a fool of me you made a fool of me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Billy Harner's "Fool Me" reflect the pain of unrequited love and the desperation of trying to hold on to a relationship that has already ended. The opening line of "I remember when you filled my heart with joy" sets a positive tone, but it quickly devolves into the realization that the love was never mutual. The singer questions their own blindness to the truth of the situation, wondering if they were just something to fill a void for the other person.

The chorus "You made a fool of me/Tell me why/You say that you don't care but we made love" highlights the power dynamics of the relationship. The singer has given everything to this person, but it was all for nothing. The line "I want to kiss you/Does she want you with the pain that I do" suggests that the other person has moved on to someone else, leaving the singer stuck in a state of longing.

The bridge "No time no friendship no love/Don't say don't touch you I can't touch you no more" showcases the finality of the situation. There is no hope for a friendship or even a casual acquaintanceship, and the singer is forced to let go completely. The repetition of "Can't touch you any more any more/I don't touch you anymore" is a final plea for closure.

Overall, "Fool Me" is a poignant depiction of the pain of unrequited love and the difficult process of moving on.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember when you filled my heart with joy
I recall a time when you brought happiness into my life.

Was I blind to the truth just there to fill the space
Perhaps I was ignorant of the reality, and was simply serving as a stopgap in your life.

'Cause now you have no interest in anything I have to say
At present, you show no curiosity in my thoughts or feelings.

And I have allowed you to make me feel dumb
I confess, I have permitted you to erode my self-esteem.

What kind of fool am I that you so easily set me aside
What level of idiocy must I possess, for you to effortlessly ignore or dismiss me?

You made a fool of me
You have caused me to appear foolish in front of others.

Tell me why
Please provide me with an explanation.

You say that you don't care but we made love
You insist that you are indifferent, yet we engaged in an intimate act.

I want to kiss you
I desire to share an affectionate moment with you.

Does she want you with the pain that I do
Does your current partner yearn for you as fervently as I do, or is it only me who suffers this anguish?

I smell you in my dreams
In my subconscious, I am often reminded of your scent.

But now when we're face to face you won't look me in the eye
When we encounter each other, you avert your gaze from mine.

No time no friendship no love
There seems to be no opportunity for us to cultivate a bond, whether platonic or romantic.

Don't say don't touch you I can't touch you no more
Please do not forbid me from physical contact, but I understand this is no longer permitted.

Can't touch you any more any more
I no longer have the privilege of making contact with you.

You made a fool of me
You have caused me to appear foolish in front of others.

Tell me why
Please provide me with an explanation.

You say that you don't care but we made love
You insist that you are indifferent, yet we engaged in an intimate act.

You made a fool of me you made a fool of me
You have caused me to feel foolish on more than one occasion.

Contributed by Grayson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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