Fool's Gold
Blackmore Lyrics
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The cobblestone still shine
Glassy eyes behold the sight
Through another cup of wine...
The one eyed jester skips and turns
As he makes his way through the crowd
While the tavern's royalty try not to laugh aloud...
The jester does another spin
And then falls to the floor
A show of hands, a short "Hurrah!"
A plea for him to do more...
The ease of laughter comes so fast when you're not in a jester's shoes
'Cause when you've only Fools Gold, you've got nothing more to lose...
Who holds the riches
The jester or the king?
A fortress made from Fools Gold
Or the tears that treasure can bring?
The king he sits upon his throne
The world's weight on his chest
When your mind begins to race you've got no time to rest
"Where is my clown?
I need him now, to take my troubles away..."
The harlequin rushes in as his work begins for the day...
While somewhere in a market square
The cobblestones still shine...
Blackmore's song Fool's Gold seems to be a reflection on the illusions of wealth and power. It speaks about a one-eyed jester in a market square, entertaining the crowds with his antics while the tavern's royalty look on. The jester does another spin, falling to the floor, and the crowd cheers for him to continue with his performance. However, the song reflects the irony of how easy it is to laugh at someone else's expense, especially when you are not in their shoes. The jester may have only Fool's Gold, but the ease of laughter comes at a price, as one can lose everything in the pursuit of riches.
The lyrics seem to be asking who really holds the riches, the jester or the king? While the king sits upon his throne, burdened with the world's weight on his chest, he still needs the jester to take his troubles away. The song highlights the contrast between a fortress made from Fool's Gold and the tears that treasure can bring. While the market square still shines, it's a reminder that beneath the surface, people are still searching for something more.
Overall, Blackmore's Fool's Gold is a reflective piece that highlights the dangers of pursuing wealth and illusions of power, showing that the pursuit of such things can cause one to lose sight of what's truly valuable in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere in a market square
In some location, there is a square bustling with people
The cobblestone still shine
Despite the busy atmosphere, the cobblestone pavement gleams in the light
Glassy eyes behold the sight
People watch the events around them with glazed expressions
Through another cup of wine...
The people drink to distract themselves from life's difficulties
The one eyed jester skips and turns
A jester with only one eye moves in a playful way
As he makes his way through the crowd
The jester navigates through the mass of people
While the tavern's royalty try not to laugh aloud...
The wealthy patrons of the establishment try to conceal their amusement
The jester does another spin
The jester performs another playful movement
And then falls to the floor
The jester purposely tumbles to create further entertainment
A show of hands, a short 'Hurrah!'
The crowd briefly acknowledges the jester's performance
A plea for him to do more...
The spectators desire further amusement from the jester
'Cause when you've only Fools Gold, you've got nothing more to lose...
People with little to their name, like the jester with his role and costume, can afford to take risks because they have nothing valuable to lose
Who holds the riches
Who possesses the wealth
The jester or the king?
Does the jester or the king have more wealth?
A fortress made from Fools Gold
A stronghold built from worthless material
Or the tears that treasure can bring?
Alternatively, the pain and sorrow that comes with owning valuable items
The king he sits upon his throne
The monarch reclines in his seat of power
The world's weight on his chest
The ruler feels the burden of the entire world's problems
When your mind begins to race you've got no time to rest
When consumed by stress, there is no time for relaxation
"Where is my clown?
"Where is my jester?
I need him now, to take my troubles away..."
The king seeks the jester's entertainment to relieve his worries
The harlequin rushes in as his work begins for the day...
The jester hurries to the king for his daily task of providing laughter
While somewhere in a market square
Meanwhile, in some other bustling location
The cobblestones still shine...
The pavement continues to gleam in the light
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CANDICE NIGHT, RITCHIE BLACKMORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lindenshepherd6085
Somewhere in a market square
The cobblestone still shine
Glassy eyes behold the sight
Through another cup of wine...
The one eyed jester skips and turns
As he makes his way through the crowd
While the tavern's royalty try not to laugh aloud...
The jester does another spin
And then falls to the floor
A show of hands, a short "Hurrah!"
A plea for him to do more...
The ease of laughter comes so fast when you're not in a jester's shoes
'Cause when you've only Fools Gold, you've got nothing more to lose...
Who holds the riches
The jester or the king?
A fortress made from Fools Gold
Or the tears that treasure can bring?
The king he sits upon his throne
The world's weight on his chest
When your mind begins to race you've got no time to rest
"Where is my clown?
I need him now, to take my troubles away..."
The harlequin rushes in as his work begins for the day...
While somewhere in a market square
The cobblestones still shine...
@johnstdominic9887
Amazing song and lyrics. It reminds me of another great song, 'The Court of the Crimson King'.
@hordeman8933
The picture portrays Stańczyk - court jester on the court of three kings of Poland: Alexander Jagiellon, Sigismund I the Old and Sigismund II Augustus. Here is depicted by polish painter Jan Matejko. The picture was painted in 1862. The jester here is sitting during the ball on the court of queen Bona Sforza and it's worried because of Russians captured Smolensk. Stańczyk is nowadays considered in Poland as the symbol of a wise fool.
@L10161649
+Hordeman89 I came here just to remember this song (my CD is boxed elsewhere in the house) and ended up discovering this wonderful painting. Is there any book/ article where I can find more details on the historical context you've reported?
@hades1696
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sta%C5%84czyk_(painting)
@SantusFaustusI
Check "Battle of Grunwald" of the same author. He was half blind when he paint this.
@ACM4231
Out of curiosity I read about this beautiful picture and the details of it are stunning.
Also, it get along with the song :)
@lindenshepherd6085
Somewhere in a market square
The cobblestone still shine
Glassy eyes behold the sight
Through another cup of wine...
The one eyed jester skips and turns
As he makes his way through the crowd
While the tavern's royalty try not to laugh aloud...
The jester does another spin
And then falls to the floor
A show of hands, a short "Hurrah!"
A plea for him to do more...
The ease of laughter comes so fast when you're not in a jester's shoes
'Cause when you've only Fools Gold, you've got nothing more to lose...
Who holds the riches
The jester or the king?
A fortress made from Fools Gold
Or the tears that treasure can bring?
The king he sits upon his throne
The world's weight on his chest
When your mind begins to race you've got no time to rest
"Where is my clown?
I need him now, to take my troubles away..."
The harlequin rushes in as his work begins for the day...
While somewhere in a market square
The cobblestones still shine...
@Draeka
They should have used Blackmoore's Night in Witcher 3.
@paucongost7236
Iorveth plays Blackmore's Night with his flute in the witcher 2
@ACM4231
Who feels that this paint and the story behind it is a real fit for the lyrics.