Richard Allen (Blue) Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an Americ… Read Full Bio ↴Richard Allen (Blue) Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter, known for many albums recorded as leader and sideman on Blue Note Records.

Mitchell was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He began playing trumpet in high school where he acquired his nickname, Blue.

After high school he played in the rhythm and blues ensembles of Paul Williams, Earl Bostic, and Chuck Willis. After returning to Miami he was noticed by Cannonball Adderley, with whom he recorded for Riverside Records in New York in 1958. He then joined the Horace Silver Quintet playing with tenor Junior Cook, bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Roy Brooks. Mitchell stayed with Silver's group until the band's break-up in 1964. After the Silver quintet disbanded, Mitchell formed a group employing members from the Silver quintet substituting the young pianist Chick Corea for Silver and replacing a then sick Brooks with drummer Al Foster. This group produced a number of records for Blue Note disbanding in 1969, after which Mitchell joined and toured with Ray Charles till 1971. From 1971 to 1973 Mitchell performed with John Mayall on Jazz Blues Fusion. From the mid – 70s he recorded, and worked as a session man in the genres noted previously, performed with the big band leaders Louie Bellson, Bill Holman and Bill Berry and was principal soloist for Tony Bennett and Lena Horne. Other band leaders Mitchell recorded with include Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Philly Joe Jones, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, Al Cohn, Dexter Gordon and Jimmy Smith. Blue Mitchell kept his hard-bop playing going with the Harold Land quintet up until his death from cancer on May 21, 1979 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 49.

I'm a Fool to Want You
Blue Mitchell Lyrics

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I'm a fool to want you
I'm a fool to want you
To want a love that can't be true
A love that's there for others too

I'm a fool to hold you
Such a fool to hold you
To seek a kiss not mine alone

To share a kiss the Devil has known

Time and time again I said I'd leave you
Time and time again I went away
But then would come the time when I would need you
And once again these words I'll have to say

I'm a fool to want you
Pity me, I need you
I know it's wrong, it must be wrong
But right or wrong I can't get along
Without you

I can't get along
Without you

Overall Meaning

The song "I'm a Fool to Want You" by Blue Mitchell is a bittersweet love song that expresses the feelings of a person who knows they should let go of a love that can't be true, but can't help holding on because they need that person. The lyrics are full of regret and self-awareness. The singer knows that their love is not reciprocated, and yet they keep holding on, seeking a love that is not theirs alone. The phrase "To share a kiss the Devil has known" suggests that the love the singer is seeking is forbidden, or at least not meant to be, which adds a sense of poignancy to the lyrics.

The repetition of the phrase "I'm a fool to want you" drives home the singer's awareness of their own foolishness. They know they should walk away, but they can't bring themselves to do it. The lyrics also suggest a history of on-again, off-again relationships: "Time and time again I said I'd leave you /Time and time again I went away /But then would come the time when I would need you /And once again these words I'll have to say." This adds a sense of melancholy to the song, as the singer knows the cycle will likely continue unless they can break free from their need for this person.

In summary, "I'm a Fool to Want You" is a song about the pain of unrequited love and the struggle to move on. The singer knows that their love is not returned and that they should walk away, but they can't help holding on. The lyrics are full of regret and self-awareness, making the song a poignant reflection on the complexities of human relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm a fool to want you
Admitting foolishness in wanting someone

I'm a fool to want you
Reaffirming foolishness in wanting someone

To want a love that can't be true
Wanting a love that is impossible to have

A love that's there for others too
A love that is shared with others as well

I'm a fool to hold you
Acknowledging foolishness in holding someone

Such a fool to hold you
Emphasizing the level of foolishness in holding someone

To seek a kiss not mine alone
Wanting a kiss that is shared with others

To share a kiss the Devil has known
Sharing a sinful and forbidden kiss

Time and time again I said I'd leave you
Repeatedly promising to leave

Time and time again I went away
Consistently leaving

But then would come the time when I would need you
Requiring the person despite trying to leave