I Am A Fool To Want You
Chet Baker 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′d 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

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'd 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

Overall Meaning

Chet Baker's "I Am a Fool to Want You" is a love song that is filled with melancholy and longing. The lyrics speak of how the singer is aware that their love for their partner is foolish because it can never be true. They confess that they are a fool to hold onto their partner so tightly and to desire their kisses even though they know that their love is shared with others.


The song is an emotional plea to the listener to understand that even though the singer realizes that their love is misguided, they cannot help but feel that way. The words express an intense need for their partner, and a fear of being alone without them. The repeated phrases 'Time and time again I said I'd leave you, But then would come the time when I would need you' emphasize the struggle that the singer has with their feelings and the difficulty they have in walking away from the love that is causing them so much pain.


The composition is notable for the passionate delivery of Chet Baker's emotive, breathy vocals, which are complimented by the somber and soulful instrumentation, including piano, drums, and bass. The jazz standard was written by Jack Wolf, Joel Herron, and Frank Sinatra, and became a popular hit in 1951, covered by several artists over the years.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm a fool to want you
I am foolish for desiring you


To want a love that can't be true
To desire a love that is not genuine


Such a fool to hold you
I am extremely foolish to embrace you


To seek a kiss not mine alone
To pursue a kiss that is not exclusively meant for me


Time and time again I said I'd leave you
Repeatedly, I have claimed that I will depart from you


Time and time again I went away
I have left countless times before


But then would come the time when I would need you
But inevitably, there would come a moment when I require your presence


And once again these words I'd have to say
And once again, I would have to express these same sentiments


I'm a fool to want you
I am foolish for desiring you


Pity me, I need you
Take pity on me, I require your love


I know it's wrong, it must be wrong
I am aware that it is incorrect, it must be incorrect


But right or wrong I can't get along
However, whether it is right or wrong, I cannot continue without you


Without you
Without your presence




Writer(s): Frank Sinatra, Jack Wolf, Joel Herron, Taito Vainio

Contributed by Leo G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

LMathews

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

[Verse 2]
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

[Chorus]
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

[Verse 3]
Take me back, I love 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



wassem sas

Listening to this after a breakup.
Deep down i want her back to my life but it’s hard, it’s hard for me to beg someone to stay!
To beg for the love
Once upon a time i said that “i love you but i don’t want to be a pathetic lover”
It’s hard nowadays to stay with someone
Nowadays relationships depend on who’s gonna win? Who’s gonna lose?
Unfortunately we are all into this, we want love! It’s not needy to need someone whom you love.
It’s funny and sad how ppl goes by the wind, it’s a loss.
I love chet baker, i wrote this while listening to this song
And hope one day she read that and never look at me like “pathetic lover”
Yet, there is always someone new, someone worth fighting your ego for.



Mamaziha79

"I'm A Fool To Want You"

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 that 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 had to say

Take me back, I love you
...I need you
I know it's wrong, it must be wrong
But right or wrong I can't get along

Without you...



All comments from YouTube:

Romana Sever

This is for me the confession of a man who is aware that his addiction will not end well, but he is simply unable to stop.. There's so much sadness and helplessness in his playing the tramp that I always get tears..

Romana Sever

@puddin Junky can't give love to anyone or herself. It's sad when someone's with someone because they feel sorry for them. I think that was the case with him.

puddin

Frank sinatra wrote it about his wife who had been cheating on him. Interesting interpretation tho

Petar Kamberovic

Man... i like this version the most!

baubie richards

Adore this song! Thank you Chet for your mesmerizing talent❤

Lucas Canario

I always come here time to time. This song never gets old.

Alanis Martins Quadros

chet baker é mt perfeito mds

Clive Elias Suffield-Thompson

A Masterclass of a tortured soul. God bless you and I hope you sit at the right hand of God.

Monika Łutowicz

Najpiękniejsza wersja jaką słyszałam.Spoczywaj w spokoju...The most beautiful vesion ever. Thank You Chet

LMathews

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

[Verse 2]
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

[Chorus]
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

[Verse 3]
Take me back, I love 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

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