The Fool on the Hill
Göran Söllscher Lyrics
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Alone on a hill
The man with the foolish grin
Is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him
They can see that he's just a fool
And he never gives an answer
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
Well on the way
Head in a cloud
The man of a thousand voices
Talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him
Or the sounds he appears to make
And he never seems to notice
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
And nobody seems to like him
They can tell what he wants to do
And he never shows his feelings
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
He never listens to them
He knows that they're the fools
They don't like him
The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
Oh
, Göran Söllscher's song "The Fool on the Hill" is a poignant commentary on the societal ostracization of those who do not conform to the conventional norms that are upheld by their respective societies. The song opens with the description of a man standing alone on a hill with a foolish grin on his face. The man is described to remain perfectly still, but nobody wants to know him, as they perceive him to be a fool. He never gives an answer, and nobody seems to like him or understand him. The isolation and loneliness of the man on the hill are apparent, which is emphasized by the refrain, "But the fool on the hill sees the sun going down and the eyes in his head see the world spinning round," indicating that he is detached from this reality.
The second verse introduces another character, the man of a thousand voices, who is always talking perfectly loud but nobody hears or understands him. The man appears to be lost in his thoughts, and he never seems to notice the world around him. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the detachment and disassociation of both the fool and the man of a thousand voices. The lyrics conclude by stating that the fool knows that those who ostracize him are the real fools because they cannot see beyond the conventional norms of society, which culminates in the final refrain of the song, "He never listens to them, he knows that they're the fools, they don't like him."
Line by Line Meaning
Day after day
The passage of time continues without interruption
Alone on a hill
The singer is isolated and in solitude in a high place
The man with the foolish grin
The singer is wearing a silly smile that makes him seem foolish
Is keeping perfectly still
The artist is motionless and not engaging in any activity
But nobody wants to know him
The artist is being ignored by others who do not care to interact with him
They can see that he's just a fool
Others perceive the singer as unintelligent or naive
And he never gives an answer
The singer does not respond to attempts at communication
But the fool on the hill
The artist who is perceived as a fool is still present and aware of his surroundings
Sees the sun going down
The artist is watching the sunset
And the eyes in his head
The artist is observing the world around him with his eyes
See the world spinning round
The singer is acutely aware of the ongoing, ever-changing nature of the world
Well on the way
The artist is currently progressing towards something
Head in a cloud
The singer is daydreaming or in a state of deep thought
The man of a thousand voices
The singer is capable of imitating a wide range of sounds, noises, or voices
Talking perfectly loud
The singer is speaking in a clear, confident, and easily heard voice
But nobody ever hears him
Others are not interested in or do not pay attention to the artist's speech or sounds
Or the sounds he appears to make
Others either do not hear or do not recognize the sounds or noises produced by the artist
And he never seems to notice
The singer is not aware that others are not listening or paying attention to him
And nobody seems to like him
The singer is disliked or unpopular among others
They can tell what he wants to do
Others can read or interpret the artist's desires or intentions
And he never shows his feelings
The artist does not openly express his emotions or inner thoughts
He never listens to them
The artist does not take others' opinions or advice into account
He knows that they're the fools
The singer believes that others are the foolish ones, not him
The fool on the hill
The artist who is perceived as a fool is still present and aware of his surroundings
Sees the sun going down
The singer is watching the sunset
And the eyes in his head
The singer is observing the world around him with his eyes
See the world spinning round
The singer is acutely aware of the ongoing, ever-changing nature of the world
Oh
An exclamation or exasperated utterance expressing frustration or impatience
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind