Maggie Reilly (born September 15, 1956) is a Scottish vocalist best known f… Read Full Bio ↴Maggie Reilly (born September 15, 1956) is a Scottish vocalist best known for her collaborations with the composer Mike Oldfield between 1980 and 1984, especially by performing the vocals on such songs as "Moonlight Shadow", "Five Miles Out", "Family Man" and "To France".

Reilly was born in Glasgow. Her early career included singing with the Scottish Jazz Funk band Cado Belle. In 1992, she issued her debut solo album "Echoes", from which the singles "Everytime We Touch", "Tears in the Rain" and "Wait" were the most successful ones, followed by "Midnight Sun" in 1993, "Elena" in 1996, "Starcrossed" in 2000, "Save it for a Rainy Day" in 2003 and "Rowan" in 2006.

In 2006, a Eurodance-styled cover of Maggie's "Every time We Touch" by the German trio Cascada became a world-wide hit.

She has also worked with many others including Mike Batt (on his "The Hunting of the Snark" album), Jack Bruce, Dave Greenfield & Jan-Jacques Burnel, Lesiëm, Ralph McTell, Simon Nicol (of Fairport Convention), Runrig, The Sisters of Mercy and Smokie.

Only a Fool
Maggie Reilly Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Listen, don't turn away now
You know there's a first time for these feelings
Speak to me, show me the way now
Are my hopes all empty dreams or must we say goodbye

Couldn't believe my heart could be broken
Didn't you know my defences were down
Now all those words we left unspoken

Turned my whole world upside down

Couldn't you see it in the beginning
Wasn't it obvious right from the start
Only a fool believes he's winning
When he's lost his ace of hearts

Only a fool

Please, don't walk away now
Why do you hurt me with your silence
I can't understand this game you are playing
Lately it's been on my mind I had to let you know

Couldn't believe my heart could be broken
Didn't you know my defences were down
Now all those words we left unspoken
Turned my whole world upside down

Couldn't you see it in the beginning
Wasn't it obvious right from the start
Only a fool believes he's winning
When he's lost his ace of hearts

Couldn't believe my heart could be broken
Didn't you know my defences were down
Now all those words we left unspoken
Turned my whole world upside down

Couldn't you see it in the beginning
Wasn't it obvious right from the start
Only a fool believes he's winning
When he's lost his ace of hearts

Couldn't believe my heart could be broken
Didn't you know my defences were down
Now all those words we left unspoken
Turned my whole world upside down

Couldn't you see it in the beginning
Wasn't it obvious right from the start

Only a fool believes he's winning
When he's lost his ace of hearts

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Maggie Reilly's song 'Only a Fool' seem to be about a person who has recently experienced heartbreak and is struggling to come to terms with it. The singer is addressing the person who caused the heartbreak, begging them not to turn away and to show them the way forward. The singer is questioning whether the feelings they had were genuine or if it was just a fleeting dream. The person who caused the heartbreak seems to have been silent and playing a game, leaving the singer hurt and confused. The chorus suggests that it was clear from the start that this would end badly, but the singer continued to believe they were winning until their heart was shattered.

The lyrics are emotive and powerful. The use of the word 'fool' throughout the song suggests that the singer feels foolish for believing in something that was never going to work out. The repetition of certain phrases such as 'Couldn't believe my heart could be broken' and 'Turned my whole world upside down' emphasises the intensity and depth of the singer's pain. Overall, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of heartbreak and the struggles that come along with it.

Line by Line Meaning

Listen, don't turn away now
Please pay attention and don't ignore me now

You know there's a first time for these feelings
You understand that I am experiencing these emotions for the first time

Speak to me, show me the way now
Please communicate with me and guide me through this situation

Are my hopes all empty dreams or must we say goodbye
Are my expectations unrealistic or is this the end of our relationship

Couldn't believe my heart could be broken
I never thought that my heart could be shattered

Didn't you know my defences were down
You should have known that I was vulnerable

Now all those words we left unspoken
The things we didn't say are now causing problems

Turned my whole world upside down
My life has been completely disrupted

Couldn't you see it in the beginning
Did you not notice from the start

Wasn't it obvious right from the start
It should have been apparent from the beginning

Only a fool believes he's winning
It is foolish to think one is victorious