Peter was born in England, as one of four kids, and soon learned to play a … Read Full Bio ↴Peter was born in England, as one of four kids, and soon learned to play a variety of instruments such as recorder, clarinet, cornet, trombone, violin, harmonica, and piano. What he was not given were any instructions in playing the guitar. Therefore Peter self-trained to play a few simple chords and felt intrigued by the influence of The Beatles and other 60s music at the time. In his late teenager years he waived going to college, electing instead to pursue a career in the music business. He started to play professionally in small clubs and would eventually move to London, where he soon met Scottish singer/songwriter Al Stewart. Pretty soon Peter joined Al's backing band and toured England up and down, subsequently the USA, providing guitar and keyboards to the band's sound.

For the recordings of "Year of the Cat" Al put a classic Spanish guitar into Peter's hands and asked him to play on it for one song of the forthcoming album. That part became the opening of the well-known "On The Border". It were those recording sessions when Peter also worked with producer Alan Parsons of The Alan Parsons Project.

In 1978 he followed Al Stewart and moved to Los Angeles, CA. Around this time Peter's younger brother Danny felt the inspiration to form his own group, which would become Matt Bianco ("Bianco" is Italian for "White"). Temporarily the Al Stewart backing band was renamed to Shot in the Dark, which consisted basically of the crew (among them bass player Robin Lamble) which played on Al Stewart's 1980 and 1981 albums. Shot in the Dark alone only released one album in 1981; they disbanded when their record label closed down.

In the following years Peter became more and more involved in the L.A. music scene and played with the likes of Johnny Rivers (the "Secret Agent Man"), Bernie Leadon (after he left the Eagles), Susanna Hoffs (after she left The Bangles), Tori Amos (before she got famous), and Janis Ian ("At Seventeen"). Through this connection with Matt Bianco, Peter would contribute his guitar playing on albums of the band as well as later on with their lead singer Basia, also joining her on tours. In the late 80s he would discover that one of his neighbors, a man named Skipper Wise, was also a musician. Peter agreed to join him and his band Windows occasionally, playing guitar and keyboards on some of their records. When Skipper decided in 1988 to record a solo album (The Clock & The Moon) Peter agreed to support him, but asked for the same favor in return when it would come to his first solo album. Only one year later, in 1989, Peter White's first solo effort, Reveillez-Vous, was recorded and published, co-produced by Skipper Wise. A second release, Excusez-Moi, was finished in a similar fashion in 1992. Peter White became a leading smooth jazz musician and joined the "Guitars & Saxes" tour together with jazz musicians such as Richard Elliot, Warren Hill and Craig Chaquico.

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Peter White Lyrics

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Love, what have you done? Oh, wow.
I was sure up to now that she was a friend.
I stayed till the end. Don't be a fool again.
I once believed that love was fair.
But I don't anymore. She said I'm a bore.
My heart hit the floor.

Don't be a fool anymore.

Each time around.
I tell myself it's the game of love.
Ignore the signs and risk it all in the name of love.
Well, I've decided I can't let nobody hurt me again.
So I'll say to the end
I just don't want to be a fool. (Don't want to be a fool.)
Said I don't want to be a fool ever again.

Whenever a fool's in love he doesn't know he's to blame.
He's caught in the game. It all ends up the same.
He doesn't feel the shame. He looks at love in a diff'rent way.
It breaks his heart ev'rytime they all turn out strange.

But he'll never change. He's never gonna change.
Next time around I'll tell myself it'll be better than before
I won't look back.
There'll be no one tearing my heart out anymore.
I just decided I can't let nobody fool me again.
So I'll swear to the end.
I just don't want to be a fool. (Don't want to be a fool.)
Said I don't want to be a fool (ever again)
No way, (I mean no more) Never again (Oo, no never)
I can't be a fool, can't be. No way. No way. No way. Oo.
I don't want to be. I don't want to be a fool. No.
I can't love anybody (I can't love nobody)
walking on a one way street. (Any way, any way any, way no.)
If I don't (If I don't) find somebody (somebody body )
that'll be alright with me. (know, I know it'll be alright now)
'cause I decided not to let nobody kill me again.
So I'll stay to the end
I just don't want to be a fool. (Don't want to be a fool)
Said I don't want to be a fool. (Don't wanna be a fool)
Ever ever again. Don't want to be a fool Can't be a fool.
Don't want to be a fool ever again.

I don't want to be a fool (Never oh never oh never again.)
Don't want to be a fool (Can't be a fool.)

Overall Meaning

Peter White’s “Don’t Want To Be a Fool” talks about the pain and heartbreak that love can bring. The song’s opening lines state the singer’s confusion and disbelief in himself for mistaking love's friendliness for something more. As the song progresses, he tells a story of how he fell for someone and ended up getting hurt, which made him lose his faith in love. He then constantly reminds himself not to be foolish, to ignore the signs, and not to risk everything for love anymore. He declares that he can’t let anyone hurt him again and that he doesn’t want to be a fool again. The song’s lyrics are an honest reflection of the pain people feel when we fall in love but end up getting hurt. The song’s beautiful melody matches the lyrics' sentiments, making it an emotional piece.

Line by Line Meaning

Love, what have you done? Oh, wow.
I am questioning the love that made me suffer and became a fool for it.

I was sure up to now that she was a friend.
I considered her a friend until I realized the feelings I have for her.

I stayed till the end. Don't be a fool again.
I endured the pain until the very end but I don't want to be a fool again.

I once believed that love was fair.
Before, I held a belief that love is just and kind.

But I don't anymore. She said I'm a bore.
But I now know that's not the case after she told me I'm boring.

My heart hit the floor.
I felt a sudden intense feeling of sadness and disappointment.

Don't be a fool anymore.
I don't want to be played for a fool anymore.

Each time around.
Every time I fall in love.

I tell myself it's the game of love.
I rationalize that love is just a game.

Ignore the signs and risk it all in the name of love.
I ignore the warning signs and risk everything just for the sake of love.

Well, I've decided I can't let nobody hurt me again.
I have made a decision not to allow anyone to hurt me again.

So I'll say to the end
I'll endure the pain until the very end.

I just don't want to be a fool. (Don't want to be a fool.)
I don't want to be a fool for love anymore.

Said I don't want to be a fool ever again.
I made a solemn promise not to be a love fool again.

Whenever a fool's in love he doesn't know he's to blame.
A person who is foolishly in love doesn't know that he is the one at fault.

He's caught in the game. It all ends up the same.
He is trapped in the game of love which always ends in heartbreak.

He doesn't feel the shame. He looks at love in a diff'rent way.
Even though he doesn't feel ashamed, he still perceives love differently due to past hurts.

It breaks his heart ev'rytime they all turn out strange.
His heart is shattered every time his relationships turn out differently than expected.

But he'll never change. He's never gonna change.
Despite this, he will never change his ways and approach to love.

Next time around I'll tell myself it'll be better than before
The next time I fall in love, I'll convince myself that it will go better than the last.

I won't look back.
I won't look back to the past anymore.

There'll be no one tearing my heart out anymore.
I won't let anyone break my heart again.

I just decided I can't let nobody fool me again.
I have made the decision not to be fooled again.

So I'll swear to the end.
I will promise to myself until the very end.

No way, (I mean no more) Never again (Oo, no never)
Absolutely not, I won't fall for love's tricks again.

I can't be a fool, can't be. No way. No way. No way. Oo.
I refuse to be a fool for love again.

I don't want to be. I don't want to be a fool. No.
I don't want to be a love fool anymore.

I can't love anybody (I can't love nobody)
I am not capable of loving anyone right now.

walking on a one way street. (Any way, any way any, way no.)
I don't want to go in a direction that does not lead to love's fulfillment.

If I don't (If I don't) find somebody (somebody body )
In case I don't find someone to love.

that'll be alright with me. (know, I know it'll be alright now)
It's okay with me to be alone and not have someone for now.

'cause I decided not to let nobody kill me again.
I am resolved not to be hurt again.

So I'll stay to the end
I will still love and give my all to my partner until the end.

Said I don't want to be a fool. (Don't want to be a fool)
I don't want to be a fool for love anymore.

Ever ever again. Don't want to be a fool Can't be a fool.
I don't want to be a love fool again, I won't allow it.

Don't want to be a fool ever again.
I don't want to be played for a fool in love ever again.

I don't want to be a fool (Never oh never oh never again.)
Never again will I allow myself to be love foolish.

Don't want to be a fool (Can't be a fool.)
I will not be played for a fool in love again.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARCUS MILLER, LUTHER VANDROSS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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