Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945, in Lafayette, Tennessee) is an American Si… Read Full Bio ↴Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945, in Lafayette, Tennessee) is an American Singer.

Coolidge's early career was as a backing vocalist, for artists such as Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, and Leon Russell. Her performance of "Superstar" on the Cocker/Russell Mad Dogs and Englishmen album helped gain her attention. She became known as "The Delta Lady" and inspired Leon Russell to write a song of the same name for her. It was during this time that she met Kris Kristofferson; the two married in 1973. With him, she recorded several duet albums which sold well, and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1974 for From the Bottle to the Bottom, and in 1976 for Lover Please.

In 1997, Coolidge was one of the founding members of Walela, a Native American music trio, that also includes Coolidge's sister Priscilla and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield. The trio released albums in 1997 and 2000. Walela means hummingbird in Cherokee.

Fool That I Am
Rita Coolidge Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, I tried to make the best of
All the sweet love that you gave me
Maybe I'm crazy
But I keep on losing ground

Fool that I am, fool that I may be
When will I ever know what's true
And if I found out differently

Would I still love you?

Two hearts breakin', two hearts achin'
Someone's takin' more than they gave
Trusting in someone
Who has no trust in me

Fool that I am, fool that I may be
When will I ever know what's true
And if I found out differently
Would I still love you?

Fool that I am, fool that I may be
When will I ever know what's true
And if I found out differently

Would I still love you?
Would I still love you?

Overall Meaning

In Rita Coolidge's song "Fool That I Am," she talks about the struggle of being in a relationship with someone who does not reciprocate the love that she gives. She acknowledges that she has tried to make the best out of the love that she received from her partner, but she feels like she is continuously losing ground. Despite this, she is unsure of whether or not she should continue to stay in the relationship if she discovers something different. Coolidge alludes to the possibility that she may be foolish for staying in a relationship where she is giving more than she is receiving, yet she still questions whether or not she will continue to love her partner if she finds out the truth.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Fool that I am, fool that I may be. When will I ever know what's true? And if I found out differently, would I still love you?" which emphasizes her internal conflict of knowing whether her partner feels the same way she does. The last verse speaks to the realization that someone is taking more than they are giving, yet still trusting them despite the lack of trust they have for her.

Overall, "Fool That I Am" is a poignant portrayal of the complexities of love and relationships. It shows the conflicted emotions one can experience when they are unsure if their love is given in vain or if it is mutually felt. The song is relatable to many people who have experienced doubt and uncertainty in their relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, I tried to make the best of
I did my best to make the most of

All the sweet love that you gave me
The affection and love you gave me

Maybe I'm crazy
It's possible I'm irrational

But I keep on losing ground
I always seem to be going backwards

Fool that I am, fool that I may be
I'm foolish, and maybe will always be

When will I ever know what's true
When will I finally understand what's real

And if I found out differently
If I discovered something that contradicted

Would I still love you?
Would I continue to have affection for you?

Two hearts breakin', two hearts achin'
Two people in emotional pain and distress

Someone's takin' more than they gave
One person is getting more than they're giving in the relationship

Trusting in someone
Believing in and relying on someone