Rufus gained a fan in Stevie Wonder thanks to their cover of his "Maybe Your Baby." Wonder gave them a new composition, the slowly grinding "Tell Me Something Good," that he'd written specifically with Khan's vocal style in mind. Pulled as a single from their second album, 1974's Rags to Rufus, "Tell Me Something Good" was a Top Five smash that turned Rufus and Khan into stars....
You can also see Rufus & Chaka Khan as Rufus on Last.fm.
Fool's Paradise
Rufus & Chaka Khan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was it very nice?
People living in the world for material things
Love has a playful heart
That's where the hatred starts
Causin' harm and replacin' the joy true love can bring
Chorus:
It's just a fool's paradise
Was it very nice?
Whoa ¨c
(and you don't know)
Just like a concrete dream
Fool's paradise is strange
People buying time don't seem like a natural thing
Souls are lost to sea
Souls that will never be
Returning to this place of living misery
It's a fool's paradise
It's just a fool's paradise
Was it very nice?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
Fool's paradise
(ooh it's just a)
Fool's paradise
Was it very nice?
No, no, no, no, no, no
Whoa ¨c
Souls are lost to sea
Souls that'll never be
Returning to this place of living misery
Fool's paradise
Was it very nice?
(repeat to fade)
The song Fool's Paradise by Rufus & Chaka Khan is a commentary on the superficiality of worldly desires and how it can distance us from true love and happiness. The lyrics suggest that people are too occupied with material things and that causes them to overlook the value of true love. The lyrics further indicate that people can cause harm in the pursuit of material things and that true love is replaced by hatred. The chorus states that living for material things is a fool's paradise and that it provides only temporary happiness while true love can bring lasting joy.
The phrase "concrete dream" in the second verse alludes to the idea of a dream that is not grounded in reality. The song suggests that people who buy time are not natural, that is, they are not living authentically. The lyrics assert that souls are lost to the sea, which implies the idea that people lose themselves in their desires creating a sense of aimlessness. The repetition of the phrase "Fool's Paradise" throughout the song emphasizes the point that worldly desires create a false sense of paradise that ultimately leads to misery.
Line by Line Meaning
Fool's paradise
Living in an illusionary world where everything seems perfect but is not real
Was it very nice?
Is it worth living in this false world?
People living in the world for material things
People are driven by the desire for material things
Love has a playful heart
Love is innocent and joyful
That's where the hatred starts
But sometimes the innocence of love is replaced by hatred
Causin' harm and replacin' the joy true love can bring
This hatred creates harm and takes away the joy that true love can bring
Chorus: It's just a fool's paradise
The illusory world is just a fool's paradise
Whoa - Just like a concrete dream
The illusion is as solid and unyielding as a concrete dream
Fool's paradise is strange
This world of illusion is a very strange place
People buying time don't seem like a natural thing
People trying to buy their way into this false world is unnatural
Souls are lost to sea
People lose themselves in the illusionary world and never return
Souls that will never be
Their souls will never be the same again
Returning to this place of living misery
They will return to the world of misery
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
Reinforcing the fact that it is not worth living in this illusionary world
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GAVIN CHRISTOPHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind