Clark was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, from the age of 9. He first began performing in the Phoenix area in the early 1950s. He spent time in the Air Force in the South Pacific; he formed a band there which won a talent show in Hawaii. Returning to Phoenix, he and his friend Al Casey met Lee Hazlewood, then a local DJ. Clark, with Casey on guitar, recorded one of Hazlewood's songs, "The Fool", on MCI Records in 1956. Dot Records picked the song up for national distribution after a Philadelphia deejay tipped them off to it. The song became a hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 14 on the Country Singles chart, No. 5 on the Black Singles chart, and No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100. Following the song's success, Clark opened on tour for Ray Price and Roy Orbison.
Clark's 1957 follow-up single, "The Cheat", gave him a second minor hit, peaking at No. 74 Pop. He and Dot Records' owner Randy Wood quarreled over the singer's image, and he eventually signed to Jamie Records in 1958, continuing to work with Hazlewood. In 1959 Sanford Clark recorded a song, "Son of a Gun", about the son of a western gunslinger. This song is also referenced in Keith Richards' book life published in October 2010. He credits the song as being one of the first song he learned and performed on stage prior to forming the Rolling Stones.
Moving to Hollywood, he recorded for several other labels and had several almost-comebacks; his 1964 version of Hazlewood's "Houston" was eclipsed by Dean Martin's version, and in 1965 he re-recorded "The Fool" with Waylon Jennings on guitar. Hazlewood, by now an established songwriter, signed Clark to his own label, LHI, on which Clark released Return of the Fool in 1969.
A few years later Clark left the music business, working in construction, though he occasionally recorded in later decades on his own label, Desert Sun Records.
"The Fool" has been recorded by Chris Farlowe (1965 single), Elvis Presley for Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old) (1971), The Animals for Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted (1977) and by Richard Thompson on 1000 Years of Popular Music (live) among many others.
Sanford Clark died on July 4, 2021 at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Missouri of COVID-19 at the age of 85.
Bad Luck
Sanford Clark Lyrics
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Used to the bitter end
I'm used to trial and troubles
'Cause I never had a friend--bad luck
Well, well, bad luck
Well, I'm used to trial and troubles
Bad luck don't bother me
I'm used to takin' beatings
Used to being alone
Used to be mistreated
With nobody to call my own--bad luck
Lord, lord, lord, lord, bad luck
Yes, I'm used to being mistreated
Bad luck don't bother me
I'm used to being broke
Used to being sad
I'm used to lousy people
And I'm used to being mad
A bad luck, yeah, yeah, yeah, bad luck
Oh, bad luck and lousy people
No, no, no, they don't bother me
I've been takin' for a fool
Been takin' for a square
Been used for a tool
And I've been told that I'm nowhere
Bad luck, oh, oh, bad luck, yeah, yeah, bad luck, bad luck
No, no, it don't bother me
Right now I'm just a cool little fool
And bad luck don't bother me
Sanford Clark's "Bad Luck" depicts the hardships the singer has faced throughout his life. From being accustomed to misfortune, bitter endings, trials and troubles, mistreatment, beatings, and being alone without friends, this song showcases the struggles that the singer has undergone. He has grown used to lousy people and being broke, and despite all the adversities, there is a sense of resilience and strength that emanates from his voice. This song has a message of stoicism and toughness in the face of adversity, and that the singer is not going to surrender himself to bad luck, brokenness, sorrow, and self-pity. One could argue that the repetitive use of "bad luck" in the chorus is akin to a mantra that the singer is using to showcase his acceptance of his life's adversities.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm used to misfortune, baby
I have faced difficult situations consistently and have become accustomed to them.
Used to the bitter end
I am accustomed to the worst possible outcome always befalling me.
I'm used to trial and troubles
I am accustomed to facing hardships and obstacles in my life.
'Cause I never had a friend--bad luck
My lifelong experiences have been unfortunate, and I have not had the luck to have someone to support me through it.
Well, well, bad luck
Someone saying 'Well, well' and 'bad luck' shows that they are trying to seem optimistic despite the troubles they face.
Well, I'm used to trial and troubles
Acknowledgement that even though the singer always faces hardships, they are well acclimated to it.
Bad luck don't bother me
Having become used to misfortune, the singer has grown resilient and unaffected by the outcomes of events beyond their control.
I'm used to takin' beatings
I am accustomed to facing physical or mental abuse.
Used to being alone
I am accustomed to being without company or support from others.
Used to be mistreated
I am accustomed to being treated unfairly and harshly by others.
With nobody to call my own--bad luck
Because of my life circumstances, I have not had the fortune of someone to truly be my own, and this is just another example of misfortune.
Lord, lord, lord, lord, bad luck
The artist is attempting to remain positive while acknowledging their ongoing unfortunate events.
Yes, I'm used to being mistreated
I have been treated unfairly in the past, and I have become accustomed to it.
I'm used to being broke
I am accustomed to living without much money or financial resources.
Used to being sad
I am accustomed to feeling unhappy or depressed.
I'm used to lousy people
I have met many terrible or unpleasant people over time and have learned to adapt to dealing with them.
And I'm used to being mad
I am used to experiencing anger and frustration in response to my circumstances.
A bad luck, yeah, yeah, yeah, bad luck
The continual usage of 'bad luck' reinforces the notion that things constantly go wrong for the singer and that they have become used to it.
Oh, bad luck and lousy people
Two negative experiences, 'bad luck' and dealing with 'lousy people,' have influenced the singer's life.
No, no, no, they don't bother me
Despite being problems in the artist's life, they have become so used to them that it does not emotionally affect them anymore.
I've been takin' for a fool
Others have taken advantage of me and manipulated me.
Been takin' for a square
Others have taken advantage of my weaknesses and shortcomings.
Been used for a tool
Others have taken advantage of me and used me for their own purposes.
And I've been told that I'm nowhere
Others have put me down and made me feel unimportant or worthless.
Right now I'm just a cool little fool
Despite everything that has happened to them, the singer is trying to remain positive and maintain a sense of self-confidence and composure.
And bad luck don't bother me
The singer has become so used to misfortune that it is no longer an emotional burden for them.
Contributed by Amelia E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.