McCorkle was born in Berkeley, California. She studied modern languages at the University of California, Berkeley. McCorkle began singing professionally after hearing recordings of Billie Holiday in Paris in the late 1960s. She nearly became an interpreter at the European Commission in Brussels, but moved instead to London in 1972 to pursue a career in singing. While in the UK, she made two albums which, although well received, enjoyed only limited circulation.
In the late 1970s, McCorkle returned to the United States and settled in New York City, where a five-month engagement at the Cookery in Greenwich Village brought her to wider public attention and elicited rave reviews from critics.
During the 1980s, McCorkle continued to record; her maturing style and the darkening timbre of her voice greatly enhanced her performances. In the early 1990s, two of the albums McCorkle made for Concord Records, No More Blues and Sábia, were enormously successful and made her name known to the wider world. She was recorded by the Smithsonian Institution which at the time made her the youngest singer ever to have been included in its popular music series. McCorkle played Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls five times and Carnegie Hall three times, and was featured soloist with Skitch Henderson and the 80-piece New York Pops in a concert of Brazilian music.
Thanks to her linguistic skills, McCorkle translated lyrics of Brazilian, French, and Italian songs, notably those for her Brazilian album Sabia. McCorkle also had several short stories published and, in 1991, began work on her first novel. She published fiction in Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and non-fiction in the New York Times Magazine and in American Heritage, including lengthy articles on Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Irving Berlin and Mae West.
McCorkle suffered for many years from depression and cancer, and took her own life at age 55 by leaping off the balcony of her highrise Manhattan apartment. She was alone in her home at the time. The police immediately entered her home after identifying her body and found no foul play. Suicide was ruled the cause of death.
Fools Rush In
Susannah McCorkle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to say
A game I thought I'd never play
"Romance is a game for fools"
I said and grinned
Then you passed by
And here am I
Throwing caution to the wind
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
And so I come to you, my love, my heart above my head.
Though I see the danger there
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care
Mm-mm-mm-mm
Fools rush in where wise men never go
But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
When we met, I felt my life begin
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Fools rush in where wise men never, never, never go
Eh, but wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
Ah, when we met, girl, I felt my life begin
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Just open up your heart and let this fool rush on in
Just open up your heart because I-I-I-I-I-I-I am coming in
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!
In Susannah McCorkle's "Fools Rush In," the singer grapples with the idea of romance and love: a concept she once believed was for "fools." Yet, upon encountering the love interest in the song, she finds herself "throwing caution to the wind." The song's title is derived from the popular adage "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread," implying that the desire for love is often irrational and foolish, yet uncontrollable.
Throughout the song, the singer acknowledges the danger in falling in love, yet she is willing to take the risk despite potential negative consequences. She believes that wise men never fall in love, and in doing so, they are not capable of understanding the risks and rewards of love. Despite past reservations towards romance, she feels her "life begin" after meeting her love interest, and implores them to "open up your heart and let this fool rush in."
Overall, "Fools Rush In" highlights the often-turbulent nature of love and romance. It acknowledges the risks and potential danger, yet celebrates the irrational and impulsive nature of love. The beautiful melody and lyrics sung by Susannah McCorkle make this song a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Romance is a game for fools
I used to believe that love was a foolish game to play and I would never partake.
A game I thought I'd never play
I was convinced that romance was not for me and planned to never enter the game of love.
Romance is a game for fools
I repeated that love was only for fools and chuckled to myself.
I said and grinned
I proudly affirmed my belief that only foolish people fall in love.
Then you passed by
But then you walked into my life.
And here am I
And now I find myself.
Throwing caution to the wind
Taking a risk and disregarding my former beliefs about love.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
Impulsive people make reckless decisions where wiser individuals would not dare.
And so I come to you, my love, my heart above my head.
I am now making an irrational choice to pursue you, even though common sense tells me otherwise.
Though I see the danger there
I understand that there are perils and pitfalls associated with this relationship.
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care
But despite the risks, I am so enamored with you that I am willing to take a chance on love.
Fools rush in where wise men never go
Wise people stay away from hasty, foolish decisions in matters of the heart.
But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
However, those who are too cautious and rational may miss out on the joy of being in love.
When we met, I felt my life begin
Meeting you gave me a sense of purpose and meaning in my life.
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
I implore you to give me a chance to be with you, even though I may not be the wisest choice.
Just open up your heart and let this fool rush on in
All I ask is for you to give me a chance, and in doing so, make me one of the happiest fools in love.
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!
I am daring to be a fool for love, and I hope you can see that as a courageous act instead of a foolish one.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Rube Bloom
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind