Formed in Harlem in 1953, the band consisted of Herman Curtis, Buzzy Willis and Pat Gaston (who had previously ben together in another group, The Crows), and Monte Owens, Bobby Baylor and Bobby Williams (formerly of The Mello-Moods). They were quickly signed to the Old Town music label, from which they issued a series of singles. These included "Wonder Why", "Blue Valentine", and a cover version of the jazz standard "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You", all released through 1954.
When Curtis (who was lead singer) left the group in 1955, he was replaced by Milton Love (formerly of the Concords), and it was with Love that the Solitaires enjoyed their greatest success. A string of hits throughout the latter part of the 1950s included "The Wedding" (1955), "The Angels Sang" (1956), and "Walking Along" (1957), which was later recorded by The Diamonds. The group released their final single in 1961, before disbanding.
Various Solitaires line-ups have toured since 1961, and continue to do so to the present day. Currently, the group is made up of Milton Love, Freddy Barksdale, George Magnezid and Robbie Mansfield.
Fool That I Am
The Solitaires Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, I let love past me on by
Oh, now I know that so lonely
And every night I sit in my room
And think about a love that might have been
Fool that I am
Darling, you came to me
And I first consented
You offered a love, ya
That was so sweet and good
And now the chance
Will never come again
Fool that I am
Oh oh oh
Once I thought love was just a game, baby
Mmm mmm
Just to be played, to be played
Now I know the truth
It's t to late, It's just to late
A little bit to late
It's to late, to late, to late, to late
I turn this way
Just to have have you in my arms
But I know you'll turn away
It's all over
You gave me the chance, ya
For a lasting love
But I just laughed and sent you on your way
Fool That I Am
The Fool That I Am
The Fool That I Am
I'm not gonna let you see me cry, baby
But 'm not to proud, not to proud
I'll get down on my knees
No, I'm not to proud baby
No no no no no no no
I'm not to proud
The Solitaires’ song “Fool That I Am” talks about the regret that comes with missing out on true love. The singer laments that they let love pass them by, and now they feel lonely. Every night, they sit in their room and regret not taking a chance on a love that might have been. The singer acknowledges that they were a fool for turning away the person who offered them love that was “so sweet and good.” The chance for a lasting love has passed, and the singer knows that they will never get another opportunity. Even though they are not too proud to get down on their knees, they know that it’s too late to make amends.
The lyrics of “Fool That I Am” also convey the message that love is not a game, but rather something that should be cherished and taken seriously. The singer thought that love was just a game to be played with no serious consequences. They are now aware that this belief was misguided as they realize that they have missed out on a chance for lasting love. Despite their regret, the singer is still determined not to show their emotions and let the person see them cry.
Overall, “Fool That I Am” is a heartfelt lamentation of missed opportunities for love and the realization that love should be cherished and not taken for granted. The song is a relatable experience that many people can connect with and is a timeless classic that transcends generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Fool that I am
I acted foolishly
Oh, I let love past me on by
I missed my chance at love
Oh, now I know that so lonely
I am now aware of how lonely I am
And every night I sit in my room
I spend every night alone in my room
And think about a love that might have been
I think about the love I could have had
Darling, you came to me
You offered me your love
Oh, I turned you away
But I rejected your love
And I first consented
At first, I agreed to your love
You offered a love, ya
You offered me a sweet and good love
That was so sweet and good
But I didn't appreciate it
And now the chance
And now I have no chance
Will never come again
To have that love again is impossible
Once I thought love was just a game, baby
I used to think love was something to be played with
Mmm mmm
An expression of thought
Just to be played, to be played
And not taken seriously
Now I know the truth
Now I know better
It's t to late, It's just to late
But now it's too late
A little bit to late
Just a little bit late
It's to late, to late, to late, to late
But unfortunately, it's too late
I turn this way
I search for love in different places
Just to have have you in my arms
Just to hold you in my arms
But I know you'll turn away
But I know you'll reject me
It's all over
It's the end
You gave me the chance, ya
You offered me a chance at love
For a lasting love
For a love that could last
But I just laughed and sent you on your way
But instead of valuing it, I rejected it
The Fool That I Am
I am a fool
I'm not gonna let you see me cry, baby
I won't show you how much I'm hurting
But 'm not to proud, not to proud
But I'm not too proud to admit my mistakes
I'll get down on my knees
I am willing to humble myself
No, I'm not to proud baby
I'm not too proud to ask for forgiveness
No no no no no no no
Emphasizing the statement
I'm not to proud
I'm not too proud
Contributed by Christopher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Linda Falck
I really like this song a lot. The words says it all.
EricPopcorn
ALOVE THAT SONG GOOD SUPPER THANKS
bluenote824 jones
I don't think I have ever seen them on this label