Everybody Plays the Fool
{{Short description|1972 single by the Main Ingredient}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Everybody Plays the Fool
| image = Everybody Plays the Fool by The Main Ingredient US single side-A.png
| alt =
| caption = Side A of US single
| type = single
| artist = the Main Ingredient
| album = Bitter Sweet
| B-side = Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me?)
| recorded = 1972
| studio = RCA Studio C (New York City)
| venue =
| genre =
- Soul{{cite book|title= Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s|first1=Don|last1=Breithaupt|first2= Jeff|last2= Breithaupt|date= October 15, 1996|chapter= Walking in Rhythm: Seventies Soul|page= 64|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|isbn=031214704X|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RMPCAwAAQBAJ}}
- R&B
| length = 3:22
| label = RCA
| writer =
- J. R. Bailey
- Rudy Clark
- Ken Williams
| producer =
- Luther Simmons
- Tony Silvester
| prev_title = Black Seeds Keep on Growing
| prev_year = 1971
| next_title = You've Got to Take It (If You Want It)
| next_year = 1972
}}
"Everybody Plays the Fool" is a 1972 song first recorded by American R&B group The Main Ingredient, and written by J. R. Bailey, Rudy Clark and Ken Williams. It was the first single released from the group's album Bitter Sweet, released with the B-side "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me?)". "Everybody Plays the Fool" was the group's highest charting hit single, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the fall of 1972. It also peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and at No. 25 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications) It was certified gold by the RIAA.Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 1973 ceremony, losing to "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".
A 1991 cover of the song by Aaron Neville, from the album Warm Your Heart, was also successful, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 in New Zealand.
Charts
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=Weekly charts=
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=Year-end charts=
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Aaron Neville version
{{Infobox song
| name = Everybody Plays the Fool
| cover = Aaron Neville - Everybody Plays the Fool.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Aaron Neville
| album = Warm Your Heart
| B-side = House on a Hill
| released = August 15, 1991
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:25
| label = A&M
| writer =
- J.R. Bailey
- Rudy Clark
- Ken Williams
| producer =
| prev_title = When Something Is Wrong with My Baby
| prev_year = 1990
| next_title = Somewhere Somebody
| next_year = 1991
}}
American singer Aaron Neville recorded a cover version of "Everybody Plays the Fool" in 1991 which also hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching No. 8 in the fall of that year, and it spent 20 weeks on the chart.{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/275380/aaron-neville/chart |title=Billboard Song Position |last= |first= |date= |website=Billboard.com |access-date=April 29, 2016}} This was Neville's third Top 10 hit on the pop chart, following "Tell It Like It Is" (1967, No. 2) and his duet with Linda Ronstadt, "Don't Know Much" (1989, No. 2). Neville's single also went to No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart. In addition, it was a No. 1 single in New Zealand.
=Critical reception=
The song received a positive review from AllMusic. Alex Henderson felt that "Everybody Plays the Fool" showed that Neville still had plenty of warmth and charisma.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/warm-your-heart-mw0000674670 |title=AllMusic Review |last=Henderson |first=Alex |date= |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=April 29, 2016}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated that "the New Orleans soul brother has found the right catchy tune on a reggae beat to establish his enormous vocal acrobatics on EHR level again."{{cite magazine|first=|last=|title=Review: Singles|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-05-18.pdf|magazine=Music & Media|date=May 18, 1991|page=12|accessdate=December 13, 2022}} David Fricke from Rolling Stone described the song as a "rinky-dink reggae cover".Fricke, David (December 12, 1991-December 26, 1991). "The year in records". Rolling Stone. Issue 619/620.
=Music video=
Neville's music video was set in New Orleans, and featured an appearance of his niece, Arthel Neville.
=Charts=
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==Weekly charts==
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==Year-end charts==
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1991)
!Rank |
|---|
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.1706&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.1706.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.1706 |title=Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada |website=Bac-lac.gc.ca |date= 17 July 2013|accessdate=2016-10-06}}
| style="text-align:center;"|28 |
| New Zealand{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1991-12-31|title=Recorded Music New Zealand - Top Selling Singles of 1991|access-date=2016-04-27}}
| style="text-align:center;"|14 |
| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1991 |title=1991 |publisher=Longbored Surfer |date= |accessdate=2016-10-06}}
| style="text-align:center;"|87 |
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References
{{Reflist}}
{{Portal|1990s}}
{{The Main Ingredient|state=autocollapse}}
{{Aaron Neville}}
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Category:The Main Ingredient (band) songs
Category:Cashbox number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand