Playing the Fool

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Kerry Minnear, Derek Shulman, and Ray Shulman except where noted. The songwriting credits are taken from the studio albums the songs originally appeared on, which are noted for each track; the credits on Playing the Fool itself excised all songwriting credits for Phil Shulman, who had left Gentle Giant on bad terms in 1973

| extra_column = Notes

| headline = Side one

| title1 = Just the Same/Proclamation

| extra1 = Düsseldorf, 1976-09-23

| length1 = 11:13

| note1 = from Free Hand / The Power and the Glory

| title2 = On Reflection

| extra2 = Düsseldorf, 1976-09-23

| length2 = 6:20

| note2 = from Free Hand

}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Notes

| headline = Side two

| title3 = Excerpts from Octopus (The Boys in the Band/Raconteur Troubadour/Acquiring the Taste/Knots/Organ Bridge/The Advent of Panurge)

| extra3 = Paris, 1976-10-05

| length3 = 15:35

| writer3 = Minnear, Shulman, Shulman, Phil Shulman

| note3 = from Octopus / Acquiring the Taste

| title4 = Funny Ways

| extra4 = Munich, 1976-09-25

| length4 = 8:35

| writer4 = Minnear, Shulman, Shulman, Shulman

| note4 = from Gentle Giant

}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Notes

| headline = Side three

| title5 = The Runaway/Experience

| extra5 = Paris, 1976-10-05

| length5 = 9:31

| note5 = from In a Glass House

| title6 = So Sincere

| extra6 = Paris, 1976-10-05

| length6 = 10:22

| note6 = from The Power and the Glory

}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Notes

| headline = Side four

| title7 = Free Hand

| extra7 = Brussels, 1976-10-07

| length7 = 7:40

| note7 = from Free Hand

| title8 = Sweet Georgia Brown

| extra8 = Brussels, 1976-10-07

| length8 = 1:15

| writer8 = Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard

| title9 = Peel the Paint/I Lost My Head

| extra9 = Paris, 1976-10-05

| length9 = 7:35

| writer9 = Minnear, Shulman, Shulman, Shulman ("Peel the Paint")

| note9 = from Three Friends / Interview

}}

{{Track listing

| total_length = 41:44

| headline = Disc 1

| title1 = Just the Same

| length1 = 5:57

| title2 = Proclamation/Valedictory

| length2 = 5:18

| title3 = On Reflection

| length3 = 6:20

| title4 = Excerpts from Octopus

| length4 = 15:39

| title5 = Funny Ways

| length5 = 8:30

}}

{{Track listing

| total_length = 36:25

| headline = Disc 2

| title6 = The Runaway

| length6 = 3:56

| title7 = Experience

| length7 = 5:36

| title8 = So Sincere

| length8 = 10:20

| title9 = Free Hand

| length9 = 7:40

| title10 = Sweet Georgia Brown (Breakdown in Brussels)

| length10 = 1:21

| title11 = Peel the Paint/I Lost My Head

| length11 = 7:32

}}

The track listing and times differ depending on the specific release.

;Gentle Giant

• Gary Green – electric and acoustic 6- and 12-string guitars, backing vocals, alto and soprano recorders, percussion
• Kerry Minnear – electric piano, backing vocals, clavinet, Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, cello, vibes, tenor recorder, percussion
• Derek Shulman – lead vocals, alto saxophone, soprano recorder, bass, percussion
• Ray Shulman – bass, backing vocals, violin, acoustic guitar, soprano recorder, trumpet, percussion
• John Weathers – drums, backing vocals, vibes, tambourine, percussion

• The Rough Guide to Rock (2nd ed.). Rough Guides Ltd. 1999. p. 424.
• https://www.allmusic.com/album/playing-the-fool-the-official-live-mw0000201185

{{Gentle Giant}}

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Category:Gentle Giant albums

Category:1977 live albums

Category:Live progressive rock albums

Category:Chrysalis Records live albums

Category:Capitol Records live albums