Lyr Req: Fools Rush in

Subject: Fools Rush in
From:
Date: 03 Aug 98 - 07:50 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics and chords to a song that has within it the refrain, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread...." Can anyone help find this song? I've searched this database to no avail. Perhaps I need the name of the song? Thanks [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Aug 98 - 11:23 PM

Hi, Lydawoods - "Fools Rush In," a 1940 masterpiece by Johnny Mercer (words) and Rube Bloom (music), isn't quite within the purview of our folk song database. Click here to find it at one of my favorite sites, Rabid Squirrel's Jazz Archive. Or, you can click here and find it at the International Lyrics Server, which is a huge database of mostly rock songs. Click here for another good site for pop music, Lyrics World.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: BSeed
Date: 04 Aug 98 - 02:12 AM

There's also the song Elvis Presley did: Wise men say only fools rush in, But I can't help falling in love with you...

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: Allan C.
Date: 04 Aug 98 - 03:43 PM

Yeah, My band used to play that one long ago. I remember my drummer falling asleep during it.

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From:
Date: 04 Aug 98 - 07:06 PM

Is this the one that the Mommas and the Papas did?

Subject: Lyr Add: CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE (from Presley)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Aug 98 - 07:56 PM

CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore
©1961, by Gladys Music, Inc.
(recorded by Elvis Presley for the film "Blue Hawaii")

Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay, would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes,
Some things were meant to be

Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you
For I can't help falling in love with you

Here's the Elvis song. Arlo Guthrie did a nice recording of it on a live album he did with Pete Seeger called "More Together Again." I lobbied to get the song included in the second volume of Rise Up Singing, and I think I won my battle.
So, what Mamas and Papas song are you thinking of, Tim?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: BSeed
Date: 05 Aug 98 - 12:17 AM

As I recall, before they started singing, Arlo chatted a while about whether Pete would want to join him. He was afraid (he said) that Pete might not consider it a folk song.

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: BSeed
Date: 05 Aug 98 - 12:42 AM

Joe, Now that I think of it, there was another four lines before the bridge (I can't remember what they were), and the bridge itself was different:

Lonely rivers flow, to the sea, to the sea, To the open arms of the sea, I'll be coming home--wait for me, wait for me, I'll be coming home, wait for me.

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Aug 98 - 03:15 AM

Close, BSeed, but no cigar. Click here for your mystery song. The International Lyrics Server is the best place I can think of to look for pop lyrics. Like the Digital Tradition, it has a fulltext search feature, so you can find a song with just a phrase. The lines you quoted are from "Unchained Melody," which Elvis also recorded.
As for "Can't Help Falling in Love," Arlo thought Pete Seeger might not consider it a folk song, but he was surprised and pleased to see old Pete singing along. Good song, folk or not.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: Genie
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 11:12 AM

BSeed, are you thinking of the song that goes (roughly):
"Fools rush in where wise men never go,
But wise men never fell in love, so how are they to know?
When we met, I felt my world begin,
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in."?

Subject: Lyr Add: FOOLS RUSH IN (WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD
From: Amos
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 11:18 AM

Frankie!!!! Frankie!!!!

I love that song!!

That's the Mercer masterpiece mnentioned above.

FOOLS RUSH IN (WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD)

- Words and Music by Johnny Mercer & Rube Bloom

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

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?
Ahh, 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 am coming in
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!!




A

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: masato sakurai
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 11:45 AM

(1) The phrase is from An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope:

Such shameless bards we have; and yet 'tis true
There are as mad abandon'd critics too.
The bookful blockhead ignorantly read,
With loads of learned lumber in his head,
With his own tongue still edifies his ears,
And always list'ning to himself appears.
All books he reads, and all he reads assails,
From Dryden's Fables down to Durfey's Tales.
With him most authors steal their works, or buy;
Garth did not write his own Dispensary.
Name a new play, and he's the poet's friend;
Nay, show'd his faults--but when would poets mend?
No place so sacred from such fops is barr'd,
Nor is Paul's church more safe than Paul's churchyard:
Nay, fly to altars; there they'll talk you dead;
For fools rush in where angels fear t[o] tread.
Distrustful sense with modest caution speaks,
It still looks home, and short excursions makes;
But rattling nonsense in full volleys breaks
And never shock'd, and never turn'd aside,
Bursts out, resistless, with a thund'ring tide.

(2) From: Bob Dylan's "Jokerman" (full lyrics are here):

So swiftly the sun sets in the sky,
You rise up and say goodbye to no one.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,
Both of their futures, so full of dread, you don't show one.
Shedding off one more layer of skin,
Keeping one step ahead of the persecutor within.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: Amos
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 11:52 AM

Beautiful reference, Masato. Another home run!! Thanks.

A

Subject: RE: Fools Rush in
From: Genie
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 11:23 PM

Amos, thanks for posting the Mercer lyrics. I thought that was the song in question, but I was too rushed to go search through the Rabid Squirrel (which often has lyricds wrong, anyway).

And Masato, thanks for the Pope reference for this oft-quoted phrase!

Genie

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Fools Rush in
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 01:55 AM

BSeed: Sounds like you're talking about Ebbtide, made popular long ago by Al Hibbler, and Roy Hamilton, then recorded later by the Righteous Brothers...

Jerry