Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)
"Fools Rush In" (1940) is a popular song. The lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer with music by Rube Bloom.[1]
"Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Written | 1940 |
Composer(s) | Rube Bloom |
Lyricist(s) | Johnny Mercer |
The major hits at the time of introduction were Tony Martin, Glenn Miller with Ray Eberle,[2] and Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra. It was also recorded by Billy Eckstine. The song proved popular with 1960s pop and rhythm and blues artists, resulting in charted remakes in 1960 on the Mercury Records Label with strings and music arranged and conducted by Belford Hendricks and sung by (Brook Benton), 1962 (Etta James), and 1963 (Ricky Nelson).[3] The Ricky Nelson version was an enormous hit, reaching #12 on the Billboard pop chart and would become the most famous version of this song, and was featured in Kenneth Anger's film Scorpio Rising (1963). For their 1962 album Duet, Doris Day and André Previn recorded their interpretation of the song. Elvis Presley followed Ricky Nelson's style in 1971 as featured on the 1972 album Elvis Now. Bow Wow Wow covered the track on their 1980 MC-only debut Your Cassette Pet. She & Him covered Ricky Nelson's version for Levi's Pioneer Sessions in 2010.[4]
Other notable recordings
- Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey (29 March 1940)
- Anne Shelton and Ambrose (August 1940)
- Harry James (Varsity 8264, 1940)
- Stan Getz – Complete Studio Sessions: Stan Getz & Jimmy Raney (1952)
- Jo Stafford – Starring Jo Stafford (1953)
- The Hi-Lo's – Listen!... to the Hi-Lo's (1954)
- Zoot Sims - Zoot! (1956)
- Julie London – Lonely Girl (1956), and Julie London (1964)
- Keely Smith – I Wish You Love (1957)
- The Four Freshmen – The Freshman Year (1961)
- Stan Kenton – The Romantic Approach (1961)
- Brook Benton – Songs I Love to Sing (1960)
- Shirley Bassey – Shirley Bassey (1961)
- Doris Day with André Previn – Duet (1962)
- Al Hirt – Trumpet and Strings (1962)[5]
- Etta James – Etta James Sings for Lovers (1962)
- Brenda Lee – Sincerely, Brenda Lee (1962)
- Lesley Gore – Lesley Gore Sings of Mixed-Up Hearts (1963)
- Ricky Nelson – Rick Nelson Sings "For You" (1963)
- Dean Martin – Dream with Dean (1964)
- Johnny Hartman – Unforgettable Songs by Johnny Hartman (1966)
- Elvis Presley – Elvis Now (1972)
- Susannah McCorkle – The Songs of Johnny Mercer (1977)
- Bow Wow Wow – Your Cassette Pet (1980)
- Debbie Byrne – The Persuader (1985)
- Rosemary Clooney - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)
- The Morning Benders – Bedroom Covers (2008)
- Cliff Richard – Bold as Brass (2010)
- Peggy Sue – Peggy Sue Plays the Songs of Scorpio Rising (2012)
- Norah Jones with Harold Mabern – Afro Blue (2014)
- Youn Sun Nah – She Moves On (2017)
- Disclosure – "Where Angels Fear To Tread" (2018 single)
References
- Furia, Philip (1990). The Poets of Tin Pan Alley. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 270. ISBN 0-19-507473-4.
- Gilliland, John (1994). Pop Chronicles the 40s: The Lively Story of Pop Music in the 40s (audiobook). ISBN 978-1-55935-147-8. OCLC 31611854. Tape 2, side A.
- "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". Cash Box Magazine. Archived from the original on 28 February 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
- "She and Him – "Fools Rush In"". Pretty Much Amazing. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
- Al Hirt, Trumpet and Strings Retrieved 8 April 2013.