Bobby Blue Bland – I Pity The Fool

Song

"I Pity the Fool" is a soul blues song originally recorded by Bobby Bland in 1961 for his first Duke Records album, Two Steps from the Blues. Many music writers believe it was written by Joe Medwick, although Duke owner Don Robey (using the pseudonym "Deadric Malone") appears on the songwriting credits.

The lyrics tell of a man, who, while pitying others for falling for a certain woman, knows that he is also shamed. After its release as a single, it became one of Bland's biggest hits and most identifiable songs. Subsequently, several artists have recorded renditions.

Original song

Bland described "I Pity the Fool" as one of the first songs to fit his emerging style. Although he did not recall the writer, he acknowledged Joe Medwick's contribution. Bland biographer Charles Farley goes further by identifying Medwick as the actual writer. Medwick (born Medwick Veasey) was a Houston, Texas-area, independent songwriter/broker. He regularly sold his completed songs to Duke owner Robey for small sums, along with any claim for the songwriting credit.

Bland recorded "I Pity the Fool" during the second session for his album Two Steps from the Blues. Overseeing the November 12, 1960, session in Chicago was band leader and arranger Joe Scott. He used a six-piece horn section with twin trumpets. Wayne Bennett's contrasting lead guitar along with the horn arrangement are key elements of the song. Music writer Chris O'Leary describes Bland's vocal:

Bland opened with dismissive coolness, taking his time on the descending title phrase ... but this is just bluster: when the song moved to its bridge, Bland howled. He was still entwined with her and the shame of it is killing him.

Blues historian David Evans calls Bland, "the picture of utter humiliation in this frightening outburst, sounding like he is going to do harm to himself or someone else. This is powerful soul blues at its emotional best."

Song

I Pity the Fool è un brano musicale pubblicato come 45 giri il 5 marzo 1965 dal gruppo The Manish Boys, una delle prime formazioni in cui ha militato l'artista inglese David Bowie.

Già inciso da Bobby Bland nel 1961, il brano uscì con Take My Tip come lato B, prima canzone scritta da Bowie ad essere pubblicata e prima di cui è stata fatta una cover: poco più di un mese dopo venne infatti registrata dal cantante e attore statunitense Kenny Miller e pubblicata come lato B del suo singolo Restless.

Album

Two Steps from the Blues is the debut album by Bobby Bland, in 1961. It compiles five songs recorded between 1956 and 1960 and seven songs recorded in two sessions from August 3 to November 12, 1960. The sessions took place in the Universal Studio in Chicago, where Bland and his backing band moved after a series of successful singles and albums.

The backing band was composed of Joe Scott and Melvin Jackson (trumpet), Pluma Davis (trombone), Robert Skinner and L. A. Hill (tenor saxophone), Rayfield Devers (baritone saxophone), Teddy Reynolds (piano), Clarence Holloman (guitar on some tracks, notably "I Don't Want No Woman," where Bobby Bland shouts, "Look out, Clarence!" in the middle of the guitar solo), Wayne Bennett (guitar on other tracks), Hamp Simmons (bass), and John "Jabo" Starks (drums). Scott also served as an arranger.

The album was critically and commercially successful. It produced two singles, "I Pity The Fool" and "Don't Cry No More", which charted at number 1 and 2 on the Billboard R&B chart, respectively. Two Steps from the Blues was ranked at number 217 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Artist

Robert Calvin Bland, detto Bobby "Blue" Bland. (Rosemark, 27 gennaio 1930 – Memphis, 23 giugno 2013), è stato un cantante e musicista statunitense.

Biografia

Bobby “Blue” Bland comincia la propria carriera come membro del gruppo The Beale Streeters. Spesso ci si riferisce a lui con lo pseudonimo de "Il leone del blues". Insieme ad artisti come Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, e Junior Parker, Bland ha contribuito a sviluppare un sound che univa la musica gospel con il blues e il R&B.

Bobby Bland è stato inserito nella Blues Hall of Fame nel 1981, e nella Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nel 1992, e ha ricevuto un Grammy Award alla carriera nel 1997.

Beh, compatisco lo stupido
Ho detto che compatisco lo stupido
Sai che compatisco lo stupido
Ho detto che compatisco lo stupido
Lei ti spezzerà il cuore un giorno
Poi riderà se lei andrà via
Si, compatisco lo stupido

Beh, guarda la gente
Penso che ti chiedi cosa fare
Gli altri se ne stanno lì
Guardando te che mi prendi in giro

Ah, guarda la gente
Scommetto che ti chiedi cosa fare
Beh, gli altri se ne stanno lì
Guardando te che mi prendi in giro

Si, compatisco lo stupido
Ho detto che compatisco lo stupido
Ooh, compatisco lo stupido
Beh, compatisco lo stupido
Lei ti spezzerà il cuore un giorno
Poi riderà mentre te ne vai via
Beh, compatisco lo stupido

Beh, guarda la gente
Penso che ti chiedi cosa fare
Gli altri se ne stanno lì
Guardando te che mi prendi in giro

Si, guarda la gente
Scommetto che ti chiedi cosa fare
Gli altri se ne stanno li
Guardando te che mi prendi in giro
Compatisco lo stupido
Compatisco lo stupido
che si innamora di te
Oh, compatisco lo stupido
Compatisco lo stupido