SANFORD CLARK ROCKABILLY 78 -THE FOOL LONDON HLD8320 E+

Clark was born in Tulsa but was raised in Phoenix. He first began performing in the Phoenix area in the early 1950s. He spent time in the Air Force in the South Pacific; he formed a band there which won a talent show in Hawaii.

Returning to Phoenix, he and his friend Al Casey met Lee Hazelwood, then a local disc jockey. Clark, with Casey on guitar, recorded Hazelwood's song "The Fool", in 1956. (The song was credited to Lee's wife Naomi Ford to avoid songwriting/producer rules) Dot Records picked the song up for national distribution after a Philadelphia deejay tipped them off to it. The song became a hit in the U.S., peaking at #14 on the Country Singles chart, #5 on the Black Singles chart, and #7 on the US Billboard 100. Following the song's success, Clark opened on tour for Ray Price and Roy Orbison.

Sadly it was never a hit in the UK and these great London pressings are quite hard to find now.

The Fool

Gather round me buddies,
Hold your glasses high,
And drink to a fool, a crazy fool who told his baby goodbye.

Too late he found out he loves her,
So much he wants to die.
But drink to a fool, a crazy fool who told his baby goodbye.

He needs her, he needs her so.
He wonders why he let her go-oo-oo.

She's found a new love, buddy,
He's a lucky guy,
So drink to the fool, 'cause I'm that fool who told his baby goodbye.

(instrumental break)

He needs her, he needs her so.
He wonders why he let her go-oo-oo.

She's found a new love, buddy,
He's a lucky guy,
So drink to the fool, 'cause I'm that fool who told my baby goodbye.
My baby goodbye,
Who told my baby, who told my baby.......