‘Fools Gold’ is a song by British rock band the Stone Roses. It was released as a double A-side single with ‘What the World Is Waiting For’ on 13 November 1989 through Silvertone Records. It would go on to appear on certain non-UK versions of their self-titled debut studio album (1989). ‘Fools Gold’ became the band's biggest commercial hit at the time. It was their first single to reach the top ten of the UK Singles Chart and stayed in the top-75 for fourteen weeks, peaking at number eight.
Both songs were recorded at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall during mid-1989, with additional vocal and guitar parts recorded later at London's Battery Studios, during late 1989. The tracks had been worked on for four months, and the intention was to put ‘What the World Is Waiting For’ as the A side; however, when Roddy Mckenna, Silvertone's A&R man, heard ‘Fools Gold’ he urged the band to use that as the A-side. The band were not completely convinced, and agreed to release the two tracks as a double A-side instead.
‘Fools Gold’ has been described as a Madchester, dance-rock, and funk rock song. The dance-oriented song showcased the rhythm section of Mani on bass and Reni on percussion. Ian Brown stated the song was written over ‘The Funky Drummer’ by James Brown, which Reni had to learn the beat from. However the actual source of the beat is ‘Hot Pants’ by Bobby Byrd. John Squire also plays guitar with various wah-wah pedal effects. Ian Brown sings the vocals in a whispered delivery. He would also perform with this technique for the track ‘Something's Burning’.
The bassline was adapted from Kevin O'Neal's bassline in ‘Know How’ by Young MC, which Mani heard after going clubbing "looking for things to pinch". The lyrics reference Nancy Sinatra's ‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin'’ and Marquis de Sade. According to Brown, the song's verses were inspired by John Huston's 1948 film adaptation of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and tells about "three geezers who are skint and they put their money together to get equipment to go looking for gold, then they all betray each other...".
The single was released in 1989 and entered the UK top ten. It was promoted with a music video, showing the Stone Roses performing outdoors and walking across the volcanic landscape of Lanzarote, Canary Islands. The cover art was a painting by John Squire, "Double Dorsal Dopplegänger", which was later exhibited at Squire's 2004 art exhibition. In May 2007, NME magazine placed ‘Fools Gold’ at number 32 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. The same magazine later placed the song at number 31 in their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list in 2014. In 2009, listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J voted ‘Fool's Gold’ number 76 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time.
Label – Silvertone
Songwriters – Ian Brown, John Squire
Producer – John Leckie
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]The gold road's sure a long road
Winds on through the hills for fifteen days
The pack on my back is aching
The straps seem to cut me like a knife
The gold road's sure a long road
Winds on through the hills for fifteen days
The pack on my back is aching
The straps seem to cut me like a knife
[Pre-Chorus 1]
I'm no clown, I won't back down
I don't need you to tell me what's going down
Down down down down da down down down
Down down down down da down down down
I'm standing alone
I'm watching you all
I'm seeing you sinking
I'm standing alone
You're weighing the gold
I'm watching you sinking
Fool's gold
[Verse 2]
These boots were made for walking
The Marquis de Sade don't wear no boots like these
Gold's just around the corner
Breakdown's coming up round the bend
Sometimes you have to try to get along dear
I know the truth and I know what you're thinking
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Down down down down da down down down
[Chorus]
I'm standing alone
I'm watching you all
I'm seeing you sinking
I'm standing alone
You're weighing the gold
I'm watching you sinking
Fool's gold
[Post-Chorus]
Fool's gold
[Chorus]
I'm standing alone
I'm watching you all
I'm seeing you sinking
I'm standing alone
You're weighing the gold
I'm watching you sinking
Fool's gold
[Post-Chorus]
(Fool's gold)
[Instrumental Outro]