"Fooled Around and Fell in Love" is a song written and performed by blues guitarist Elvin Bishop with Mickey Thomas on lead vocals. It appeared on Bishop's 1975 album Struttin' My Stuff, and was released as a single the following year.
Background Bishop does not sing lead vocals on the track. He felt that his gravelly voice would not do the song justice; he invited vocalist Mickey Thomas, who was a background singer in his band at the time, to sing it. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in May 1976. The record was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 23, 1976. In Canada, the song reached #22 on the singles chart and #8 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The single reached #3 in the New Zealand Singles Chart.
Based on his work with Bishop, Thomas was invited to become the lead singer for Jefferson Starship (which would later evolve into simply Starship).
The song was offered to The Osmonds, who rejected it because they felt the record did not meet their moral standards.
Critical reception Reviewing the single, Cashbox said that the song's chorus "works well in this gospel chorded rock ballad" and also praised the vocals, saying that they were sung with "confidence and strength rarely heard in rock n roll." In their 1990 essay "Rock and Sexuality", Simon Frith and Angela McRobbie suggest the song "lyrically captures" the distinction in rock music between "cock rock" and "teeny bop".
Personnel Mickey Thomas - lead and backing vocals Elvin Bishop - lead guitar Johnny 'V' Vernazza - lead and rhythm guitar (duelling guitar leads with Bishop), backing vocals. Philip Aaberg – piano Mike Keck – organ Donny Baldwin – drums, percussion Michael Brooks – bass Reni Slais – backing vocals Bill Szymczyk – producer
Chart performance
Weekly charts Elvin Bishop Chart (1976)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)16Canada RPM Top Singles22Canada RPM Adult Contemporary8New Zealand (RIANZ)3UK Singles (OCC)34U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles 1955–20023U.S. Cash Box Top 1003 Julian Laxton Band Chart (1978)PeakpositionSouth Africa (Springbok)13
Year-end charts Chart (1976)RankCanada RPM Top Singles167New Zealand13U.S. Billboard Hot 10056U.S. Cash Box28
Certifications
Cover versions In 1978, the Julian Laxton Band from South Africa reached #13 there. In 1985, T. G. Sheppard covered the song on his album Livin' on the Edge and it peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In 2019, Miranda Lambert released a track featuring her Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars Tour support acts Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Elle King and Caylee Hammack. It won the Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year and was nominated for the Country Music Association Award for Musical Event of the Year. In 2006, Rod Stewart performed his rendition of the song on Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time.
References
External links