Everybody Plays the Fool
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1960s |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, albums |
Everybody Plays the Fool is a 1972 single performed by the American R&B ensemble The Main Ingredient, penned by J. R. Bailey, Rudy Clark, and Ken Williams. Serving as the lead release from their album Bitter Sweet, it featured "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me?)" as its B-side. This track became the band's most successful hit, climbing to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the autumn of 1972, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart, and peaking at No. 25 on the adult contemporary listings. It was awarded gold status by the RIAA.
At the 1973 Grammy Awards, the song was nominated for Best R&B Song but was ultimately bested by "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".
In 1991, Aaron Neville released a cover version on his album Warm Your Heart, which also enjoyed commercial success, attaining No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hitting No. 1 in New Zealand.
Weekly charts
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 44 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 6 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| US Easy Listening (Billboard) | 25 |
| US Best Selling Soul Singles (Billboard) | 2 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1972) | Rank |
|---|---|
| Australia | 136 |
| Canada | 66 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 29 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 29 |
Aaron Neville version
In 1991, American vocalist Aaron Neville recorded his rendition of "Everybody Plays the Fool," which reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and maintained a presence on the chart for 20 weeks. This marked Neville's third entry into the Top 10 of pop charts, following his earlier hits "Tell It Like It Is" (1967, No. 2) and his collaboration with Linda Ronstadt, "Don't Know Much" (1989, No. 2). Additionally, Neville's version topped the Billboard adult contemporary chart and secured the No. 1 spot in New Zealand.
Critical reception
AllMusic highlighted Neville's emotive delivery and charm throughout the song. The pan-European publication Music & Media commended his fusion of New Orleans soul elements with reggae rhythms, emphasizing his vocal versatility for European Hit Radio listeners. Conversely, Rolling Stone characterized it as a "rinky-dink reggae cover."
Music video
The accompanying music video was shot in New Orleans, featuring an appearance by Neville's niece, Arthel Neville.
Weekly charts
Template:SinglechartTemplate:SinglechartTemplate:Singlechart| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 52 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | style="text-align:center;"|8 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | style="text-align:center;"|1 |
| US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard) | style="text-align:center;"|2 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | style="text-align:center;"|11 |
Year-end rankings
| Chart (1991) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) | 28 |
| New Zealand | 14 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 87 |