Nobody's Fool

Album

Night Songs

Label

Mercury Records

Genre

Glam metal

Composer(s)

Tom Keifer

Entered Chart

Nov 8, 1986

Peak Date

Feb 14, 1987

Released

October 1986 (US) May 1987 (UK)

Recorded

January 1986

Catalog #

Mercury 884851

B-Side

Push, Push

The music video continues the storyline from where the "Shake Me" video left off, following the Cinderella-like girl as she accompanies the band to their rehearsal space, with the wicked sisters in pursuit. As the band performs the song, the girl runs home for the stroke of midnight when her rocker outfit changes back to a plain white dress. She later meets the band again for an autograph, and the video ends as a glint of recognition passes across Tom Keifer's face.

This was Cinderella's first hit. They were a Philadelphia-based band led by Tom Keifer (vocal) and Jeff LeBar (lead guitar). The group signed to Mercury Records after Jon Bon Jovi saw them perform. Tom Keifer wrote this and all of Cinderella's other hits. He had a knack for writing power-ballads that he delivered with a sincerity rarely found in the Hair Bands of the '80s and early '90s. In this song, he feels used and mistreated by a girl, and is determined to leave her behind. He hints that she may have been a groupie or someone attracted to his wealth: "I scream my heart out, just to make a dime, and with that dime I bought your love but now I've changed my mind." Cinderella's first single was "Shake Me," which is a rocker that failed to chart, but primed the band for success. The video for "Nobody's Fool" follows the storyline in "Shake Me," about a modern-day Cinderella who is magically transported to their concert. In our interview with Tom Keifer, he explained: "That song, that's something I think everyone can relate to. In life there is the falling in love, and then there's the falling out of love. There are songs for both experiences, and 'Nobody's Fool' is certainly the song for the falling out of love experience. And I would say that was not written for any one particular person. I'd been through that several times prior to writing that song. A lot of times, the emotions of songs are cumulative. That's not one particular experience, but the culmination of many."

I count the falling tears, they fall before my eyes
Seems like a thousand years since we broke the ties
I call you on the phone but never get a rise
So sit there all alone, it's time you realize I'm not your fool
I'm no fool
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool)
Never again, no, no
You take your road, I'll take mine
The paths have both been beat (yeah)
Searchin' for a change of pace
Love needs to be sweetened
I scream my heart out, just to make a dime
And with that dime I bought your love
But now I've changed my mind
I'm not your fool
I'm no fool
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool) never again, no, no
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool) I'm no fool
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool)
I count the falling tears, they fall before my eyes
Seems like a thousand years
Since we broke the ties
Oh-oh-oh!
I'm not your fool
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool) I'm no fool
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool) I'm no fool
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool) I'm no fool
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool)
no-no-no
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool) nobody's fool
(Nobody's fool, nobody's fool)