Baroque Pop
The song ” Fool on a Hill” was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon-McCartney. The Beatles recorded it in 1967 and released it on their album Magical Mystery Tour. The song was included in the soundtrack to their 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour. While it is always a dicey business (and perhaps a fruitless one at that) to discuss a writer’s inspirations, the solitary figure on the hill whom others do not understand or listen to but who sees the world could refer to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. There is an interesting use of going from D major to D minor when it gets to “but the fool.” It has been noted that this is similar in structure to Cole Porter’s use of minor and major in his song “Night and Day.” Be that as it may, the song became a more popular international hit through the version done by Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66. They gave it a bossa nova rhythm and some strings. Their cover went to #6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, and #13 in Australia.
Sérgio Santos Mendes was born in Niteró, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is a bandleader, pianist, composer, and songwriter. The original members of Brasil ’66 were Mendes (piano), vocalists Lani Hall and Bibi Vogel (later replaced by Janis Hansen), Bob Matthews (bass), José Soares (percussion) and João Palma (drums). John Pisano played guitar. Of course, there were numerous changes in personnel and other things over the years.