What a Fool Believes by The Doobie Brothers Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Illusions of the Heart
Lyrics
The sentimental fool don’t see
Trying hard to recreate what had yet to be created
Once in her life, she musters a smile for his nostalgic tale
Never coming near what he wanted to say
Only to realize it never really was
She had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He’s watching her go
But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
Than nothing at all keeps sending him
Somewhere back in her long ago
Where he can still believe there’s a place in her life
Someday, somewhere, she will return
She had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He’s watching her go
But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be (if love can come and love can go, then why can’t love return once more?)
Is always better than nothing
(Who got the power?)
Than nothing at all (oh, now)
What a fool believes he sees (I believe she’s never gone away)
No wise man has the power
To reason away (to reason away)
What seems to be (oh, if love can come and love can go, oh, mama)
Is always better than nothing (better than nothing)
Than nothing at all (oh, I believe)
The Doobie Brothers’ ‘What a Fool Believes’ stands among the pantheon of songs with timeless melodies that are underpinned by a certain lyrical profundity. The track, which soared to the apex of the charts upon its release, weaves an intricate tale of unrequited love and the self-deception that often accompanies it.
Functioning as a mirror to the raw, unfiltered emotions that color human experiences, the song delves into the chasm between the realities we accept and the narratives we choose to create. Here, we take a closer look beyond its captivating harmonies to dissect the deeper meaning that resonates so poignantly with listeners.
The Emotional Time Capsule: Nostalgia’s Deceptive Comfort
The opening lines of the song immediately cast the listener into a sea of nostalgia. The character in the song clings to a glorified memory of a love that perhaps was never as he imagined. It’s a poignant reminder that the past can often be a rose-tinted refuge for the present’s heartaches.
By trying to ‘recreate what had yet to be created,’ the protagonist grapples with the futility of summoning a past that was never fully realized. This narrative speaks not just of love lost but of the universality of holding onto dreams that have long slipped away.
Love’s Mirage: The Labyrinth of Denial
A significant highlight of the song is its chorus where it states that what ‘a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.’ Herein lies the crux of the song’s message: the idea that belief and emotion can overpower rational thought, leading to a blindness of the heart that wisdom alone cannot illuminate.
The choice of the word ‘fool’ is particularly telling. It reflects a gently patronizing view of love’s innocence, suggesting that there is something universally human in our folly when it comes to matters of the heart.
Unsung Apologies and Silent Goodbyes: A Dissection of Emotional Communication
The sheer power of the song also lies in what is unsaid as much as in what is articulated. As the protagonist ‘rises to her apology,’ it begs the question of whether an actual apology was made or if it’s yet another narrative constructed by a hopeful heart.
It emphasizes the complex dynamics of communication within relationships, questioning how much of what we understand from others is filtered through our own desires and fears, leading us to hear what we wish to rather than what is actually said.
The Song’s Hidden Meaning: A Look at the Universality of Self-Deception
While on the surface, ‘What a Fool Believes’ traverses the landscape of lost love, a deeper dive reveals its more universal theme: the human capacity for self-deception. The song’s protagonist symbolizes every person who has ever tricked themselves into seeing a reality that aligns with their deepest yearnings, despite the stark truth.
The beauty of the song thus transcends the romantic storyline, touching upon a fundamental aspect of the human psyche—our ability to craft narratives that shield us from the often harsh truths of our lives.
Memorable Lines and Their Enduring Resonance
‘What seems to be is always better than nothing than nothing at all’—this line encapsulates the heartbreaking essence of the song. It’s a grim consolation that still manages to shed light on why we fall prey to these charming illusions: the something of a fabricated love story is better than the void of its absence.
This poignant line resonates for its raw truth and the bittersweet acceptance that sometimes, the fabrications of the mind are the only solace from loneliness. It is these lyrics that often echo in the minds of listeners, long after the song has ended, drawing them back into its haunting melody time and time again.
