A Fool Such as I (Bill Trader)
Copyright Universal Music Corp.
Arranged by Crying Time, Henry Salvia & Maurice Tanni
Myles Boisen: Guitars, Bass, Production
Jill Rogers: Backing Vocals
Tim Rowe: Drums
Henry Salvia: Piano
Maurice Tani: Lead Vocal, Acoustic Guitar
Recorded and mixed by Myles Boisen at Guerrilla Recording in Oakland, Ca.
A Fool Such As I was written by American songwriter Bill Trader in 1952. It was first recorded by Hank Snow in 1953 and it reached number 4 on the US Country Charts. Elvis’ 1958 version reached the number 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and was a number 1 hit on the UK Singles Chart. This is one of several Elvis tunes that were recorded during the Self Portrait sessions.
“I first really became aware of this song in the early ‘70s from Dylan’s self-titled Dylan album. An earlier version had been circulating from the bootlegged Basement Tape sessions Dylan recorded with The Band in 1967. At that point, the song was only vaguely familiar sounding due to the Elvis version, but that was 1959 and before my time. Years later, as I began exploring early country and honky tonk, I found the Hank Snow version from 1953. This is a song with long legs, dating back over 60 years! This version, recorded with Crying Time, is a modern rendering of the traditional arrangement. We weren’t looking for a vintage sound, but rather a contemporary recording of the song focused on the simple core that made it translate from Snow to Elvis and Dylan -who recorded the song twice.” – Maurice Tani
Honk tonk revisionists out of Oakland, Crying Time has been playing “both kinds of music” for six years. Their original songs sit pretty in a mix of classics and obscure country gems. The band’s four albums include 10 Golden Hits, with a roots-of-country feel; Linda, their love letter to 60’s era country-flavored pop music, Last Saturday Night, a collection of honky tonk songs, and King George, a tribute to George Jones, featuring performances by Bay Area luminaries.
Website: https://www.cryingtime.band
Known for his wry/rye-to-romantic songwriting, agile guitar style and expressive singing, Maurice Tani‘s particular flavor of Americana is a broad spectrum tincture of influences to cure the wide range of ills his fertile imagination conjures. While rooted (at times distantly) in country music, his writing is centered on an urban-western perspective. Short musical narratives of life on the left coast. A sort of cinema for the blind.
Website: http://mauricetani.com/
Henry Salvia was born and raised on the East Side of Detroit, and migrated to San Francisco in ’83. He’s played most kinds of music in most kinds of places, from too-loud rock at Teddy Abrams’ Swingin’ City Lounge in Hamtramck Mi. to woozy country at Applejack’s in LaHonda Ca. After playing blues at jazz festivals and jazz in a hotel lobby, and a year and a half with the Country Gentlemen at the Wish-U-Well Lounge in Warren Mi., Henry believes he’s caught up on his dues-paying, thank you.
Website: https://www.thejonesgang.com/the-gang
