Rhythm n Blues

The song “What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)” by The Tams is a little beach music, which makes it good for dancing The Shag.

Love can be fickle and unkind — especially if you wanted someone to remain true to you. In 1963,  “What Kind of  Fool,”  which was written by Ray Whitley, became the first national hit record for The Tams. The song reached #1 on the Cash Box  R&B Chart and #9 on the Billboard Top 100.

The Tams were known for wearing tam o’shanter-style hats when they performed. They were from Atlanta and have been singing for many decades (and they’re still touring).  The original group members were Charles Pope, Joseph Pope, Robert Lee Smith, Floyd Ashton, and Horace Key.

Here are the lyrics to “What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am” by The Tams:

“What kind of fool, what kind of fool
What kind of fool do you think I am?
You think you can go on seein’ him
After we had made our plans
Said I’d be your number one man

What kind of fool do you think I am
Do you think I am, do you think I am, now?
What kind of fool do you think I’d be?
You said you really, really loved me

Darling, you run around all over town
You build me up and then you let me down
What kind of fool do you think I am?
What do you think I am?

I won’t be your second choice
I’ve got to be your number one
Or I ain’t gonna love you at all

Darling, you run around all over town
You build me up and then you let me down
What kind of fool do you think I am?
Do you think I am, baby?

Darling, you can’t think that
Darling, I’m no fool, now
What kind of fool?”

If you would like to read about Beach Music: “The First Wave of Beach Music” by Stewart Tick.

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop, rock and roll, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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