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Introduction:

“Fool Hearted Memory,” released in May 1982, was George Strait’s first number-one hit and a defining moment in his career. The song was written by Byron Hill and Blake Mevis and appeared as the lead single from Strait’s second album, Strait from the Heart. It also played a role in the soundtrack for the 1982 movie The Soldier, solidifying its exposure early on.

The story behind “Fool Hearted Memory” reveals that it was specifically crafted for both the movie and Strait’s budding music career. Hill and Mevis wrote the song in Nashville in 1981, with Mevis later crafting the iconic four-track demo that laid the foundation for the final version. Its success came quickly after release, climbing to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart by August 1982, marking the beginning of Strait’s reign over the country music scene. Over time, the song has been featured on multiple compilations and has earned accolades, including an ASCAP award for being one of the most performed songs of the year.

The song’s narrative centers on a man unable to let go of a lost love, whose “fool-hearted memory” keeps him trapped in the past, hoping for a reunion that will never come. This emotional depth, combined with Strait’s authentic delivery, helped establish him as a leading voice in the neotraditional country movement, blending classic country sounds with contemporary appeal​.

Video:

Lyrics:

“Fool Hearted Memory”

Nickels and dimes, memories and wines – she’s on his mind once again.
The same old stool, the same old fool; played by the rules, but didn’t win.
There’s an old love in his heart that he can’t lose.
He tried forgettin’, but he knows that it’s no use.[Chorus:]
He’s got a fool hearted memory.
It won’t let him see that she walked out the door.
He’s got a fool hearted memory,
And he sits patiently here every night so it can fool him more.

She was his girl, his only whirl, that string of pearls that slipped away.
A thousand dimes, a thousand times – he doesn’t mind what they say.
He fills the jukebox, and plays the same old song.
He fills his glass, and then he turns her memory on.

[Chorus:]
But it’s a fool hearted memory.
It won’t let him see that she walked out the door.
He’s got a fool hearted memory.
And he sits patiently here every night so it can fool him more.

He’s got a fool hearted memory.
It won’t let him see that she walked out the door.
He’s got a fool hearted memory.
And he sits patiently here every night so it can fool him more.