”Everybody plays the fool, there’s no exception to the rule.” No truer words were spoken when the Harlem-bred soul trio The Main Ingredient delivered their 1972 smash “Everybody Plays The Fool.”

On July 15, 1972 The Main Ingredient reached the charts with their straight-talking love song “Everybody Plays The Fool.” Written by J.R. Bailey, Rudy Clark, and Ken Williams, the song eventually reached #2 on the Billboard R&B charts and #3 on the pop charts. It was the group’s highest charting hit.

Lead singer Cuba Gooding Sr., was the newest arrival to the group and helped the record go gold and receive a Grammy nomination.

Aaron Neville released a cover of “Everybody Plays The Fool” in 1991 that reached #8 on the Billboard pop charts.

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