Although credited to Naomi Ford, The Fool was actually written by her husband, Lee Hazelwood, in 1955. It was first recorded by Sandford Clark at Audio Recorders in Phoenix. Clark's original release of The Fool (MCI 1003) didn't chart, but the rerelease in 1956 (Dot 15841) reached #7 on Billboard's Top 100 chart and sold over a million copies. Al Casey, who recorded an instrumental version of The Fool in 1956 called Fool's Blues (Dot 15524), played guitar on Clark's recording. The Gallahads also had a hit with The Fool (Jubilee 5252) in 1956. In 1963 Jamie Coe had a version of the song on Big Top Records (Big Top 3139). It should be noted that on some records Lee Hazelwood is listed as co-composer.

While in the Army in West Germany, Elvis recorded The Fool on a home tape recorder. He played piano and was accompanied by a friend who sang the bass line. That home recording later appeared on the 1984 LP A Golden Celebration. On June 4, 1970, Elvis formally recorded The Fool at RCA's Nashville studios.