"What A Fool Believes" by Self

Hey Dialophiles! Are you ready to hear something unique? Something wacky? A familiar song delivered in a rather unfamiliar way? Well, awaken your inner child for this latest transmission from the Radio Dial, a cover of a ‘70s pop classic recorded entirely with children’s TOY INSTRUMENTS! Yes, TOYS! It’s time for recess, kids, with the alternative rock band Self, and their rendition of “What A Fool Believes”! 

He came from somewhere back in her long ago…
The sentimental fool don't see, tryin' hard to recreate what had yet to be created. 

Written jointly by Kenny Loggins, and Doobie Brothers front man Michael McDonald, and first released by Loggins on his '78 LP Nightwatch, the Doobies released their own interpretation on their Minute by Minute LP, released later that same year. The Doobies’ version hit the top of the singles charts in April '79, and earned Grammies the following year both for Song, and Record of the Year.

Detaling the heartache of a rather delusional man, whom is attempting to “rekindle” a romance with a woman that he never had a relationship with in the first place, What A Fool Believes offers up rather mature and poetic lyrics masked by the lighthearted upbeat pop/rock arrangment we are all familiar with. 

She had a place in his life…
He never made her think twice.
As he rises to her apology, anybody else would surely know
He's watching her go… 

However, Self's version of this classic hit from the 2000 Gizmodgery LP is replicated not with professional musical instruments costing thousands of dollars each… but instead with toy instruments that maybe cost $25 a piece or less! The instruments used read like an inventory sheet from Toys R Us. The Playschool Busy Guitar, the Little Tykes Xylophone, Suzuki Omnichord, Hasbro Musi-Link, Mattel Star Guitar and Disney Piano, and various toy phones from V-Tech and Little Smart, among other kid friendly noisemakers.

The Gizmodgery LP, and the genius Doobie Brothers cover, won high critical acclaim, though no singles were released to radio, and thus, earned no Billboard Hot 100 position.

Spearheaded by singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Mahaffey, Self released a total of nine LPs from 1995 through 2005, then entered hiatus while Matt and the other bandmates (Chris James, Jason Rawlings, and Mac Burrus) pursued other projects. Mahaffey toured with Beck on his 2005 and 2006 tours, and produced for artists as diverse as Tenacious D, Beyonce, Phantom Planet, Pink, and Liz Phair. He’s also contributed to many television and movie scores and commercial jingles, including the famous banjo sporting Expedia tagline... “Expedia- dot commmmmm.”

Here at the Radio Dial home office, the floors are often a chaotic mess of toys, as the youngest members of the Dial team are a toddler and a seven year old. Among these toys, one will find various musical instruments… maracas, tambourines, guitars, keyboards, jingle players… mercifully, no drums… yet.

But seeing as how Mahaffey got started playing music with his brother Mike at age 4, then followed his dream of being a musician and producer, perhaps the “Radio Dial Kids” will follow a similar path, drawing inspiration from, and eventually revisiting, their favorite childhood melody makers if they decide to pursue music. We’ll have to see what the future holds… but it sure would be cool, wouldn’t it? 

But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
There's nothing at all
But what a fool believes he sees...