"Poor Little Fool" is a pop/rock song written by Sharon
Sheeley. It was based on her disappointment following a
short-lived relationship with a member of a popular singing
duo. The best-known version of the song was recorded by Ricky
Nelson on April 17, 1958, and released on Imperial Records
5528. It holds the distinction of being the first number-one
song on magazine's then newly-created Hot 100 chart, replacing
the magazine's Top 100 and Best Sellers chart. It spent two
weeks at the number-one spot. The record also reached the top
ten on the
BillboardCountry and Rhythm and Blues charts.
"Poor Little Fool" became a radio hit when it was released
as part of a four-song Extended Play 45 rpm disc, which was
excerpted from the artist's second LP,
Ricky Nelson. Responding to the buzz, Lew Chudd of
Imperial Records rushed out a single version (on both 45 and 78
rpm). Nelson objected, however, believing that the move would
hurt sales of the EP. Under his contract with Imperial, the
singer had approval rights for all picture-sleeve art, and, to
express his displeasure with Chudd's decision, he chose not to
select a photograph for the "Poor Little Fool" single. As a
result, "Poor Little Fool" was the only Ricky Nelson single
released by Imperial to be issued in the United States without
a photo in a plain label-cut-out sleeve.