Music / Premium

Eric Clapton, Pompous Fool: the lyrics and their meaning

Posted by

Eric Clapton returned on July 7 with a new song, Pompous Fool. The release triggered many questions from fans because he published it by surprise, with no announcement, making people think that it was a spontaneous reaction to Boris Johnson’s resignation as PM of the United Kingdom. Yet, if we analyze the lyrics, the song is probably trying to convey a more general message. In this article, we will provide an analysis of the lyrics and an interpretation of the meaning.

You can find the official video of the song below.

Eric Clapton - Pompous Fool (Official Music Video)
Watch this video on YouTube.

Pompous Fool: the complete lyrics

The lyrics of Eric Clapton new song, Pompous Fool, have not yet been officially released, so the ones you find below are not confirmed. But they should correctly cover the track and give a significant hint about the meaning. Here you go:

Don’t you worry, don’t be blue
Let your woman, take care of you
Live your life, by the golden rule
Pay no mind, to the pompous fool

Do you want to dance, do you want to sing
Do you still believe that Jerry Lee was king
Is it your opinion that Johnny Wilson’s cool
Pay no mind, to the pompous fool

And I do know, may I say to you
Careful who you follow
There may be no more tomorrow
If you follow the pompous fool

Don’t you worry, don’t be blue
Let your woman, take care of you
Do your thing by the golden rule
Pay no mind, to the pompous fool

And I do know, may I say to you
Careful who you follow
There ain’t nobody home
To feel knocking on the door
Pay no mind to the pompous fool

Do you wanna laugh, do you wanna cry
Do you still believe in you and I
Is it your opinion, that we should start again
But turn upon: dump number 10

But don’t you worry, don’t be blue
Let your woman, take care of you
Live your life, by the golden rule
Pay no mind, to the pompous fool

The meaning of the lyrics

In recent years, Eric Clapton made several official statements criticizing how Johnson and the UK government handled the pandemic, and he disagreed with letting only vaccinated people attend his concerts. Therefore, people expected the song to be mainly about the ex-PM and the pandemic topics, with the pompous fool eventually being Johnson himself.

However, the song also mentions Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Wilson, other public figures about which people have different opinions. From this point of view, the song seems to be more generally about how we choose our idols and leaders and how they influence our thoughts. His warning is clear: be careful who you follow, and eventually, try to build your opinions by yourself, using your brain only.

There may be some lines that directly refer to the pandemic rules (“Is it your opinion, that we should start again?”) and to the PM (“dump number 10”, probably referring to 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister). Still, most likely, the true meaning of Pompous Fool lyrics is: please develop your positions carefully because your life depends on them. And the world is full of arrogant people who wish to influence you.

Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave

Published by Carlo Affatigato

Carlo has been a web content creator for over 10 years. He founded Auralcrave in 2015, envisioning it as a new space capable of offering different perspectives on topics that passionate all of us. With a scientific background, Carlo developed an interest in music, cinema, literature, and art at a young age, transforming it into a complementary dimension to his professional growth. For years, he was a music journalist specializing in electronic and dance music, writing for the most important Italian magazines (both online and print). Movies and TV series have been a true obsession in many phases of his life: during university, it was not uncommon for him to set the alarm in the middle of the night to watch classic films airing on TV. With the advent of the Internet, Carlo became a keen observer of web and social phenomena, addressing light topics such as advertising, trends, fashion, and general themes. He is the main author of Auralcrave and personally manages its social media, editorial line, book publication, resource management, and business expansion. A former engineer, life coach, husband, and father, he believes that every area of knowledge has interesting stories that deserve to be told and is convinced that doing so makes the world a better place.