Written and first recorded by James Ray (US #22/R&B #10 1962).
Other hit versions by Freddie & the Dreamers (UK #3 1963), Maxine Brown (US #63 1965).
Also recorded by Aretha Franklin (1969).
From the wiki: “‘If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody’ was written by Rudy Clark and first recorded by James Ray in 1961. Ray’s recording on the Caprice label reached #10 on the Billboard R&B chart and #22 on the Hot 100 in early 1962.
“In 1962, the Beatles began to perform the song at their gigs, with John Lennon singing lead and playing harmonica. Paul McCartney recalls ‘we did a version of it because we thought it was such a wacky waltz. No one had a 3/4 number. And an R’n’B waltz, that was new!’
“Manchester beat group Freddie and the Dreamers heard the Beatles play the song at the Cavern in Liverpool in September 1962, and soon began to incorporate it into their own act. The group recorded it with producer John Burgess, and their version reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart in 1963, the first hit of their career.
“In late 1965, the song was covered by soul singer Maxine Brown(‘Oh No Not My Baby‘). Her version, on the Wand label, reached #63 on the Billboard Hot 100. Aretha Franklin covered ‘If You Gotta Make A Fool of Somebody’ in 1969 for her Soul LP.”
Freddie & the Dreamers, “If You Gotta Make A Food of Somebody” (1963):
Maxine Brown, “If You Gotta Make A Fool of Somebody” (1965):
Aretha Franklin, “If You Gotta Make A Fool of Somebody” (1969):