You Can’t Fool Me is a country-rock song with a Tex-Mex twist from Chris Missen’s 2025 album, Saudade Stories.

It’s a song with history—we used to play this one live years ago, and it’s been fun to revisit it in the studio with a fresh arrangement. The foundation of this new version is the acoustic and electric guitars, with mandolin adding some rustic flavour.

The piano doesn’t appear right away—it enters partway through the first verse—but once it’s in, it brings a distinctive Southwestern feel. My part draws on a left-hand rumba rhythm paired with half-note triplets in the right, creating an off-kilter, rolling sway that’s unconventional but fits the vibe beautifully.

This new take keeps the heart of the original but lets it breathe in new ways—blending country-rock colours with Tex-Mex flourishes and a few offbeat rhythmic surprises along the way.

Curious how the piano part sounds on its own? Check out the isolated piano version here.

Want to hear how the song has evolved? Listen to a vintage live version here.

Music & lyrics by Chris Missen

Musicians:

Chris Missen - Vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, bass, drum programming

Lisha Kayrooz - Piano