| "Play the Game" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
_Queen.jpg) UK single picture sleeve | ||||
| Single byQueen | ||||
| from the albumThe Game | ||||
| B-side | "A Human Body" | |||
| Released |
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| Recorded | February–May 1980 | |||
| Studio | Musicland, Munich | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 3:30 (album version) 3:12 (Queen Forever version) | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter | Freddie Mercury | |||
| Producers |
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| Queen singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Play the Game" onYouTube | ||||
"Play the Game" is a song by British rock bandQueen, written byFreddie Mercury. It is the first track on the first side of their 1980 albumThe Game. It also appears on their albumGreatest Hits. The single was a hit in the UK, reaching No. 14 in the charts, and in the US, peaking at No. 42.
The song commences with a series of overlapping rushing noises on anOberheim OB-X synthesizer, heralding the band's acceptance of electronic instruments into their once explicitly "no synths" sonic repertoire. They played it in their live shows from 1980 to 1982.
The song features a soft vocal by Mercury, ending with a strong A4 rising in pitch all the way to C5 inchest voice (contrary to the other C5s being hit infalsetto). Mercury also played piano on the track.
Described byClassic Rock as apower ballad,[1]Billboard considered "Play the Game" to be a return to Queen's traditional "epic, rather grand sound" after deviating from that sound with therockabilly of their prior single "Crazy Little Thing Called Love".[2]Cash Box similarly said that this was a return to Queen's "patented high tech, progressive pop sound" and they commented on "Freddie Mercury's breathless falsetto and sweet piano work" and "Brian May’s soaring lead guitar".[3]Record World said that "Freddy Mercury leads a celestial choir of pretty falsettos juxtaposed with soaring guitars."[4]
Later singles "It's a Hard Life", "Let Me Live" and "You Don't Fool Me" revisit the theme presented in "Play the Game", with Mercury writing from the same lover's perspective years later in the former song, and reflecting on the memories of the failed relationship in the latter. Both "Play the Game" and "It's a Hard Life" are of a similar structure, revolving around Mercury's piano playing and the band's multi-layered harmonies.[5]
The sleeve of the single, as well as itspromotional video directed byBrian Grant,[6] marked the first time Mercury appeared in either format withmoustache.Brian May did not use his trademarkRed Special guitar, instead using aFender Stratocaster replica made by Satellite. This was likely due to the risk of damage involved in the shot in which Mercury snatches the guitar from May, then appears to throw it back to him which was played back in reverse so that it would be easier for May to play the solo after "catching" the guitar in the video.[6] A shot of the band in the unedited blue screen set for the video was later used for the cover of the "Another One Bites the Dust" single release.
The video starts off with a shot ofOuter space with shooting stars and microphones and then the Microphone stops in front of the screen and Freddie’s arm reaches out and grabs it and starts singing and the Outer space turns into Hell with flames behind him. Freddie is wearing his whiteFlash Gordon t-shirt. Roger Taylor can be seen behind him. each member of the band has different colour of flames behind them. Freddie Mercury in front of orange flames. Brian May in front of blue flames. John Deacon in front of green flames. Roger Taylor in front of purple flames. a portion of the video contains Freddie without his shirt with a sweaty appearance for a brief moment and after that his shirt is back and the fire turns back into outer space on he leaps onto the drum kit and tries to lift up the two small drums and he leaps down and grabs the guitar out of Brian‘s hands and tosses it back to him and Brian catches it and the fire comes back and stays until the video concludes
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 25 |
| Canada[8] | 22 |
| France (IFOP)[9] | 42 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[10] | 9 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] | 15 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] | 10 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[13] | 6 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] | 8 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[15] | 14 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[16] | 42 |
| US (Cash Box) | 38 |
| West Germany (GfK)[17] | 40 |
| "Play the Game" | |
|---|---|
| Song byBeach House | |
| from the albumB-Sides and Rarities | |
| Released | June 30, 2017 |
| Recorded | July 2008 |
| Studio | Lord Baltimore (Baltimore,Maryland) |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:18 |
| Label |
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| Songwriter | Freddie Mercury |
| Producers |
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| Music video | |
| "Play the Game" onYouTube | |
American indie rock duoBeach House recorded a cover of "Play the Game" that was released as aniTunes Store-only bonus track fromRed Hot Organization's compilation albumDark Was the Night (2009).[18][19] On 30 June 2017, the band released their compilation albumB-Sides and Rarities (2017), which includes the cover.[20][21]
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| Other songs | |
| Related articles | |
