The Game (album)
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| The Game | |||||
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| Studio album by Queen | |||||
| Released | 30 June 1980 | ||||
| Recorded | June-July 1979 and February-May 1980 at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany | ||||
| Genre | Rock, pop rock, funk rock, progressive rock | ||||
| Length | 35:39 | ||||
| Label | EMI, Parlophone (Europe) Elektra, Hollywood (US) |
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| Producer | Queen and Mack | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Queen chronology | |||||
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| Singles from The Game | |||||
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The Game is a rock album by English band Queen released June 30, 1980. It was the only Queen album to reach the #1 position in both the United Kingdom and the United States and became Queen's best selling studio album in the US with four million copies sold to date, tying News of the World's US sales tally. Though the album had simpler song arrangements than previous Queen albums, The Game launched Queen into global megastars. Notable songs on the album include the bass driven "Another One Bites the Dust" and the rockabilly "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", both of which reached number 1 in the United States. The Game was the first Queen album to use synthesizers (an Oberheim OB-X), and the album's popularity inspired the band members to continue using them heavily for the rest of the band's career, with somewhat mixed results. The album's working title was "Play the Game", but Taylor voiced concern about its possible overtones of conformity, so it was changed to simply "The Game".
At approximately 35 minutes, The Game is the shortest of Queen's studio albums.
Re-issued in May 2003 on DVD-Audio with Dolby 5.1 surround sound and DTS 5.1. The 5.1 mix of "Coming Soon" features an alternate backing track, because the final master tapes were not found when mixing the album to 5.1.
The photo on the cover of the EMI CD is different from that originally used on the LP and cassette even though the Hollywood CD still has the original photo. The original photo (with Taylor having folded arms and May not having a hand resting upon his exposed hip) is shown in the article.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- Side one
- "Play the Game" (Mercury) – 3:30
- "Dragon Attack" (May) – 4:18
- "Another One Bites the Dust" (Deacon) – 3:35
- "Need Your Loving Tonight" (Deacon) – 2:50
- "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (Mercury) – 2:44
- Side two
- "Rock It (Prime Jive)" (Taylor) – 4:32
- "Don't Try Suicide" (Mercury) – 3:53
- "Sail Away Sweet Sister (To the Sister I Never Had)" (May) – 3:33
- "Coming Soon" (Taylor) – 2:51
- "Save Me" (May) – 3:50
- 1991 Hollywood Records CD bonus track (US re-release)
- "Dragon Attack (1991 Remix by Jack Benson and R.A.K.)"
[edit] Play the Game
Mercury wrote "Play the Game" after breaking up with his male lover at the time. Mercury played piano and sang the lead vocals. The music video for this song marked the first time Freddie appeared on film with his trademark mustache.
[edit] Dragon Attack
"Dragon Attack" was a jam session by band members and crew, to which May added lyrics and the idea of alternating solos (drums, bass, guitar, and an almost a cappella chorus). The melody is similar to "We Will Rock You": compare "buddy you're a boy make a big noise" with "take me to the room where the red's all red". This song and Another One Bites the Dust are the two funk rock songs on the album.
[edit] Another One Bites the Dust
Deacon wrote "Another One Bites the Dust" about cowboys, but then changed it to make it more suitable to the band. Mercury loved it and was instrumental in its inclusion on the album. Their roadies told them it'd be a good idea to release it as a single but they didn't believe them. According to Brian May and Roger Taylor on a 1991 interview with American DJ Redbeard on the show In the Studio with Redbeard about making of The Game, Michael Jackson ultimately convinced the band to release it as a single. They did it and it became their second #1 hit in the US. The song doesn't have any synths, the strange sounds were achieved via reversed pianos, and May's Red Special guitar through an Eventide harmoniser. It stayed at number one for four weeks in the United States. It is the only song to ever top the Billboard rock, dance, and R&B charts simultaneously.
[edit] Need Your Loving Tonight
"Need Your Loving Tonight" was the other song by Deacon. Very Beatles-influenced in the melody (the "Oh, I need your loving" chorus is similar to "Eight Days a Week"), although it has a rocking guitar riff, giving the song a more power pop sound.DEacon played both rythm and acoustic guitar as well as bass. On the live versions May sang backing vocals and Mercury played piano (both absent in the studio version). The song was released as a single in November 1980 and peaked at #44 in the US.
[edit] Crazy Little Thing Called Love
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" was the band's first #1 single in the United States. It is the last rockabilly song to be number one. Mercury started it in the bathroom in June 1979 and then wrote the chords using his Martin D18 acoustic guitar. He recorded it with Taylor and Deacon after having some drinks, and the entire session lasted about half an hour. Shortly before releasing it as a single, May added backing vocals and a guitar solo using Taylor's Fender Telecaster instead of his Red Special. There are no synthesizers. It was the first time that Mercury's guitar playing made it onto a Queen record.
[edit] Rock It (Prime Jive)
"Rock It (Prime Jive)" was composed by Taylor, and it caused controversy in the band. Producer Mack and May suggested it'd sound better with Mercury on vocals. They demoed both versions and Deacon preferred Taylor's version. Finally they decided to leave Mercury doing the intro and Taylor singing the rest. Taylor plays rhythm guitar and bass, Mercury plays organ and Mack plays synth on this track.
[edit] Don't Try Suicide
"Don't Try Suicide" is a song by Mercury including some slap-bass playing by John Deacon and piano parts by Mercury. No synthesizers were used. It is rhythmically based upon 1950's classic rock.
[edit] Sail Away Sweet Sister (To the Sister I Never Had)
"Sail Away Sweet Sister (To the Sister I Never Had)" was composed by Brian May. May sings the verses and choruses, Mercury took over the vocals for the middle eight.
During the Use Your Illusion Tour ('91-'93), singer Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses would often sing the chorus of this song as an intro to "Sweet Child o' Mine".
[edit] Coming Soon
"Coming Soon" is Taylor's song, sung as duet between Mercury and himself, and featuring Taylor on rhythm guitar. It originated from the Jazz album sessions in 1978, although only a glimpse can be heard in the early demo from the final version.
[edit] Save Me
Brian May wrote "Save Me" about a friend whose relationship had ended, and played piano, synths and guitars (electric and twelve-string acoustic) on it. This song, "Sail Away Sweet Sister", "Coming Soon" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" were recorded in 1979, the rest of the album was done in 1980.
[edit] Personnel
- Freddie Mercury: Lead Vocals, Piano, Backing Vocals, Guitar, Synthesiser
- Brian May: Electric, Acoustic & 12-String Guitars, Piano, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Synthesiser
- Roger Taylor: Drums, Electronic Drums, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Synthesiser
- John Deacon: Bass, Guitar, Piano
Additional synthesisers by Mack
[edit] Singles
- "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"/"Spread Your Wings (Live)" – Elektra E46579; released October, 1979
- "Save Me"/"Let Me Entertain You (Live)" – Elektra; released January 1980
- "Play the Game"/"A Human Body" (non album B-side) – Elektra E46652; released June, 1980
- "Another One Bites the Dust"/"Don't Try Suicide" – Elektra E47031; released August, 1980
- "Need Your Loving Tonight"/"Rock It (Prime Jive)" – Elektra E47086: released November, 1980
[edit] Charts
| Country | Charts | Sales | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak position | Weeks | Certification | ||
| Argentina | 1 | |||
| Australia | 1 | Platinum (5x) | 300.000 | |
| Canada | 1 | Platinum (5x) | 500.000 | |
| Ireland | 1 | |||
| Portugal | 1 | |||
| United Kingdom | 1 | 18 | Platinum | 300.000 |
| United States | 1 | 43 | Platinum (4x) | 4.100.000 |
| Germany | 2 | Gold | 400.000 | |
| Netherlands | 2 | Gold | 50.000 | |
| Norway | 2 | 17 | 40.000 | |
| Austria | 5 | 30 | Gold | 25.000 |
| Japan | 5 | 100.000 | ||
| Sweden | 7 | 7 | ||
| Italy | 9 | |||
| France | 17 | 300.000 | ||
[edit] External links and references
'The Game' info on the official Queen page
| Preceded by Hold Out by Jackson Browne |
Billboard 200 number-one album September 20 - October 24, 1980 |
Succeeded by Guilty by Barbra Streisand |
