Wikipedia

Games People Play (Joe South song)

For other uses of the same title, see Games People Play (disambiguation).

"Games People Play" is a song written, composed, and performed by American singer-songwriter Joe South, released in August 1968.[1] It entered the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1969 and won the 1970 Grammy Awards for both Best Contemporary Song and the Song of the Year.[2]

"Games People Play"
Single by Joe South
from the album Introspect
B-side"Mirror of Your Mind"
ReleasedAugust 1968
GenreFolk rock, country rock, psychedelic rock, raga rock
Length3:34
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Joe South
Producer(s)Joe South
Joe South singles chronology
"Birds of a Feather"
(1968) 		"Games People Play"
(1968) 		"Don't It Make You Want to Go Home"
(1969)
Official audio
"Games People Play" (Remastered 2002) on YouTube

Release

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"Games People Play" is a protest song whose lyrics speak against various forms of hatred, hypocrisy, inhumanity, intolerance, and irresponsibility, in both interpersonal and social interactions between people.[citation needed] Billboard favorably reviewed the song some three months after its release and eight weeks before it finally reached the Hot 100.[3]

The song was released on South's debut album Introspect and as a single, reaching No. 12 on the Hot 100.[4] It was also a No. 6 hit in the UK in 1969, No. 4 in Ireland, and won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.[2]

The distinctive guitar in the opening is played on a Danelectro electric sitar,[5] which can be seen in a video recorded to support South's album Introspect. Concurrent with South's version of the song on the pop chart, Freddy Weller, guitarist for Paul Revere and the Raiders, released a country version of the song in 1969 as his debut single; this rendition spent two weeks at No. 2 on the Country Chart.[6]

Charts

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Inner Circle version

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"Games People Play"
 
Single by Inner Circle
from the album Reggae Dancer
Released1994
GenreReggae
Length3:26
LabelWEA
Songwriter(s)Joe South
Producer(s)
  • Touter Harvey
  • Ian Lewis
Inner Circle singles chronology
"Sweat (A La La La La Long)"
(1992) 		"Games People Play"
(1994) 		"Summer Jammin'"
(1994)
Music video
"Games People Play" on YouTube

"Games People Play" was covered by Jamaican reggae band Inner Circle on their 1994 album, Reggae Dancer. The song was released by WEA. In the US, it peaked at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 51 on the Cash Box Top 100. In Europe, it was successful, reaching the top 10 in several countries, like the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. The single reached its best chart position in Finland, where it peaked at number two. Outside Europe, it also hit number four in New Zealand. Its music video was directed by Mathias Julien.

Critical reception

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Larry Flick from Billboard wrote:

"Reggae outfit is once again ready for top 40 picking with this rendition of Joe South's 1969 hit. Although band has many of its own solid songs to offer, there is no denying that reggae clicks with pop programmers faster when wrapped around a familiar tune. Once attitudes change in the mainstream, then maybe we'll get more original singles. In the meantime, enjoy Inner Circle's deft musicianship and charming vocals."[20]

Alan Jones from Music Week deemed it "another reggae cover of little significance but great potential", adding that this version "is bright, bouncy and competent. It's already a huge hit in Europe, and an MTV staple, so UK success seems simply a matter of time."[21] Mark Sutherland from Smash Hits gave the song four out of five, saying, "If everything in Life was as reliable as Inner Circle. Every summer they seem to come up with the perfect smiley reggae record." He described it as "a bounce-along beach party of a choon with a, erm, "NA NA NA" chorus. Unbeatable as a soundtrack for beach volleyball – and as big a hit as their lard-tub guitarist."[22]

Music video

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A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Mathias Julien.[23] It features the band performing on the beach. Other times they perform in a boat. Julien had previously directed the video for the band's 1992 hit, "Sweat (A La La La La Long)".

Track listing

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  • CD maxi, Europe (1994)
  1. "Games People Play" (Radio Edit) – 3:26
  2. "Games People Play" (Miami Mix) – 3:55
  3. "Games People Play" (Big Game Dub) – 5:07
  4. "Games People Play" (Extended Version) – 5:40

Charts

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Other cover versions

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"Games People Play" has been covered by, at least, 39 artists in total,[50] including by:[50]

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References

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  1. ^ "Games People Play / Mirror of Your Mind - Joe South". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
  2. ^ a b "Joe South". Grammy.org. 23 November 2020.
  3. ^ "Spotlight Singles: Special Merit Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. 1968-11-16. p. 74. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  4. ^ "Games People Play (song by Joe South)". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  5. ^ Thom Hickey (2016-02-01). "Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin & Elvis all revered Joe South : Games People Play". The Immortal Jukebox. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 379.
  7. ^ "Joe South – Games People Play" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Joe South – Games People Play" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  9. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Games People Play". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  10. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Joe South" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Joe South – Games People Play" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Joe South – Games People Play". VG-lista. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  13. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Joe South: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  15. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  16. ^ "RPM Top Singles of 1969". Library and Archives Canada. RPM. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  17. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1969". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  18. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969 | Music Outfitters". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1969". Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  20. ^ Flick, Larry (August 13, 1994). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 61. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  21. ^ Jones, Alan (September 3, 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 18. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  22. ^ Sutherland, Mark (August 17, 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 51. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  23. ^ "Games People Play by Inner Circle". IMVDb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  24. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 137.
  25. ^ "Inner Circle – Games People Play" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  26. ^ "Inner Circle – Games People Play" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  27. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. August 6, 1994. p. 8. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. September 24, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  29. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Inner Circal". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 221. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  30. ^ "Inner Circle – Games People Play" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  31. ^ "Regional Airplay: South" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 34. 20 August 1994. p. 35.
  32. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Inner Circle" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  33. ^ "Inner Circle – Games People Play" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  34. ^ "Inner Circle – Games People Play". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  35. ^ "Inner Circle – Games People Play". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  36. ^ "Inner Circle – Games People Play". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  37. ^ "Inner Circle: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  38. ^ "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 10 September 1994. p. 30. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  39. ^ "Inner Circle Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. December 24, 1994. p. 8. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  41. ^ "Border Breakers" (PDF). Music & Media. December 24, 1994. p. 8. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  42. ^ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. December 24, 1994. p. 6. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  43. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  44. ^ "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 25. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  45. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  46. ^ "JAAROVERZICHTEN - Single 1994". Dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  47. ^ "End of Year Charts 1994". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  48. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  49. ^ "SCHWEIZER JAHRESHITPARADE 1994". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  50. ^ a b "Covers of Games People Play by Joe South". WhoSampled. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
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