Play the Game (song)

{{short description|1980 song by Queen}} {{Use British English|date=July 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox song | name = Play the Game | cover = Play the Game (song) Queen.jpg | alt = | caption = UK single picture sleeve | type = single | artist = Queen | album = The Game | B-side = A Human Body | released = *30 May 1980 (UK) *6 June 1980 (US) | recorded = February–May 1980 | studio = Musicland, Munich | venue = | genre = Progressive pop | length = 3:30 (album version)<br />3:12 (''Queen Forever'' version) | label = *EMI (UK) *Elektra (US) | writer = Freddie Mercury | producer = Queen | prev_title = Save Me | prev_year = 1980 | next_title = Another One Bites the Dust | next_year = 1980 | misc = {{external music video|{{YouTube|6_5O-nUiZ_0|"Play the Game"}}}} }}

"'''Play the Game'''" is a song by British rock band Queen, written by Freddie Mercury. It is the first track on the first side of their 1980 album ''The Game''. It also appears on their album ''Greatest Hits''. The single was a hit in the UK, reaching No. 14 in the charts, and in the US, peaking at No. 42.

==Composition== The song commences with a series of overlapping rushing noises on an Oberheim 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 in chest voice (contrary to the other C5s being hit in falsetto). Mercury also played piano on the track.

Described by ''Classic Rock'' as a power ballad,<ref>{{Cite web|last=July 2016|first=Paul Elliott 13|title=Every song on Queen's Greatest Hits, ranked from worst to best|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/queen-greatest-hits-ranked-freddie-mercury-brian-may-roger-taylor-john-deacon|access-date=15 July 2025|website=loudersound|date=13 July 2016|language=en}}</ref> ''Billboard'' considered "Play the Game" to be a return to Queen's traditional "epic, rather grand sound" after deviating from that sound with the rockabilly of their prior single "Crazy Little Thing Called Love".<ref>{{cite news |title=Top Single Picks |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-06-21.pdf |newspaper=Billboard |date=21 June 1980 |page=99 |access-date=8 July 2020}}</ref> ''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".<ref name=cb>{{cite news |title=CashBox Singles Reviews |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1980/CB-1980-06-21.pdf |newspaper=Cash Box |date=21 June 1980 |page=22 |access-date=1 January 2022}}</ref> ''Record World'' said that "Freddy Mercury leads a celestial choir of pretty falsettos juxtaposed with soaring guitars."<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine |title=Hits of the Week |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/80/Record-World-1980-06-28.pdf |magazine=Record World |date=28 June 1980 |page=1 |access-date=20 February 2023}}</ref>

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.<ref name="videos">{{cite episode |title=Queen's Greatest Videos |network=Channel 4 |airdate=1999 |number=1/1 |minutes=30}}</ref>

==Music video== The sleeve of the single, as well as its promotional video directed by Brian Grant,<ref name="Greatest Video Hits 1">Brian and Roger talk. ''Greatest Video Hits 1''. October 2002.</ref> marked the first time Mercury appeared in either format with moustache. Brian May did not use his trademark Red Special guitar, instead using a Fender 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.<ref name="Greatest Video Hits 1"/> 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 of Outer 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 white Flash 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

==Personnel== *Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals, piano, synthesizer *Brian May – guitars, backing vocals *Roger Taylor – drums, backing vocals *John Deacon – bass guitar

==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Country ! Peak position |- {{singlechart|Flanders|25|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|access-date=12 May 2025}} |- |Canada<ref>[http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0240a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0240a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0240a RPM Weekly – September 1980]</ref>||align="center"|22 |- |France (IFOP)<ref>{{cite web |title=Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70 |url=http://infodisc.fr/Tubes_Artistes_Q.php/Tubes_Artiste_Choisi.php |publisher=InfoDisc |date=18 July 1980 |access-date=22 December 2019 |language=fr}}</ref> |align="center"|42 |- {{singlechart|Ireland2|9|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|access-date=12 May 2025}} |- {{singlechart|Dutch40|15|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|access-date=12 May 2025}} |- {{singlechart|Dutch100|10|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|access-date=12 May 2025}} |- {{singlechart|Norway|6|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|access-date=12 May 2025}} |- |Spain (AFYVE)<ref>{{cite book|first= Fernando |last= Salaverri |date= September 2005 |title= Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |edition= 1st |publisher= Fundación Autor-SGAE |location= Spain |isbn= 84-8048-639-2 |language= es}}</ref> |align="center"|21 |- {{singlechart|Switzerland|8|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|access-date=12 May 2025}} |- {{singlechart|UK|14|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|date=19800629|access-date=12 May 2025}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|42|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|access-date=12 May 2025}} |- |US (''Cash Box'')||align="center"|38 |- {{singlechart|West Germany|40|artist=Queen|song=Play the Game|songid=667|access-date=12 May 2025}} |}

==Beach House version== {{Infobox song | name = Play the Game | type = song | artist = Beach House | album = B-Sides and Rarities | released = June 30, 2017 | recorded = July 2008 | studio = Lord Baltimore (Baltimore, Maryland) | genre = {{hlist|Dream pop|indie rock}} | length = 4:18 | label = {{hlist|Bella Union (UK)|Sub Pop (US)}} | writer = Freddie Mercury | producer = {{hlist|Rob Girardi|Beach House}} | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|bEN22TDmp-U|"Play the Game"}} | type = song }} }}

American indie rock duo Beach House recorded a cover of "Play the Game" that was released as an iTunes Store-only bonus track from Red Hot Organization's compilation album ''Dark Was the Night'' (2009).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gorillavsbear.net/new-beach-house-play-game-queen-cover/ |title=new beach house :: 'play the game' (queen cover) |date=28 February 2009 |access-date=22 September 2024 |website=Gorilla vs. Bear |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807033245/http://www.gorillavsbear.net/new-beach-house-play-game-queen-cover/ |archive-date=7 August 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/13633-play-the-game-queen-cover/ |title='Play the Game' (Queen cover) |date=2 March 2009 |access-date=22 September 2024 |website=Pitchfork |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121112843/https://pitchfork.com/news/13633-play-the-game-queen-cover/ |archive-date=21 January 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 30 June 2017, the band released their compilation album ''B-Sides and Rarities'' (2017), which includes the cover.<ref>{{cite web |last=Phares |first=Heather |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/b-sides-and-rarities-mw0003055219 |title=Beach House - B-Sides and Rarities |access-date=22 September 2024 |website=AllMusic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510151957/https://www.allmusic.com/album/b-sides-and-rarities-mw0003055219 |archive-date=10 May 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yoo |first=Noah |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/71330-beach-house-detail-new-b-sides-and-rarities-album-share-new-track-chariot-listen/ |title=Beach House Detail New B-Sides and Rarities Album, Share New Track 'Chariot': Listen |date=17 May 2017 |access-date=22 September 2024 |website=Pitchfork |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217220821/https://pitchfork.com/news/71330-beach-house-detail-new-b-sides-and-rarities-album-share-new-track-chariot-listen/ |archive-date=17 February 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *Official YouTube videos: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_5O-nUiZ_0 original music video], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQqHZb1b__w Live at the Bowl] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120910231208/http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/game/#lyrics Lyrics at Queen official website] (Archived)

Category:Queen (band) songs Category:1980 singles Category:1980 songs Category:1980s ballads Category:EMI Records singles Category:Elektra Records singles Category:Hollywood Records singles Category:Rock ballads Category:Song recordings produced by Reinhold Mack Category:Songs written by Freddie Mercury Category:Progressive pop songs