•
Rating: The album that divides Queen fans the most, both now and at the time, is undoubtedly "The Game". Released in 1980 a few years after the musical Grease and a year of new trends, it sees the English band change both in appearance (the members sport very American leather jackets) and in substance, with a musical style that begins to embrace that universe, semi-unknown to the English population, called dance. However, it seems that the four wanted to maintain a connection with the past by offering rock pieces alternated with real earworms aimed at pleasing the average audience.
The self-titled track, "Play The Game", revisits the band's historical sound: guitar riffs and, of course, falsettos that reach very high tones, but what truly surprises is something else: the synthesizer! The band that used to write "no synth" on the back of every album, evidently aware of the new musical trends, would offer from this album onwards very electronic bases. Anyway, this choice would prove to be, for public success (worldwide), a clever one.
"Play The Game" certainly, but let's not forget the rest of the album. "Dragon Attack", from which Deacon’s riff is worth saving, is mediocre and goes unnoticed, but the new Queen makes its presence known with the earworm: "Another One Bites The Dust", the turning point. The extreme simplicity (bass, drums, and a lot of electronics) made the track, albeit slightly copied, the most well-known of the group (at least in the USA), and the credit goes entirely to the person considered until then to be the incapable one of Queen, John Deacon.
This is where the poker begins: the following track "Need Your Loving Tonight" is a good rock, what the album needed; very youthful but at the same time influenced by the '50s sound, as is also "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", composed by Freddie while trying to imitate the voice of his idol Elvis, and "Rock It (Prime Jive)", where for once Freddie introduces Roger. "Sail Away Sweet Sister"; oh dear, Brian, what have you done. That sappy role, in my opinion, doesn’t suit you. Something is missing; great falsetto from Freddie nonetheless. "Don't Try Suicide" in my opinion is a fantastic jazz: "don't try suicide, nobody cares, don't try suicide, you should hate it, don't try suicide, nobody would care." Freddie, you’re a true genius! "Coming Soon" by Taylor goes unnoticed but makes way for the conclusion/masterpiece of the album: the super queen-like "Save Me"; Brian, you're forgiven, promoted!
The album sold a lot, it was the first of Queen’s to enter the charts at number 1 both in Great Britain and the US, bolstered by the radio success of "Another One Bites The Dust", still the band's best-selling single in America, and it brought success to a band in decline (no offense to the fans) after the "ambiguous" Jazz. Great album and great voice, not the creative pinnacle, but if you are beginning to explore Queen, I highly recommend you buy it (or download it).
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Play the Game (03:32)
Open up your mind and let me step inside
Rest your weary head and let your heart decide
It's so easy when you know the rules
It's so easy all you have to do
Is fall in love
Play the game
Ev'rybody play the game of love
When you're feelin' down and your resistance is low
Light another cigarette and let yourself go
This is your life
Don't play hard to get
It's a free world
All you have to do is fall in love
Play the game ev'ryone play the game of love
My game of love has just begun
Love runs from my head down to my toes
My love is pumping through my veins (play the game)
Driving me insane
Come come come come play the game play the game play the game play the game
Play the game everybody play the game of love
This is your life - don't play hard to get
It's a free free world all you have to do is fall in love
Play the game yeah play the game of love
Your life - don't play hard to get
It's a free free world all you have to do is fall in love
Play the game - ev'rybody play the game...
03 Another One Bites the Dust (03:38)
Steve walks warily down the street
With his brim pulled way down low
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet
Machine guns ready to go
Are you ready hey are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat yeah
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
How do you think I'm going to get along
Without you when you're gone
You took me for everything that I had
And kicked me out on my own
Are you happy are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat look out
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
Hey
Oh take it - Bite the dust bite the dust
Hey Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust ow
Another one bites the dust he he
Another one bites the dust haaaa
Ooh shoot out
There are plenty of ways that you can hurt a man
And bring him to the ground
You can beat him
You can cheat him
You can treat him bad and leave him
When he's down
But I'm ready yes I'm ready for you
I'm standing on my own two feet
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
Repeating to the sound of the beat
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust yeah
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
Shoot out
05 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43)
This thing called love, I just can't handle it
This thing called love, I must get 'round to it
I ain't ready
Crazy little thing called love
This thing (this thing) called love (called love)
It cries (like a baby) in a cradle all night
It swings (woo-ooo), it jives (woo-woo)
It shakes all over like a jelly fish
I kinda like it
Crazy little thing called love
There goes my baby
She knows how to rock and roll
She drives me crazy
She gives me hot and cold fever
Then she leaves me in a cool, cool sweat
I gotta be cool, relax
Get hip, get on my tracks
Take a back seat, hitch-hike
And take a long ride on my motor bike
Until I'm ready
Crazy little thing called love
I gotta be cool relax
Get hip and get on my tracks
Take a back seat, hitchhike
And take a long ride on my motor bike
Until I'm ready (ready Freddie)
Crazy little thing called love
This thing called love, I just can't handle it
this thing called love, I must get round to it
I ain't ready
Crazy little thing called love
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
Crazy little thing called love (Yeah, yeah)
07 Don't Try Suicide (03:53)
Words and music by Freddie Mercury
A-one two three four one
Yeah
Okay
Don't do it don't you try it baby
Don't do that
Don't don't don't
Don't do that
You got a good thing going now
Don't do it don't do it
Don't
Don't try suicide
Nobody's worth it
Don't try suicide
Nobody cares
Don't try suicide
You're just gonna hate it
Don't try suicide
Nobody gives a damn
So you think it's the easy way out?
Think you're gonna slash your wrists
This time
Baby when you do it all you do is
Get on my tits
Don't do that try try try baby
Don't do that —you got a good thing going now
Don't do it don't do it
Don't
Don't try suicide
Nobody's worth it
Don't try suicide
Nobody cares
Don't try suicide
You're just gonna hate it
Don't try suicide
Nobody gives a damn
You need help
Look at yourself you need help (yeah, yeah)
You need life
So don't hang yourself
It's okay, okay, okay, okay
You just can't be a prick teaser all of the time
A little bit attention—you got it
Need some affection—you got it
Suicide suicide suicide bid
Suicide suicide suicide bid
Suicide
Don't do it don't do it don't do it babe (yeah)
Don't do it don't do it don't—do it
Hey!
Hey, yeah!
Don't put your neck on the line
Don't drown on me babe
Blow your brains out -
Don't do that (yeah)
Don't do that—you got a good thing going baby
Don't do it (no) don't do it (no) don't
Don't try suicide
Nobody's worth it
Don't try suicide
Nobody cares
Don't try suicide
You're just gonna hate it
Don't try suicide
Nobody gives
Nobody gives
Nobody gives a damn
Okay
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By AR (Anonima Recensori)
This album from 1979 certainly marks a turning point in Queen’s career, as well as in the music of the time.
Another One Bites The Dust. Epic. Not so much for the song as for its history, for what it has done, for the genres it has given life to, and for the success it has achieved.
By Walterstarman
"The Game is a well-balanced album, not at rock or dance extremes but finds the right compromise."
"'Save Me' is one of the 10 most beautiful songs ever written by Queen. Those who don’t cry easily will cry inside."
By LeoMercury94
"The Game was the turning point album, greatly influencing subsequent works despite early perplexities from critics and fans."
"Another One Bites the Dust is an immortal gem, with all instruments intertwining in a heavenly way and a purely funky guitar."
