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The Game
Studio album by Queen
Released	30 June 1980
Recorded	June-July 1979 and February-May 1980 at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany
Genre	Pop rock Funk Rock Power Ballad Doo Wop
Length	35:39
Label	EMI, Parlophone (Europe) Elektra, Hollywood (US)
Producer	Queen and Mack
Professional reviews
All Music Guide – link DTS – link (DVD-Audio) New Musical Express – link (Queen Archives) Record Collector – link (QueenCuttings) (DVD-Audio) Record Mirror link (QueenCuttings) Rolling Stone link The Washington Post – link (Queen Archives)
Queen chronology
Live Killers (1979) The Game (1980) Flash Gordon (1980)
Singles from The Game
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Released: October 5, 1979 "Save Me" Released: January 25, 1980 "Play the Game" Released: May 30, 1980 "Another One Bites the Dust" Released: August 22, 1980 "Need Your Loving Tonight" Released: November, 1980 (US, Japan)

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". Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Queen_The_Game. ... A studio album is a collection of studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Queen are an English rock band formed in 1972 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, and drummer Roger Taylor, with bassist John Deacon joining the following year. ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Munich: Frauenkirche and Town Hall steeple Munich (German: München pronunciation) is the state capital of the German Bundesland of Bavaria. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Pop rock (disambiguation). ... Funk-rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. ... To emphasize the emotional aspect of a power ballad, crowds customarily hold up lit lighters. ... For the Lauryn Hill single, see Doo Wop (That Thing). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... For other uses, see EMI (disambiguation). ... Parlophone is a record label, founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company. ... Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, and today operates under Atlantic Records Group. ... Hollywood Records is a record label owned by Disney. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Queen are an English rock band formed in 1972 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, and drummer Roger Taylor, with bassist John Deacon joining the following year. ... Reinhold Mack (aka Mack) is a German record producer. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4. ... The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a weekly magazine about popular music published in the UK. It is unlike many other popular music magazines due to its intended focus on guitar-based music and indie rock bands, instead of mainstream pop acts. ... Cover of the Nov 2005 issue Record Collector started in 1979 and is the UK’s longest-running monthly music magazine. ... Record Mirror was a British weekly music newspaper. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Image File history File links 3_stars. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C.. It is also one of the citys oldest papers, having been founded in 1877. ... Queen are an English rock band formed in 1972 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, and drummer Roger Taylor, with bassist John Deacon joining the following year. ... Live Killers is a double vinyl and compact disc live album by English rock band Queen released on June 26, 1979. ... Flash Gordon is a 1980 album by English rock band Queen. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Crazy Little Thing Called Love is a song performed by the English rock band Queen, written by singer Freddie Mercury. ... For other uses, see 5th October (Serbia). ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Save Me is a song by English rock band Queen. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Play the Game is a song by Freddie Mercury and recorded and performed by his band Queen. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Another One Bites the Dust is a 1980 funk/rock song from the English rock band Queen, written by bassist John Deacon and was a worldwide crossover hit (hitting number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, hitting #2 on the R&B charts, and the Disco Top 100). ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Need Your Loving Tonight is a song by the band Queen it is the forth track on the first side of there 1980 album The Game Categories: | ... For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the genre. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Queen are an English rock band formed in 1972 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, and drummer Roger Taylor, with bassist John Deacon joining the following year. ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... A studio album is a collection of studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Another One Bites the Dust is a 1980 funk/rock song from the English rock band Queen, written by bassist John Deacon and was a worldwide crossover hit (hitting number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, hitting #2 on the R&B charts, and the Disco Top 100). ... Crazy Little Thing Called Love is a song performed by the English rock band Queen, written by singer Freddie Mercury. ... The term synthesiser is also used to mean frequency synthesiser, an electronic system found in communications. ... The Oberheim OB-X is an analog polyphonic music synthesizer. ... A working title is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development. ... Conformity is the act of consciously maintaining a certain degree of similarity (in clothing, manners, behaviors, etc. ...

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. DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering very high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio includes no video and should not be confused with video DVDs containing concerts and music videos. ... Multichannel audio is the name for a variety of techniques for expanding and enriching the sound of audio playback by recording additional sound channels that can be reproduced on additional speakers. ... DTS (also known as Digital Theater Systems), owned by DTS, Inc. ...

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.

Track listing

• Side one
  1. "Play the Game" (Mercury) – 3:30
  2. "Dragon Attack" (May) – 4:18
  3. "Another One Bites the Dust" (Deacon) – 3:35
  4. "Need Your Loving Tonight" (Deacon) – 2:50
  5. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (Mercury) – 2:44
• Side two
  1. "Rock It (Prime Jive)" (Taylor) – 4:32
  2. "Don't Try Suicide" (Mercury) – 3:53
  3. "Sail Away Sweet Sister (To the Sister I Never Had)" (May) – 3:33
  4. "Coming Soon" (Taylor) – 2:51
  5. "Save Me" (May) – 3:50
• 1991 Hollywood Records CD bonus track (US re-release)
  1. "Dragon Attack (1991 Remix by Jack Benson and R.A.K.)"

In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. ...

Play the Game

Main article: 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. Play the Game is a song by Freddie Mercury and recorded and performed by his band Queen. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ...

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. A jam session is a musical act where musicians gather and play (or jam) without extensive preparation or predefined arrangements. ... This article is about the vocal technique. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Another One Bites the Dust is a 1980 funk/rock song from the English rock band Queen, written by bassist John Deacon and was a worldwide crossover hit (hitting number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, hitting #2 on the R&B charts, and the Disco Top 100). ... Funk-rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. ...

Another One Bites the Dust

Main article: 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 making it included 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. Another One Bites the Dust is a 1980 funk/rock song from the English rock band Queen, written by bassist John Deacon and was a worldwide crossover hit (hitting number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, hitting #2 on the R&B charts, and the Disco Top 100). ... In the Studio with Redbeard is a North American radio program, produced and hosted by Dallas, Texas based rock and roll disc jockey Redbeard. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

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. 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. The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Music sample Eight Days a Week (file info) Problems? See media help. ... Power pop is a long-standing musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop music. ... A backup vocalist or background singer (or, especially in the U.S., backup singer or sometimes background singer) is a singer who sings in harmony with the lead vocalist, other backing vocalists, or alone but not singing the lead. ...

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Main article: 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. Crazy Little Thing Called Love is a song performed by the English rock band Queen, written by singer Freddie Mercury. ... Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early-1950s. ... Acoustic guitar can refer to the following musical instruments: Nylon and gut stringed guitars: Renaissance guitar Baroque guitar Romantic guitar Classical guitar, the modern version of the original guitar, with nylon strings Flamenco guitar Steel stringed guitars: Steel-string acoustic guitar, also known as western, folk or country guitar Twelve... Guitar solos are a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. ... The Fender Telecaster, also known as a Tele, is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender. ...

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. Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated among African-Americans in the early 1940s. ... Reinhold Mack (aka Mack) is a German record producer. ... Rhythm guitar is a guitar that is primarily used to provide rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment for a singer or for other instruments in an ensemble. ...

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.

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". The Use Your Illusion Tour was a concert tour by the rock band Guns N Roses which ran from May 24, 1991 to July 17, 1993. ... W. Axl Rose[1][2] (born William Bruce Rose, Jr. ... Guns N Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. ... Appetite for Destruction track listing Music sample Sweet Child o Mine Problems? See media help. ...

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.

Save Me

Main article: Save Me (Queen song)

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. Save Me is a song by English rock band Queen. ...

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

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

“B-Sides” redirects here. ...

Charts

External links and references

'The Game' info on the official Queen page