B-side "Mirror of Your Mind" Genre Rock, Pop Writer(s) Joe South | Released December 1968 Length 3:34 Producer(s) Joe South | |
"Games People Play" is a song written, composed and performed by American singer-songwriter Joe South, released at the end of 1968, that won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
Contents
History
"Games People Play" is a protest song whose lyrics speak against various forms of irresponsibility, hatred, hypocrisy, inhumanity, and intolerance in both interpersonal and social interactions between people. The song was released on South's debut album Introspect and as a single, reaching #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a No. 6 hit in the UK in 1969 and won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
The distinctive guitar in the opening is played on a Coral electric sitar, 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 charts, Freddy Weller, guitarist for Paul Revere and the Raiders, released a country version of the song in 1969 as his debut single and reached No. 2 on the country charts with it.
Notable cover versions
The song has been covered by various artists, including
The South African trio Mark Haze (from season seven of Idols South Africa), Dozi and Ghapi recorded a version on their 2013 album Rocking Buddies.
Claude François released a French version of the song as "Jeux Dangereux" in 1969. Also in 1969 Renée Martel released another French version of the song as "Nos Jeux d'Enfants."
The alt-country supergroup The Pleasure Barons included a cover of the song on their Live in Las Vegas CD, with vocals by Dave Alvin.