The Game is the eighth studio album by the British rock band Queen. It was released on 30 June 1980 by EMI Records in the UK and by Elektra Records in the United States. The album is the first by Queen to feature a synthesizer, specifically the Oberheim OB-X.

The Game features a different, more pop-oriented sound compared to its predecessor, Jazz (1978). As a result of this stylistic shift, it became the only Queen album to reach number one in the US Billboard 200, and it remains their best-selling studio album in the United States, with four million copies sold. Songs on the album include the rockabilly tribute "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", which became the band's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, and the funk-inspired "Another One Bites the Dust", which was their second and final US number-one hit.

The album was reissued in May 2003 on DVD-Audio with Dolby 5.1 surround sound and DTS 5.1.

Songs Side one "Play the Game"

"Play the Game" was written by Freddie Mercury. The song begins with a series of overlapping synthesizer sounds played on an Oberheim OB-X, signaling the band's acceptance of electronic instruments into what had previously been an explicitly "no synths" sonic approach. It was released as the album's third single on 30 May 1980, reaching No. 14 in the UK and No. 42 in the United States. The song was performed live until 1982.

"Dragon Attack" "Dragon Attack" was written by Brian May and was featured as the B-side of the UK single release of "Another One Bites The Dust", due to its stylistic similarity as a funk rock song. It was performed live from 1980 to 1985. Two remixes of the track were scheduled to appear on the cancelled 1992 BASIC Queen Bootlegs album. The first, by Jack Benson and R.A.K., was included as a bonus track on 1991 reissues of The Game. The second was an instrumental remix by Dave Ogilvie.

"Another One Bites the Dust"

"Another One Bites the Dust" was written by John Deacon. The song, a funk and disco track, was released as a single at the suggestion of Michael Jackson, a fan of the band who attended their July 1980 concert at The Forum near Los Angeles. It quickly became a success, reaching No. 1 in the United States and several other countries, and No. 7 in the United Kingdom. It is Queen's best selling single, with sales of approximately 7 million copies worldwide. The song was performed live from 1980 until the band's final tour with Mercury in 1986. Portions of the song were included in a Queen medley performed by Extreme at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992.

"Need Your Loving Tonight"

"Need Your Loving Tonight" was written by Deacon. The song was released as a single in November 1980 and reached No. 44 in the United States. It was performed frequently during The Game Tour in 1980 and less frequently in 1981, but was not performed live thereafter.

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" was written by Mercury as a tribute to Elvis Presley while he was relaxing in a bath at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich, where Queen were staying during the recording of The Game. The track was released as a single eight months before release of the album. It peaked at No. 2 in the United Kingdom in late 1979 and then No. 1 in Australia, Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, and the United States in early 1980. The song was performed live from 1979 to 1986, first during the Crazy Tour and later as part of Queen's set at Live Aid. In addition to playing guitar on the recording, Mercury also played guitar in live performances of the song.

Side two "Rock It (Prime Jive)" "Rock It (Prime Jive)" was written by Roger Taylor. The song begins with Mercury singing the intro and then Taylor sings the rest of the song. The song was only performed live in North and South America, and in Japan, during The Game and Hot Space Tours respectively.

"Don't Try Suicide" "Don't Try Suicide" was written by Mercury, and is Mercury's third and final song on the album. The song has never been performed live. The song was the B-side on the American release of "Another One Bites the Dust". In 1992, DJ Muggs remixed the track for inclusion on the later cancelled BASIC Queen Bootlegs compilation.

"Sail Away Sweet Sister" "Sail Away Sweet Sister (To the Sister I Never Had)" was written by May and features him on lead vocals. The bridge was sung by Mercury. The song was recorded in June/July 1979. It has never been performed live by Queen, but has been by Guns N' Roses and by Brian May himself during the Another World tour in 1998. The song was sampled by Das EFX on their 1998 track "Change" from the album Generation EFX. May said that Mercury played the piano riff.

The song has also been on compilation albums Deep Cuts, Volume 2 (1977–1982) and Queen Forever.

"Coming Soon" "Coming Soon" was written by Taylor. Mercury and Taylor share lead vocals. The song had been started during the Jazz sessions.

"Save Me"

"Save Me" was written by May, in tribute to a friend whose marriage had recently ended. May played most of the instruments on the track including acoustic and electric guitars, piano and synthesizer. The song was performed live from 1979 to 1982. When live the song features a short piano entrance absent from the studio version. The song peaked at No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart.

Artwork The photo on the cover of the EMI CD is different from that originally used on the LP and cassette release, even though the Hollywood CD still has the original photo. The original photo (with Roger Taylor having folded arms and Brian May not having a hand resting upon his exposed hip) is shown in the article. This alternate photo was also used on the cover of the album in the Crown Jewels box set released in 1998, and on the DTS DVD-Audio edition of the album released in 2003.

Tour

Reception

Contemporary critical reception was mixed. Billboard notes that "The energy never flags, the music is expertly rendered throughout, and the effects and studio trickery are subtly handled". Cashbox believed that "While its high harmony, melodic heavy metal sound is unmistakable, each song on "The Game" has a totally different sound from the next." Record World in its Album Hits of the week said that "These artists do it all masterfully." on this album." For Record Mirror, Robin Smith wrote of the album, "It's like winning the men's singles at Wimbledon." Rolling Stone felt that it was "nice to hear a Queen album with songs, not 'anthems'," but opined that "these guys know how this music should sound and feel, but they can't bend enough to get with it." The Washington Post gave a scathing review, writing: "After five years of unchallenging, dismal albums, this was supposed to be Queen's comeback. But no such luck." Steve Taylor, writing for Smash Hits, was equally as dismissive, writing "sandwiched between two slabs of Queen's usual symphonic and/or choral pomp-rock [...] lies a filling of utterly unoriginal corn".

Creem readers voted The Game the seventh greatest album of 1980. At the Grammy Awards in 1981, Queen and Mack were nominated for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) while "Another One Bites the Dust" was nominated for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Queen received an American Music Award nomination for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group, while "Another One Bites the Dust" received the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single.

In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that the album's "disco rock blends" showed a band that has "turned away from rock and toward pop", "turning decidedly, decisively pop, and it's a grand, state-of-the-art circa 1980 pop album that still stands as one of the band's most enjoyable records." AllMusic would go on to name The Game as Queen's best album of the 1980s.[ The Miracle]. AllMusic. Retrieved 19 November 2010. Evan Sawdey of PopMatters called The Game a "regular ol' rock album". In 2008, Out ranked the album number 28 of 100 in a poll of "more than 100 actors, comedians, musicians, writers, critics, performance artists, label reps, and DJs, asking each to list the ten albums that left the most indelible impressions on their lives."

Band appraisal

Track listing All lead vocals by Freddie Mercury unless noted.

Personnel Queen Freddie Mercury – lead vocals , co-lead vocals , backing vocals , piano , synthesiser , acoustic guitar Brian May – electric guitar , backing vocals , acoustic guitar , synthesiser , piano , lead vocals Roger Taylor – drums , backing vocals , electric guitar , synthesiser , lead vocals , co-lead vocals , percussion John Deacon – bass guitar , electric guitar , acoustic guitar , piano

Additional musician Mack – synthesiser

Production Queen – production, sleeve concept Reinhold Mack – co-production, engineering, mastering Allen Zentz – mastering Brian Gardener – mastering Cream – sleeve design Peter Hince – photography Christopher Hopper – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1980–1981) Peakposition Argentina (CAPIF) 1 Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) 11 Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) 24 French Albums (SNEP) Select Queen from the menu, then press OK. 17Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi) Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Queen". 10Japanese Albums (Oricon) 5Spanish Albums (AFE) 13

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Position Austrian Albums Chart 15 Canadian Albums Chart 14 Japanese Albums Chart (Oricon) 79 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) 34 UK Albums Chart 46Chart (1981)Position Canadian Albums Chart 44 US Billboard Year-End 55Chart (2019)PositionIcelandic Albums Chart 92

Certifications and sales

References

External links Queen official website: Discography: The Game: includes lyrics of all non-bonus tracks except "Another One Bites the Dust".