Queen, Play The Game | FIERCE Pop + Rock 🔥🤘

In the 21^st edition of FIERCE Pop + Rock 🔥🤘, we highlight “Play The Game” performed by iconic rock band, Queen.  

Bring on the bold, FIERCE tracks! FIERCE Pop + Rock 🔥🤘 provides background information and insight into pop, rock, and metal songs that raise eyebrows and stir the pot.  Featured records can be classic or brand new. In the 21^st edition of FIERCE Pop + Rock 🔥🤘 (2023), we explore 🎵 “Play The Game” performed by 🎙 Queen.

“Open up your mind / And let me step inside.” Hmm, okay 🎙 Freddie Mercury, if you say so! As the saying goes, an open mind is the best kind… something like that! Anyways, 🎵 “Play The Game”, the song from which the lyrics hail, commences 💿 The Game (1980), an album which Max Bell of udiscovermusic asserts iconic band 🎙 Queen “broke all the rules.” The rules broken namely were the inclusion of synths, specifically Mercury playing the 🎹 Oberheim OB-X, which has been well documented. In the intro, the listener hears the synths/sound effects, which also recur in the song. Post-intro, we hear the celestial piano and vocals of the legendary front man.

Despite the synth evolution on this classic, which peaked at no. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100, the theme itself is tried-and-true: LOVE.  The game of love has been around forever – it’s well established.  Even so, it never fails to captivate, particularly when the inspiration is a breakup or heartbreak.  According to Mercury, per the chorus, “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 / Everybody play the game of love.” He has a point BUT, is it really that easy, Freddie? The falling part, yes, however, things get more arduous beyond that! Later, the second chorus features varying lyrics, with Mercury giving advice: “don’t play hard to get.”

The bridge marks one of the most intriguing moments both musically (change of feel, articulation, and melodically) and lyrically.  Notably, Mercury asserts, “My game of love has just begun / Love runs from my head / Down to my toes / My love is pumping / Through my veins / Driving me insane.”  Honestly, with song like “Play The Game”, there’s so much more to capture.  Besides Mercury’s stellar lead vocals, what about the layered backgrounds? What about the ripe guitar of Brian May including the solo post-bridge leading into another chorus? 🎵 “Play The Game” exhibits the genius of this once in a lifetime band, PERIOD!

via GIPHY

🎙 Queen • 💿 The Game • 🏷 Hollywood • 📅 1980

Queen, “Play The Game”: FIERCE Pop + Rock 🔥🤘 No. 21 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Hollywood; Conna Lee, Madelin Berry, anna-m. w., Johan Duran, RODNAE Productions via Pexels; Pete Linforth via Pixabay]