"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. Billboard favorably reviewed the song some three months after its release and eight weeks before it finally reached the Hot 100.[3]
"Games People Play" is a song written, composed and performed by singer/song-writer Joe South. In 1968, the song was released on Joe's debut album: Introspect. It won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1970. The song has been covered by Jerry Lee Lewis, Tesla, The Georgia Satellites, Big Tom and The Mainliners, Bill Haley and His Comets, The Tremeloes, Johnny Johnson & the Bandwagon, Ike and Tina Turner, Dreadzone, Hank Williams Jr., Inner Circle as well as others. It was also mentioned in the Brian Wilson song "Games Two Can Play" from his unreleased album Adult Child.
Noteably, in Singapore circa 1969, an instrumental version showed-up on a single by The White Crane Orchestra. The reggae band Inner Circle also released a cover version which was quite popular in Europe for a while in the mid-90s. In 2006, it was covered by Jools Holland on his album Moving Out to the Country with guest vocalist Marc Almond. The Scottish singer, Dick Gaughan, covered it on his album A Different Kind of Love Song.
Whoa--the games people play now.
Every night and every day now.
Never meanin' what they say now.
Never sayin' what they mean.
While they wile away the hours
in their ivory towers,
'till they're covered-up with flowers
in the back of a black limousine.
[Chorus]
La, da, da da, da-da da;
La, da, da da, da-da de...
talkin' 'bout you-n-me
and the games people play--now.
Whoa we make one another cry,
break a heart then we say goodbye;
cross our hearts and we hope to die
that the other was to blame.
But neither one will ever give-in,
so we gaze at an eight-by-ten
thinkin' 'bout the things that might have been
and it's a dirty rotten shame.
[Chorus]
People walkin'-up to ya,
singin' glory hallelujah
'n' they're tryin' ta sock it to ya,
in the name of the Lord.
They're gonna teach you how to meditate,
read your horoscope, cheat your fate.
And furthermore to Hell with hate
Come-on and get-on board.
[Chorus]
Look-around tell me what you see.
What's a-happenin' to you and me?
God grant me the serenity
to jus' remember who I am.
'cause you've given-up your sanity
for your pride and your vanity,
turn your back on humanity;
Oh and you don't give a da da da da da.
Games People Play (Joe South song) - Wikipedia
