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"The Game of Love"
Single by Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders
from the album The Game of Love
B-side"Since You've Been Gone"
ReleasedJanuary 22, 1965 (UK)
February 1965 (US)
Genre
Length2:04
Label Fontana
Songwriter(s) Clint Ballard Jr.
Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders singles chronology
" Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um"
(1964)
"The Game of Love"
(1965)
" It's Just a Little Bit Too Late"
(1965)

"The Game of Love" is a 1965 song by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, released in the United States as "Game of Love".

Track listing

Original version

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Game Of Love"C. Ballard Jr2:04
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
2."Since You've Been Gone" Eric Stewart, Glyn Ellis, Bob Lang1:55

US re-pressing

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Game Of Love"C. Ballard Jr2:04
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
2."One More Time"Stewart, Ellis2:06

Chart history

The song reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 week of April 24, 1965 and No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1965.

Tex Pistol version

"The Game of Love"
Single cover
Single by Tex Pistol
from the album Nobody Else
B-side
  • "Boot Heel Drag" (12" only)
  • "W.11 to Whangaroa Bay"
Released1987
Genre Pop, rock
LabelPagan Records
Songwriter(s) Clint Ballard Jr.
Producer(s) Ian Morris
Tex Pistol singles chronology
"The Game of Love"
(1987)
"Nobody Else"
(1988)
Music video
" Game of Love" at NZ on Screen

The song was covered in 1987 by New Zealand musician Ian Morris, under the stage name Tex Pistol [14] and released as "The Game of Love".

Background

Morris was looking for a "more commercial" follow up to his Tex Pistol debut single "The Ballad of Buckskin Bob". He had begun work on a cover of The Underdog's "Sitting In The Rain" when advertising music collaborator Jim Hall suggested "The Game of Love" as a good song to cover. Morris "immediately knew how it would sound". He credits its success to "a combination of technology of the time and a good simple song". [15]

The song is notable for its unusual drum sound. Morris had been working on the audio for a card ad at the time. His curiosity piqued by a supplied video clip of a racecar going over a hill, Morris recorded the sound, sped it up, and mixed it with a clip of a snare drum. [16] [17]

The song also features Callie Blood, Morris's later collaborator on advertising jingles, on backing vocals.

Track listing

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Game of Love"C. Ballard Jr 
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
2."Boot Heel Drag" (12" release only)  
3."W.11 to Whangaroa Bay"Morris 

Charting and awards

The song went to number 1 on the New Zealand music charts. [18] According to Morris's brother Rikki Morris, the song was a surprise hit and so the 500 pressed copies sold out, meaning that the single hit number one but could not remain there. [17]

The reworking of the song gave Morris a 1987 RIANZ award for best engineer and a nomination for best producer. The song was accompanied by a video by then-teenager Paul Middleditch that was also nominated for best video and is now considered one of the highlights of New Zealand 80s music-video making. [19]

References

  1. ^ Breihan, Tom (July 30, 2018). "The Number Ones: Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders' "The Game Of Love"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 12, 2023. ...when they came out firing with "The Game Of Love," a blue-rock ripper...
  2. ^ Breihan, Tom (November 15, 2022). "The Beatles - "I Want To Hold Your Hand". The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music. New York: Hachette Book Group. p. 45.
  3. ^ Molanphy, Chris (April 14, 2023). "The British Are Charting Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  4. ^ "RPM Top Singles - Volume 3, No. 11 May 10, 1965". bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  5. ^ " The Irish Charts – Search Results – Game of Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  6. ^ "Mindbenders single". offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  7. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Rock.co.za. 4 June 1965. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  8. ^ "game of love | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  9. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN  0-89820-089-X
  10. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 4/17/65". Cashboxmagazine.com.
  11. ^ "Sixties City - Pop Music Charts - Every Week Of The Sixties". Sixtiescity.net.
  12. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1965/Top 100 Songs of 1965". Musicoutfitters.com.
  13. ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1965". Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  14. ^ "IgMusic: Ian Morris". Archived from the original on 2009-04-25. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  15. ^ "Ian Morris on Musical Chairs: Part 2". Radio New Zealand. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  16. ^ Morris, Ian. "A Tale of Two Snare Drums". IG Music. Archived from the original on May 2, 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  17. ^ a b "Rikki Morris on Musical Chairs". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  18. ^ "Game of Love: Charting". Charts.nz. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  19. ^ "The Game of Love". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 24 October 2012.