Games People Play

Album: Introspect (1968)
Charted: 6 12
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  • Hmm la-da da da da da da da
    La-da da da da da de
    La-da da da da da da da
    La-da da da da da da da

    Oh the games people play now
    Every night and every day now
    Never meaning what they say now
    Never saying what they mean

    And they wile away the hours
    In their ivory towers
    Till they're covered up with flowers
    In the back of a black limousine whoa

    La-da da da da da da da
    La-da da da da da de
    Talking 'bout you and me
    And the games people play

    Oh 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 whoa

    Neither one will give in
    So we gaze at our eight by ten
    Thinking 'bout the things that might have been
    And it's a dirty rotten shame whoa

    La-da da da da da da da
    La-da da da da da de
    Talking 'bout you and me
    And the games people play now

    Oh yeah
    All right
    Oh yeah
    Come on

    Oh
    Come again

    People walking up to ya
    Singing glory Hallelujah
    And they're tryin' to sock it to you
    In the name of the Lord

    They're gonna teach you how to meditate
    Read your horoscope, cheat your fate
    And further more to hell with hate
    Come on and get on board whoah

    La-da da da da da da da
    La-da da da da da de
    Talking 'bout you and me
    And the games people play
    Now wait a minute

    Look around tell me what you see
    What's happening to you and me
    God grant me the serenity
    To just remember who I am whoah

    '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

    La-da da da da da da da
    La-da da da da da de
    I keep talking 'bout you and me baby
    And the games people play now lala

    La-da da da da da da da
    La-da da da da da de
    I keep talking 'bout you and me
    Oh and the games people play
    I wonder can you come now, play

    Talking 'bout you and me oh
    And the games people play now Writer/s: Joe South
    Publisher: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 9

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1969 {June 8th} Freddy Weller's covered version of "Games People Play" peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "Running Bear" by Sonny James...
    Between 1969 and 1980 the Atlanta, Georgia native had twenty six records on the Hot Country Singles chart, six* made the Top 10 with the above "Games People Play" being his biggest hit...
    Besides "Games People Play", his other five Top 10 records were "These Are Not My People" {#5 in 1969}, "The Promised Land" {#3 in 1971}, "Indian Lake" {#3 in 1971}, "Another Night of Love" {#5 in 1971}, and "Too Much Monkey Business" {#8 in 1973}...
    Freddy Weller, born Wilton Frederick Weller, will celebrate his 73rd birthday in three months on September 9th, 2020...
    *He just missed having two more Top 10 records when both his "She Loves Me (Right Out of My Mind)" and "I've Just Got To Know (How Loving You Would Be)" peaked at #11...
    And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot Country Singles' Top 10 on June 8th, 1969:
    At #3. "I'll Share My World With You" by George Jones
    #4. "Mr. Walker, It's All Over" by Billie Jo Spears
    #5. "Cajun Baby" by Hank Williams Jr.
    #6. "When Two Worlds Collide" by Jim Reeves
    #7. "Singing My Song" by Tammy Wynette
    #8. "I Love You More Today" by Conway Twitty
    #9. "My Life" by Bill Anderson
    #10. "Statue of A Fool" by Jack Greene
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 28th, 1969, "Games People Play" by Joe South entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on February 8th, 1970 it peaked at #12 (for 2 weeks) and also spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
    Between 1958 and 1971 he had eight Top 100 hits; with "Games People Play" being his biggest hit...
    R.I.P. Mr. South (1940 - 2012).
  • Dimges from Skopje, MacedoniaThe Squires ‎– Games People Play / Funky Bayswater
    Label: Vega ‎– 3.511
    Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
    Country: France
    Released: 1969

    Billy Preston, Tom Jones & Engelbert Humperdinck on the unknown TV show in 1970(?), perform fantastic version of this hit... see on Youtube.
  • Linda from Inland Empire, CaThe lyrics of this song are just as pertinent today as they were when they were written.
  • Coy from Palestine, TxJoe played a Danelectro electric sitar on this record to give it the strange opening intro. South also played guitar on "Sweet Pea" by Tommy Roe!
  • Rob from Detroit, MiJoe also wrote and recorded "Don't it Make You Want to Go Home," a staple in my Ipod.
  • Bill from Atlanta, GaJoe was one great song-writer, including hits for other artists, like: "Down in the Boondocks" a #9 hit for Billy Joe Royal; "Hush" Deep Purple's first american hit, a #4 Billboard hit; The Osmonds' "Yo-Yo", charted #3
  • Ken from Louisville, KyJoe South did have one additional U.S. hit song called "Walk A Mile In My Shoes".
  • Joshua from Twin Cities, MnThis was covered by the band Tesla on their 1994 album Bust A Nut. Unlike Joe South, Tesla didn't bother editing out the word "damn" from the final verse.
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