The Game (Queen album)#"Dragon Attack"

{{Main|Play the Game (song)}}

"Play the Game" was written by Freddie Mercury. The song was released as a single in 1980, reaching No. 14 in the UK and No. 42 in the US. The song was performed live from 1980 to 1982.

"Dragon Attack" was written by Brian May. The song was a live favourite, being performed from 1980 to 1985. On the UK release of "Another One Bites The Dust", it was featured as the B-side. Two remixes of the track were scheduled to feature on the cancelled BASIC Queen Bootlegs 1992 album. The first by Jack Benson and R.A.K. featured as a bonus track on 1991 reissues of The Game. The second was an instrumental remix by Dave Ogilvie. Stylistically, "Dragon Attack" is a funk rock song.{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/queen-the-game-40-atr-2647087835.html|title=Funk Rock and Synthesizers in Munich: Queen's 'The Game' at 40|last1=Ingalls|first1=Chris|publisher=PopMatters|quote=Guitarist Brian May brings his considerable chops to songs like his own composition “Dragon Attack”, a slinky funk-rock workout with lots of solid riffs and stinging leads (at times reminiscent of the extended guitar workouts on “Brighton Rock” from 1974’s Sheer Heart Attack).|date=26 August 2020|accessdate=4 August 2022}}

{{Main|Another One Bites the Dust}}

"Another One Bites the Dust" was written by John Deacon. The song is known as a funk song and was released as a single at the suggestion of American singer Michael Jackson, who was a huge fan of the group and would often see them in concert when they came to Los Angeles. "Another One Bites the Dust" was a worldwide success, reaching No. 1 in America and many other countries, and in the UK where it reached No. 7. After the success of the song, Queen recorded Hot Space, which was a more disco album. It is credited as Queen's best selling single, having sold 7 million copies worldwide. The song was played live from 1980 until the last tour with Mercury in 1986. Part of this song was performed during Queen medley songs by Extreme on The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992.

{{Main|Need Your Loving Tonight}}

"Need Your Loving Tonight" was written by Deacon. The song was released as a single in November 1980 and reached number 44 in the United States. The song was also played frequently during The Game Tour in 1980 and then less frequently in 1981, but was not played live thereafter.{{cite book|title=Queen: Every Album, Every Song|author=Wild, Andrew|page=71|year=2018|publisher=Sonicbond|isbn=9781789520033}}

{{Main|Crazy Little Thing Called Love}}

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" was written by Mercury while lounging in a bubble bath in the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich, where Queen were staying during the making of The Game. In addition to playing guitar on the record, Mercury also played guitar in concert. The song peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 1 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States for four consecutive weeks. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" also peaked at No. 1 in Australia, Canada, Mexico and Netherlands. The song has been covered by many artists. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "Another One Bites The Dust" were Queen's only No. 1 singles in the United States.

"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" 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 (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.{{Cite AV media notes|title=Generation EFX|author=Das EFX|year=1998|type=liner notes|publisher=EastWest Records America|id=7559-62063-1}}

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

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

{{Main|Save Me (Queen song)}}

"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.

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.

{{main|The Game Tour}}

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=the-game-mw0000650663|pure_url=yes}} The Game]. AllMusic. Retrieved 19 November 2010.

|rev2 = Chicago Tribune

|rev2Score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}{{cite news|last=Kot|first=Greg|author-link=Greg Kot|date=19 April 1992|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/04/19/an-18-record-80-million-copy-odyssey/|title=An 18-record, 80 Million-copy Odyssey|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=19 April 2016}}

|rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|year=2011|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0857125958|edition=5th|page=2248}}

|rev4 = The Guardian

|rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis|date=15 December 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/dec/15/queen-jazz-game-flash-gordon-review|title=Queen: Jazz; The Game; Flash Gordon; Hot Space – review|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|access-date=19 April 2016}}

| rev5 = MusicHound Rock

| rev5Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book|editor1-last=Graff|editor1-first=Gary|editor2-last=Durchholz|editor2-first=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, MI|year=1999|section=Queen|isbn=1-57859-061-2|pages=909–910}}

|rev6 = Record Mirror

|rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}[http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_06-21-1980_-_The_Game_-_Record_Mirror Record Mirror review (archived at queenarchives.com)]

|rev7 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/queen/albumguide |title=Queen: Album Guide |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=10 June 2012}}

|rev8 = Smash Hits

|rev8score = 3/10{{cite journal|last=Taylor|first=Steve|title=Albums|journal=Smash Hits|issue=10–23 July 1980|page=31}}

|rev9 = Uncut

|rev9Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1026367|title=Queen – The Game CD Album|publisher=CD Universe|access-date=17 January 2018}}

}}

For Record Mirror, Robin Smith wrote of the album, "It's like winning the men's singles at Wimbledon."{{cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Robin |editor1-last=Martin |editor1-first=Alf |title=Queen Play and Win |journal=Record Mirror |date=21 June 1980 |volume=27 |issue=25 |page=16 |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250126233946/https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50859961071_c0842407bc_o.jpg |access-date=26 January 2025 |publisher=Morgan Gramplan, Ltd. |location=London, England, U.K. |language=English |issn=0144-5804}} 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."[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-game-19800918 Rolling Stone review] 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."{{cite web|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_08-21-1980_-_The_Game_-_Washington_Post|date=1980-08-21|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128145632/http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_08-21-1980_-_The_Game_-_Washington_Post|archivedate=2010-11-28|title=Washington Post review|publisher=Washington Post}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/creem_lists.htm |title=Rocklist.net...Creem magazine selected readers |publisher=Rocklistmusic.co.uk |access-date=10 January 2012}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LRBWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S-IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5450,5824095&dq|title=Here's complete list of the Grammy nominees|location=Eugene, Oregon|date=February 21, 1981|page=36|number=121|work=Eugene Register-Guard|publisher=Guard Publishing}} 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.{{cite news|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1981/amas.htm |title=8th American Music Awards |work=Rock on the Net |access-date=18 March 2018 }}

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.[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=the-miracle-r15983/review|pure_url=yes}} The Miracle]. AllMusic. Retrieved 19 November 2010. Evan Sawdey of PopMatters called The Game a "regular ol' rock album".{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/151473-queen-queen-40-limited-edition-collectors-box-set-volumes-2-3/|title=Queen: Queen 40 Limited Edition Collector's Box Set Volumes 2 & 3|work=PopMatters|date=2 December 2011|access-date=27 January 2015}} 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."{{cite web|title=The 100 Greatest, Gayest Albums (of All Time)|url=http://www.out.com/detail.asp?id=24093|website=Out|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017201730/http://www.out.com/detail.asp?id=24093|archive-date=October 17, 2008|access-date=February 3, 2024}}

{{blockquote|Yeah, that was when we started trying to get outside what was normal for us. Plus we had a new engineer in Mack and a new environment in Munich. Everything was different. We turned our whole studio technique around in a sense, because Mack had come from a different background from us. We thought there was only one way of doing things, like doing backing tracks: We would just do it until we got it right. If there were some bits where it speeded up or slowed down, then we would do it again until it was right. We had done some of our old backing tracks so many times, they were too stiff. Mack's first contribution was to say, "Well you don't have to do that. I can drop the whole thing in. If it breaks down after half a minute, then we can edit in and carry on if you just play along with the tempo". We laughed and said "Don't be silly. You can't do that". But in fact, you can. What you gain is the freshness, because often a lot of the backing tracks is first time though. It really helped a lot. There was less guitar on that album, but that's really not going to be the same forever; that was just an experiment.|sign=Brian May[http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Brian_May_-_XX-XX-1982_-_On_the_Record On the Record 1982]}}

All lead vocals by Freddie Mercury unless noted.

{{Track listing

| headline = Side one

| extra_column = Lead vocals

| title1 = Play the Game

| writer1 = Freddie Mercury

| length1 = 3:30

| extra1 =

| title2 = Dragon Attack

| writer2 = Brian May

| length2 = 4:18

| extra2 =

| title3 = Another One Bites the Dust

| writer3 = John Deacon

| length3 = 3:35

| extra3 =

| title4 = Need Your Loving Tonight

| writer4 = Deacon

| length4 = 2:50

| extra4 =

| title5 = Crazy Little Thing Called Love

| writer5 = Mercury

| length5 = 2:42

| extra5 =

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| extra_column = Lead vocals

| title6 = Rock It (Prime Jive)

| writer6 = Roger Taylor

| length6 = 4:33

| extra6 = Roger Taylor with Mercury

| title7 = Don't Try Suicide

| writer7 = Mercury

| length7 = 3:52

| extra7 =

| title8 = Sail Away Sweet Sister

| writer8 = May

| length8 = 3:33

| extra8 = Brian May with Mercury

| title9 = Coming Soon

| writer9 = Taylor

| length9 = 2:51

| extra9 = Mercury with Taylor

| title10 = Save Me

| writer10 = May

| length10 = 3:48

| extra10 =

| total_length = 35:42

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Bonus track (1991 Hollywood Records CD reissue)

| title11 = Dragon Attack

| note11 = 1991 bonus remix by R.A.K. and Jack Benson

| length11 = 4:19

| total_length = 40:01

| title6 =

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}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc 2: Bonus EP (2011 Universal Music CD reissue)

| title1 = Save Me

| note1 = Live at the Montreal Forum, November 1981

| length1 = 4:18

| title2 = A Human Body

| note2 = B-side to "Play The Game"

| length2 = 3:44

| title3 = Sail Away Sweet Sister

| note3 = Take 1 with guide vocal, February 1980

| length3 = 2:34

| title4 = It's a Beautiful Day

| note4 = Original spontaneous idea, April 1980

| length4 = 1:31

| title5 = Dragon Attack

| note5 = Live at the Milton Keynes Bowl, June 1982

| length5 = 5:15

| total_length = 17:22

| all_writing =

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| writer2 = Taylor{{cite web |title=Queen "The Game" album and song lyrics |url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/songs/the-game.htm#A%20Human%20Body |website=ultimatequeen.co.uk}}

| writer4 = Mercury{{cite web |title=Queen Demos of Released Tracks A-I Lyrics |url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/songs/demos-1.htm#It's%20A%20Beautiful%20Day |website=ultimatequeen.co.uk}}

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Bonus videos (2011 iTunes deluxe edition)

| title6 = Vocal Improv/Dragon Attack

| note6 = Live at Morumbi Stadium, Sao Paulo, March 1981{{cite web |title=Queen "On Air": Live on Air album and song lyrics |url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/songs/on-air-live-on-air.htm#Alright%20Alright |website=ultimatequeen.co.uk}}{{cite web |title=Queen "On Air": Live on Air album and song lyrics |url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/songs/on-air-live-on-air.htm#Dragon%20Attack |website=ultimatequeen.co.uk}}

| title7 = Save Me

| note7 = Live at Seibu Lions Stadium, Tokyo, November 1982{{cite web |title=Queen "Live in Japan" video and song lyrics |url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/videos/live-in-japan.htm#Save%20Me |website=ultimatequeen.co.uk}}

| title8 = Crazy Little Thing Called Love

| note8 = Saturday Night Live, September 1982{{cite web |title=Queen Miscellaneous Live Song Lyrics |url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/songs/miscellaneous-live.htm#Crazy%20Little%20Thing%20Called%20Love%20(Saturday%20Night%20Live%201982) |website=ultimatequeen.co.uk}}

| length5 =

| length10 =

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| title9 =

| length8 = 3:58

| length7 = 3:56

| length6 = 5:02

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| total_length = 29:38

}}

Queen

• Freddie Mercury – lead vocals {{small|(1–5, 7, 9, 10)}}, co-lead vocals {{small|(6, 8)}}, backing vocals {{small|(all tracks)}}, piano {{small|(1, 7, 8)}}, synthesiser {{small|(1)}}, acoustic guitar {{small|(5)}}
• Brian May – electric guitar {{small|(all tracks)}}, backing vocals {{small|(1, 2, 4–8, 10)}}, acoustic guitar {{small|(7, 8, 10)}}, synthesiser {{small|(8, 10)}}, piano {{small|(10)}}, lead vocals {{small|(8)}}
• Roger Taylor – drums {{small|(all tracks)}}, backing vocals {{small|(all but 3)}}, electric guitar {{small|(9)}}, synthesiser {{small|(6, 9)}}, lead vocals {{small|(6, "A Human Body")}}, co-lead vocals {{small|(9)}}, percussion
• John Deacon – bass guitar {{small|(all tracks)}}, electric guitar {{small|(3)}}, acoustic guitar {{small|(4)}}, piano {{small|(3)}}

Additional musician

• Reinhold Mack – synthesiser {{small|(6, 10)}}

{{More citations needed|date=December 2017}}

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|region=Argentina|award=Platinum|number=2|certref={{cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/80s/1981/CB-1981-05-02.pdf|title=Argentina|publisher=Cash Box|page=39|date=2 May 1981|via=American Radio History|access-date=21 November 2019}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|region=Austria|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1980|certyear=1984|certref={{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/80s/1984/CB-1984-05-05-OCR-Page-0027.pdf|access-date=August 20, 2024|title=International Dateline-Brazil|magazine=Cash Box|date=May 5, 1984|page=27}}|salesamount=130,000|salesref={{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7CQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT99|title=Industry struggles|magazine=Billboard|via=Google books|page=52|date=January 26, 1985|accessdate=September 24, 2021|last=McGowan|first=Chris}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1980|region=Canada|artist=Queen|title=The Game|certyear=1981|award=Platinum|number=6|certref={{cite web |url=https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/freddie-mercury-a-world-of-his-own-crazy-little-things-2/queen-freddie-mercurys-commemorative-canadian-in|date=18 August 2023|title=Queen - Freddie Mercury's commemorative Canadian in-house sales award - 'Queen Rules Canada', 1992}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Denmark|award=Silver|relyear=1980|certyear=1981|certref={{cite web|url=https://soundstation.dk/shop/4-all-products/130756-the-game---authentic-record-award---presented-to-queen/|access-date=26 April 2023|title=The Game - Authentic Record Award - Presented to Queen}}|salesamount=25,000|salesref=|note=original release}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|region=Denmark|award=Platinum|certyear=2025|id=14767|access-date=4 February 2025|note=reissue}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|region=Germany|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|region=Italy|award=Gold|certyear=2021|note=sales since 2009}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1980|region= Mexico|artist=Queen|title=The Game|certyear=1982|award=Gold|certref={{cite web |url=https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/freddie-mercury-a-world-of-his-own-crazy-little-things-2/queen-freddie-mercurys-in-house-mexican-sales|title=Queen – Freddie Mercury's in-house Mexican sales awards

}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|region=Netherlands|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|id=1980-12-05|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|region=New Zealand|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=2008|certyear=2009|region=Poland|award=Platinum|note=2008 Agora SA album reissue|date=8 July 2009}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|certyear=1981|region=Spain|award=Gold|certref={{cite book|url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Solo Exitos 1959-2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1979-1990|year=2005|publisher=Iberautor Promociones Culturales|page=914|isbn=8480486392}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|certyear=1980|id=6949-1614-2|access-date=9 February 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Game|artist=Queen|type=album|relyear=1980|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=4}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/game/ Queen official website: Discography: The Game]: includes lyrics of all non-bonus tracks except "Another One Bites the Dust".

{{Queen}}

{{Authority control}}

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