"A Simple Game" is a 1968 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. Written and sung by Mike Pinder, it was released as a non-album B-side to "Ride My See-Saw", a track from the album In Search of the Lost Chord. The song was produced by Tony Clarke and arranged by Arthur Greenslade. The track was included in the band's 1974 compilation, This Is The Moody Blues, remixed and with an earlier fade than on the single. It was also included, with its original mix and length, in the 1987 compilation Prelude.
| "A Simple Game" | |
|---|---|
| Single by The Moody Blues | |
| A-side | "Ride My See-Saw" |
| Released | 12 October 1968 |
| Recorded | 18 July 1968, Decca Studios, London |
| Length |
|
| Label | Deram |
| Songwriter(s) | Mike Pinder |
| Producer(s) | Tony Clarke |
The song was covered by The Four Tops, and their version was issued as a single in the United States in January 1972, reaching #90 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song had already been issued as a single in Britain in September 1971, having reached #3 in the UK and #14 in Ireland.
Personnel
edit- Mike Pinder: mellotron, piano, lead vocals
- Justin Hayward: acoustic & electric guitars, backing vocals
- John Lodge: bass guitar, backing vocals
- Ray Thomas: tambourine, backing vocals
- Graeme Edge: drums
Four Tops version
edit| "A Simple Game" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Four Tops | ||||
| B-side | ||||
| Released | September 1971 (UK) January 1972 (U.S.) | |||
| Recorded | Wessex Studios, London, England, 5 May 1970 | |||
| Genre | Pop, R&B, soul | |||
| Label | Tamla Motown (UK) Motown (U.S.) | |||
| Four Tops singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Four Tops released a cover version in the UK in 1971. The single peaked at position three on the chart. The song's B-side for the UK release was "You Stole My Love", a song written by Justin Hayward and Tony Clarke.
The song was released as a single in the U.S. in 1972, stalling on the chart at position 90. The B-side, which differed from its UK counterpart, was a song called "L.A. (My Town)".
Personnel
edit- Levi Stubbs: vocals
- Abdul "Duke" Fakir: vocals
- Lawrence Payton: vocals
- Renaldo Benson: vocals
Chart history
edit| Chart (1971/72) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[1] | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles[2] | 34 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[3] | 90 |
References
edit- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. HIT Entertainment.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Top Pop Singles: 1955–2006. Record Research.