Cover Culture : Bob Andy / Joe South – Games People Play
COVER VERSION VS ORIGINAL SONG
Since the early 1960s and even prior, numerous iconic Jamaican hits were derived from popular foreign songs. The original pop and soul tracks were frequently embraced by audiences on the island, leading reggae artists to create their own renditions. Some of these artists gained fame by covering chart-topping songs, turning these adaptations into timeless classics.
For instance, American artist Bill Withers recorded the Grammy-winning song Ain’t No Sunshine, which Horace Andy later adapted, while Dennis Brown’s rendition of Black Magic Woman originally came from Fleetwood Mac. These two examples represent just a small fraction of the many covers that have emerged over the past sixty-five years.
Since the advent of these adaptations, both Jamaican and international reggae musicians have persistently reimagined pop and soul hits, continuing this tradition into the present. You’re welcome to listen to both the original and the cover versions to determine which one resonates with you the most.
BOB ANDY
The late Keith Anderson, better known as Bob Andy, is widely regarded as one of the most influential songwriters in reggae history. Many of his tracks, such as Going Home, Unchained, Feeling Soul, My Time, and The Ghetto Stays In The Mind, are considered reggae standards. He wrote for other reggae artists too, including I Don’t Want To See You Cry for Ken Boothe, and Feel Like Jumping, Truly, and Melody Life for Marcia Griffiths. Among the few covers he put out, his vibrant interpretation of Joe South’s sharp critique Games People Play stands out. Produced by Richard Khouri and released in Jamaica by Federal Records and by Doctor Bird in the UK, it became a killer reggae big hitter in 1969.
JOE SOUTH
Games People Play is a song created, composed, and performed by the American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer Joe South, released by Capitol Records in August 1968. The track serves as a protest anthem, addressing various issues such as hatred, hypocrisy, inhumanity, intolerance, and irresponsibility within both personal and societal relationships. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1969, peaking at No. 12, and also reached No. 6 in the UK that same year. Games People Play earned the 1970 Grammy Award for both Best Contemporary Song and Song of the Year. Joe South passed away at his home in Buford, Georgia, northeast of Atlanta, on September 5, 2012, at the age of 72.
The post Cover Culture : Bob Andy / Joe South – Games People Play appeared first on Reggae Vibes.
