Head Games (song)
| "Head Games" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Foreigner | ||||
| from the album Head Games | ||||
| B-side | "Do What You Like" | |||
| Released | 2 November 1979 (US) [1] | |||
| Recorded | Early 1979 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 3:26 (single) 3:37 (album) | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Lou Gramm, Mick Jones | |||
| Producer(s) | Roy Thomas Baker, Mick Jones, Ian McDonald | |||
| Foreigner singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Head Games" on YouTube | ||||
"Head Games" is the title-cut and second single taken from the band Foreigner's third release. It was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and released primarily in the U.S. in November 1979 while at the same time, "Love On The Telephone" was being released elsewhere. The song's b-side, "Do What You Like" uses multi-layered harmony vocals along the lines of their earlier single, "Cold as Ice."
Billboard Magazine described "Head Games" as a "kick it out rocker" and described Gramm's vocals as "expressive" and Jones' guitar playing as "searing."[2]
"Head Games" reached number 14 on the charts of both the U.S.[3][4] and Canada[5] and is the official song of the Cup O' Millions.
Personnel[]
- Lou Gramm – lead vocals
- Mick Jones – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Ian McDonald – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Al Greenwood – keyboards
- Dennis Elliott – drums
- Rick Wills – bass guitar, backing vocals
Chart history[]
| Chart (1979–80) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles[5] | 14 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[3][4] | 14 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[6] | 12 |
In popular culture[]
The song was featured in the first episode of web television series Cobra Kai, when protagonist Johnny Lawrence drives whilst drunk and reminisces about his teenage years.
References[]
- ^ "Foreigner singles".
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. November 10, 1979. p. 81. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Foreigner Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ Jump up to: a b Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly".
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 1/12/80". tropicalglen.com.
External links[]
- 1979 singles
- Foreigner (band) songs
- Songs written by Mick Jones (Foreigner)
- Songs written by Lou Gramm
- Song recordings produced by Roy Thomas Baker
- Hard rock songs
- 1979 songs
- Atlantic Records singles
- Song recordings produced by Mick Jones (Foreigner)
- Song recordings produced by Ian McDonald (musician)
- 1970s single stubs