Playful Lyrics
by Patrick A. Yearout
GAMES August 2004
Can you name the songs from which these lyrics about games and sports were taken?
As a bonus, can you name the recording artist(s) who
popularized each song?
1. "And the old men playing checkers by the trees"
2. "Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy, she'll beat you if she's able"
3. "Got a beat-up glove, a homemade bat, and a brand new pair of shoes"
4. "I got a letterman's sweater, with a letter in front I got for football and track"
5. "I hear you went up to Saratoga, and your horse naturally won"
6. "I've played all my cards, and that's what you've done, too"
7. "Just so my irons aren't always flying off the backswing"
8. "Learned stickball as a formal education"
9. "Let's play Twister, let's play Risk, yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah"
10. "Oh, there's blackjack and poker and the roulette wheel"
11. "Or steal my daddy's cue and make a living out of shooting pool"
12. "Took her bowlin' in the arcade; we went strollin', drank lemonade"
13. "Up all night with Freddie King, I got to tell you, poker's his thing"
14. "You play hide and seek with your true intentions"
15. "You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare"
Answers:
For the record, songwriters are given in parentheses if different from the recording artist.
In some cases, the songwriters are members of the recording group.
1. "MacArthur Park," performed in separate versions by Richard Harris and Donna Summer (Jimmy Webb)
2. "Desperado" by the Eagles (Glen Frey / Don Henley)
3. "Centerfield" by John Fogerty
4. "Be true to your school" by The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson)
5. "You're so vain" by Carly Simon
6. "The winner takes it all" by ABBA (Benny Andersson / Bjorn Ulvaeus)
7. "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies (Ed Robertson)
8. "Keeping the Faith" by Billy Joel
9. "Man on the Moon" by REM
10. "Viva Las Vegas" by Elvis Presley (Doc Pomus / Mort Shuman)
11. "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart (Martin Quittenton / Rod Stewart)
12. "Summer Nights" by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (Jim Jacobs / Warren Casey)
13. "We're an American Band" by Grand Funk Railroad (Don Brewer)
14. "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul (Elliot Wolff)
15. "Beat It" by Michael Jackson