Games (New Kids on the Block song)

"Games"
Single by New Kids on the Block
from the album No More Games/The Remix Album
B-side
  • "Games"
  • Remix of another song
ReleasedOctober 17, 1990
Recorded1989
GenreNew jack swing[1]
Length3:51
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Maurice Starr, Donnie Wahlberg
Producer(s)Maurice Starr, David Cole, Robert Clivillés
New Kids on the Block singles chronology
"Let's Try It Again"
(1990) 		"Games"
(1990) 		"Call It What You Want"
(1991)

"Games" is a song by American boyband New Kids on the Block,[2] released as the first single from their first compilation/remix album, No More Games/The Remix Album (1990). Employing hip-hop samples with riffs sung by Jordan Knight, and defensive rhymes by Donnie Wahlberg, the song was a dramatic departure from their previously clean cut sound. It also includes shout-outs to Donnie's brother Mark Wahlberg and his group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. The song features a chorus section taken from the movie the wizard of Oz, namely the West witch's soldiers chant: oh ee oh, oh oh. The accompanying music video for "Games" received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.[3]

Feeling the name "New Kids on the Block" was too childish for the group, the band shortened their name to "NKOTB" during the time of the single's release. The song received decent airplay from stations nationwide.

Critical reception

[edit]

Terry Staunton from NME wrote, "We have to be pretty honest here. This is probably the best thing they'll ever do and it is strangely adult. There's a touch of early Earth, Wind & Fire to it ("Saturday Night", "Shining Star", that sort of stuff) and it's not altogether dissimilar to Grandmaster Melle Mel's "White Lines". A bit of a corker, I have to admit."[4]

Track listings

[edit]
  • 12" maxi - Promo[5]
  1. "Games" (the kids get hard mix) – 5:22
  2. "What'cha Gonna Do (About It)" (Arthur Baker remix) – 5:51
  3. "Call It What You Want" (C&C pump it mix) – 5:31
  4. "My Favorite Girl" (remix) – 5:29
  1. "Games (the kids get hard mix extended version) – 5:22
  2. "Games (album version) – 3:27
  3. "(You've Got It) The Right Stuff" (New Kids in the house mix) – 5:36
  4. "Treat Me Right" – 4:17
  • 7" single
  1. "Games" (the kids get hard mix 7" mix) – 3:58
  2. "Games" (the album version) – 3:27

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 33
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 39
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 52
France (SNEP)[10] 19
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 9
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 33
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 30
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 27
UK Singles (OCC)[15] 14
US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 58
Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[16] 11

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Adams, Gregory (July 10, 2011). "Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block, aka NKOTBSB, feel the love at Vancouver concert". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  2. ^ NKOTB Games song, retrieved 2021-09-10
  3. ^ "Station Reports > TV > MTV/London" (PDF). Music & Media. 1991-02-16. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  4. ^ Staunton, Terry (February 2, 1991). "Singles". NME. p. 18. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  5. ^ Discogs.com
  6. ^ Discogs.com
  7. ^ "NKOTB – Games". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  8. ^ "NKOTB – Games" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  9. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1430." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  10. ^ "Games", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 13, 2009)
  11. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Games". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  12. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – New Kids on the Block" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  13. ^ "NKOTB – Games" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  14. ^ "NKOTB – Games". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  16. ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
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