188:
Games" has been called "probably the most popular of the lover's rock songs from the '70s". Bovell has said: "...it was a song constructed with a verse and a chorus and a bridge and a 'tickling piece' at the end and an intro to catch you so you would have to sit up and listen to what was coming next.... To this day, that song is still on the radio constantly. But that song, it was constructed to be a hit."
187:
sang a note and broke a glass, and I wanted a song with a note like that; little girls always try to sing a high note, so when I wrote ‘Silly Games’ and put that high note in there, it meant that every female in the dance would try and sing that note." Now considered an anthem of its genre, "Silly
178:
Dennis Bovell has described "Silly Games" as "the story of a bold young lady proposing to a young man. C'mon, we've been giving each other the eye. I know you like me. Stop playing games. In 1978, when I wrote it, almost always the man made the first move." Explaining how he approached the
248:
29:
235:
said, "Everything about "Silly Games" is perfect: its gently rolling rhythm, its beautiful melody, Dennis Bovell's subtle production, Kay's vocal that goes from understated to indelible."
632:
1008:
797:
222:
states: "The lovesick kiss-off 'Silly Games' and its indelible high note play a pivotal part" in the film, and Bovell has a cameo role.
692:
419:, he felt the album version of "Silly Games" sounded far more interesting than it did on single, calling it "unpredictably remixed".
144:. The single was a hit not only in the UK, where it reached number 2 that summer, but throughout Europe. Kay's appearance singing on
604:
537:
726:
385:
debuted as a solo singer in 1990 with her version of "Silly Games", which was released as the first single from her debut album,
998:
640:
782:
988:
840:
1003:
947:
712:
203:
915:
557:
456:
818:
212:
983:
783:"The Quietus | Features | Baker's Dozen | No Boundaries: Dennis Bovell's Baker's Dozen"
578:
993:
218:
158:'s flagship popular music show. The song appeared again in 1990 as a re-recording, billed as by
533:
488:
478:
441:
48:
923:
731:
452:
390:
167:
887:
859:
836:
697:
609:
330:
247:
184:
146:
120:
415:
have conjured up a fine, sturdy, shuffling rhythm track." Reviewing Layton's debut album
151:
663:
303:
255:
155:
36:
553:
977:
137:
112:
892:
864:
802:
483:
403:
382:
341:
298:
259:
231:
159:
95:
633:"The Making of a Lovers Rock Anthem: Dennis Bovell on Janet Kay's 'Silly Games'"
412:
192:
72:
67:
967:
758:"Dennis Bovell: UK Reggae, Lovers Rock, and the Power of Linton Kwesi Johnson"
311:
106:
408:
141:
40:
948:"Review | Tricky: Adrian Thaws review – sticking to his own unnerving path"
474:
512:
507:
180:
28:
757:
532:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 297.
693:"My song 'Silly Games' and how I ended up in Steve McQueen's movie"
389:(1991). The song features Janet Kay and peaked at number 22 on the
523:
521:
196:
163:
798:"Could Steve McQueen start a lovers rock revival with Small Axe?"
407:
wrote: "The song is tender and lovely, as anyone who remembers
162:
featuring Janet Kay, which reached number 22 in the charts. A
166:
version of Kay's original recording spent three weeks in the
411:'s sensual original will know. Producers Martin Philips and
340:
328:
309:
297:
281:
273:
265:
254:
240:
191:Dennis Bovell played guitar, bass and synthesizer,
179:composition, Bovell says: "There was an advert for
118:
104:
94:
78:
66:
58:
46:
35:
21:
491:in a version characterised as "low-slung soul".
715:, Red Bull Music Academy Daily, 11 August 2014.
210:, the second film in his 2020 anthology series
140:that was first released in 1979 as a single by
664:"Dennis Bovell On the making of 'Silly Games'"
686:
684:
8:
751:
749:
426:
246:
237:
27:
18:
579:"About Janet Kay – Queen of Lover's Rock"
841:"The 70 greatest No 2 singles – ranked!"
819:"The Beat at the Heart of 'Lovers Rock'"
713:"Key Tracks: Janet Kay’s 'Silly Games'"
499:
264:
253:
34:
727:"Spotlight on British female singers"
199:played the drums and Janet Kay sang.
7:
481:included the song on his 2014 album
817:Gordon, Jeremy (29 November 2020).
662:Bovell, Dennis (19 November 2013).
605:"Janet Kay talks about Silly Games"
946:Bakare, Lanre (4 September 2014).
796:Bakare, Lanre (23 November 2020).
725:Campbell, Howard (22 March 2015).
14:
756:Baird, Saxon (19 November 2013).
631:Baird, Saxon (19 November 2013).
202:The song features prominently in
858:Jennings, Dave (4 August 1990).
554:"UK Official charts - Janet Kay"
530:British Hit Singles & Albums
886:Jennings, Dave (27 July 1991).
691:Bovell, Dennis (17 June 2021).
1009:Songs written by Dennis Bovell
1:
762:Hip Deep - Afropop Worldwide
461:
446:
916:"Eurochart Hot 100 Singles"
603:Atwal, Kay (12 June 2013).
1025:
968:"Janet Kay - Silly Games"
348:
245:
26:
170:, peaking at number 62.
558:Official Charts Company
528:Roberts, David (2006).
136:" is a song written by
999:Arista Records singles
16:1979 song by Janet Kay
487:, featuring vocalist
839:(17 November 2022).
377:Lindy Layton version
643:on 28 November 2013
515:(list of releases).
401:Dave Jennings from
989:1990 debut singles
927:. 8 September 1990
823:The New York Times
397:Critical reception
344:singles chronology
226:Critical reception
219:The New York Times
150:made it the first
1004:Lovers rock songs
924:Music & Media
466:
465:
442:Eurochart Hot 100
374:
373:
370:
369:
130:
129:
1016:
956:
955:
943:
937:
936:
934:
932:
920:
912:
906:
905:
903:
901:
883:
877:
876:
874:
872:
855:
849:
848:
837:Petridis, Alexis
833:
827:
826:
814:
808:
807:
793:
787:
786:
779:
773:
772:
770:
768:
753:
744:
743:
741:
739:
732:Jamaica Observer
722:
716:
709:
703:
702:
688:
679:
678:
676:
674:
659:
653:
652:
650:
648:
639:. Archived from
628:
622:
621:
619:
617:
600:
594:
593:
591:
589:
575:
569:
568:
566:
564:
550:
544:
543:
525:
516:
504:
427:
391:UK Singles Chart
364:"Echo My Heart"
350:
349:
333:
314:
293:
292:
288:
250:
238:
168:UK Singles Chart
123:
109:
90:
89:
85:
51:
31:
19:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1014:
1013:
974:
973:
964:
959:
945:
944:
940:
930:
928:
918:
914:
913:
909:
899:
897:
885:
884:
880:
870:
868:
857:
856:
852:
835:
834:
830:
816:
815:
811:
795:
794:
790:
781:
780:
776:
766:
764:
755:
754:
747:
737:
735:
724:
723:
719:
710:
706:
698:The Independent
690:
689:
682:
672:
670:
661:
660:
656:
646:
644:
630:
629:
625:
615:
613:
610:Newham Recorder
602:
601:
597:
587:
585:
577:
576:
572:
562:
560:
552:
551:
547:
540:
527:
526:
519:
505:
501:
497:
471:
434:
425:
399:
381:English singer
379:
365:
360:
336:Martyn Phillips
329:
310:
290:
286:
285:
266:from the album
228:
185:Ella Fitzgerald
176:
174:Song background
147:Top of the Pops
119:
105:
87:
83:
82:
47:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1022:
1020:
1012:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
976:
975:
972:
971:
963:
962:External links
960:
958:
957:
938:
907:
878:
850:
828:
809:
788:
774:
745:
717:
704:
680:
668:saxonbaird.com
654:
637:saxonbaird.com
623:
595:
570:
545:
538:
517:
498:
496:
493:
470:
469:Tricky version
467:
464:
463:
460:
449:
448:
445:
437:
436:
431:
424:
421:
398:
395:
378:
375:
372:
371:
368:
367:
362:
353:
346:
345:
338:
337:
334:
326:
325:
324:
323:
320:
315:
307:
306:
301:
295:
294:
283:
279:
278:
275:
271:
270:
263:
262:
252:
251:
243:
242:
227:
224:
175:
172:
156:BBC Television
128:
127:
124:
116:
115:
110:
102:
101:
98:
92:
91:
80:
76:
75:
70:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
52:
44:
43:
33:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1021:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
981:
979:
969:
966:
965:
961:
953:
949:
942:
939:
926:
925:
917:
911:
908:
895:
894:
889:
882:
879:
867:
866:
861:
854:
851:
846:
842:
838:
832:
829:
824:
820:
813:
810:
805:
804:
799:
792:
789:
784:
778:
775:
763:
759:
752:
750:
746:
734:
733:
728:
721:
718:
714:
711:Katz, David,
708:
705:
700:
699:
694:
687:
685:
681:
669:
665:
658:
655:
642:
638:
634:
627:
624:
612:
611:
606:
599:
596:
584:
580:
574:
571:
559:
555:
549:
546:
541:
539:1-904994-10-5
535:
531:
524:
522:
518:
514:
510:
509:
503:
500:
494:
492:
490:
486:
485:
480:
476:
468:
458:
454:
451:
450:
443:
439:
438:
432:
430:Chart (1990)
429:
428:
422:
420:
418:
414:
410:
406:
405:
396:
394:
392:
388:
384:
376:
363:
358:
354:
352:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
332:
327:
321:
318:
317:
316:
313:
312:Songwriter(s)
308:
305:
302:
300:
296:
284:
280:
276:
272:
269:
261:
257:
249:
244:
241:"Silly Games"
239:
236:
234:
233:
225:
223:
221:
220:
215:
214:
209:
205:
204:Steve McQueen
200:
198:
194:
189:
186:
182:
173:
171:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
148:
143:
139:
138:Dennis Bovell
135:
126:Dennis Bovell
125:
122:
117:
114:
113:Dennis Bovell
111:
108:
107:Songwriter(s)
103:
99:
97:
93:
81:
77:
74:
71:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
50:
45:
42:
38:
30:
25:
22:"Silly Games"
20:
984:1979 singles
952:The Guardian
951:
941:
929:. Retrieved
922:
910:
898:. Retrieved
896:. p. 31
893:Melody Maker
891:
881:
869:. Retrieved
865:Melody Maker
863:
853:
845:The Guardian
844:
831:
822:
812:
803:The Guardian
801:
791:
777:
765:. Retrieved
761:
736:. Retrieved
730:
720:
707:
696:
671:. Retrieved
667:
657:
645:. Retrieved
641:the original
636:
626:
614:. Retrieved
608:
598:
586:. Retrieved
583:itzCaribbean
582:
573:
561:. Retrieved
548:
529:
506:
502:
484:Adrian Thaws
482:
473:The British
472:
416:
404:Melody Maker
402:
400:
386:
383:Lindy Layton
380:
356:
342:Lindy Layton
267:
260:Lindy Layton
232:The Guardian
230:
229:
217:
211:
207:
201:
190:
177:
160:Lindy Layton
152:lover's rock
145:
133:
131:
871:24 February
508:Silly Games
413:Norman Cook
357:Silly Games
331:Producer(s)
208:Lovers Rock
193:Drummie Zeb
134:Silly Games
121:Producer(s)
73:Lovers rock
54:"Dangerous"
994:1979 songs
978:Categories
495:References
453:UK Singles
970:. YouTube
860:"Singles"
477:musician
435:position
409:Janet Kay
319:D. Bovell
268:Pressure
213:Small Axe
142:Janet Kay
41:Janet Kay
900:29 April
888:"Albums"
475:trip-hop
440:Europe (
417:Pressure
387:Pressure
322:J. Myatt
274:Released
206:'s film
154:tune on
59:Released
931:20 June
767:8 April
738:8 April
673:8 April
647:8 April
616:8 April
588:8 April
563:30 July
513:Discogs
366:(1991)
361:(1990)
181:Memorex
536:
489:Tirzah
479:Tricky
423:Charts
304:Arista
282:Length
256:Single
183:where
100:Arawak
79:Length
49:B-side
37:Single
919:(PDF)
299:Label
216:. As
197:Aswad
195:from
164:remix
96:Label
68:Genre
933:2021
902:2023
873:2023
769:2017
740:2017
675:2017
649:2017
618:2017
590:2017
565:2013
534:ISBN
433:Peak
277:1990
62:1979
511:at
462:22
457:OCC
447:65
393:.
258:by
39:by
980::
950:.
921:.
890:.
862:.
843:.
821:.
800:.
760:.
748:^
729:.
695:.
683:^
666:.
635:.
607:.
581:.
556:.
520:^
459:)
444:)
359:"
291:11
88:40
954:.
935:.
904:.
875:.
847:.
825:.
806:.
785:.
771:.
742:.
701:.
677:.
651:.
620:.
592:.
567:.
542:.
455:(
355:"
289::
287:4
132:"
86::
84:3
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
