TOMMY EDWARDS – ‘All In The Game’
When your heart is breaking, wise words are the last thing you want to hear and false hopes the first. In this ballad Tommy Edwards offers a bit of both ‘ a knowing shake of the head that turns into a sly nod, just as the music stops and the backing chorus flurries up like startled birds, ‘Soon he’ll be there at your side!’. Well, maybe. Edwards’ lacquered voice is telling you it’ll be Okay, after all, and for a minute or two at least you could believe it.
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Well, well, well, you live and learn. According to Wikipedia, the very familar tune to this (which the Four Tops had a go at, amongst many others) was written by one Charles Dawes, vice-president of the United States from 1925-1929 and subsequently US ambassador in London.
Which probably puts him up with Bertolt Brecht amongst the creators of number ones.
Even Tommy released a first draft of this in the pre rock era. And somehow it’s still perfect American Graffiti material.
This reminds me of a character called Dennis I used to work with when I had a saturday job on Surrey Street market in Croydon. When things went slightly awry he’d tut and smile, Norman Wisdom-esque, and say “It’s a game innit?”
Once, when things went more than slightly awry, he did exactly the same tut and smile, but said “It’s a game and a half, innit?”
Over the years some truly great versions of this song have been released: four tops, van morrison(yes) and cliff(no) but this is the best and is it the first British number one by an Afro American ; effortless pacing and a faultless performance
I think Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers take that title.
Great call on the Four Tops’ slinky catwalk version of It’s All In The Game from 1970. Not just Levi Stubbs on lead, for once.