Play The Game

Words and music by Freddie Mercury

Transcribed by Shane McDonald (shanemcd @ shanemcdonald.com)

Back to the Main Tab Page

This is a very complete version of Play the Game and I have included the
album and concert intros and endings (something I will be adding to the previous tabs) ;
So if you are playing this song live you have options on how you start and end the song.

Album Intro : 
Strings (almost portomento like), Best way to simulate it is to hit a 
high C note (best 3 octaves up from Middle C), 
now while holding the note, move down the 
scale semi-tone by semi-tone and as soon as you reach the G or F# increase the
rate of your decent until you reach the C above middle C - Piano starts instananeous.

Concert Intro #1 : 
From one of the early 1980's concerts , this piano piece is what 
Freddie used.  It uses the same shape for the 9 chords - basically 
make a full c chord  C  E  G  C and keep the same shape 
Chords : C  Gmaj7/B  Am  G  F  G  Am  Gmaj7/B  C  G Arpeggio  F Arp. G Arp. ...to main intro

Concert Intro #2 : Freddies Intro from the Milton Keynes Concert of 1982.
Again, it uses the same shape as above - if you are familiar 
with the concert you should make sense of this...
Chords : Play initial chord of C
C   Gmaj7/B   Am   G   ;  C   Gmaj7/B   Am   G ; 

C  C  G  G  Ab  G  Ab  G  G  G  [G G G]  *Bang lowest notes on Piano and go to start of verse

NOTES  : If you see a ; separating chords , this marks a bar of 4/4 , i.e. 4 timed beats
C * is chord of C   (C  E  G) but the C wavers between C and the lower B ; Am * is the same in that manner.

C *                         Bbmaj7
Open up your mind and let me step inside

Am *                             Fm6/Ab
Rest your weary head and let your heart decide

       C  Am  Dm                G             C  C7
Its so ea-sy, when you know the rules, its so ea-sy

F               Fm            C              G7/B  C                  Gm11
All you have to do is fall in love, play the game, everybody play the game

   Ab          Bb   ; C  C/B ; C7/Bb Am7  Ab ;  G Ab ;  F Bb  
of love, oooh yeah.


C *                               Bbmaj7
When you're feeling down and your resistance is low

Am *                       Fm6/Ab
Light another cigarette and let yourself go

        C    Am    Dm                G          C    C7
This is your life, dont play hard to get, its a free world

F                Fm            C             G7/B  C                  Gm11
All you have to do is fall in love, play the game, everbody play the game

    Ab         Bb   ;  C  C/B  ; C7/Bb  Am7  G  C  ;
Of love , oooh yeah


F          Bb/F         Fmaj7   F              C/E  Dm7            Gsus4
My game of love has just begun, love runs from my   head down to my toes

G          C/G                Em  Em/D  C           Em     C      D
My love is pumping through my veins,    driving me insane, come , come, 

Em7            C6             C7/Bb          Gm7
Play the game, play the game, play the game, play the game.

Ab5 Bb5 [ C C B C C B C C B C C B ] Bb    (Bold Notes enclosed in square brackets indicate Notes played only)

[ A A Ab  A A Ab  A Bb B A ] Ab

Guitar Solo Chords : 
C  Am ; Dm  G ;  C  C7 ; F  Fm ;  C          G7/B
                                    Play the game,
 
C                 Gm11       Ab    Bb7
Everbody play the game , of love

Coda :

        C    Am7   Dm                 G7         C    C7/Bb
This is your life, don't play hard to get, its a free world

F               Fm            C              G7/B
All you have to do is fall in Love, Play the Game

C                  Gm11           Ab Bb7
Everybody play the Game______   , of love

Album Ending : Repeat Coda 3 times - fade out

Concert Ending : Milton Keynes 1982
Play Coda once sung, 
play coda again instrumental 
play once more and End on C Chord - (Hit various C Chords up and down the octaves before final C Chord)