Music Monday: Games by Chuckii Booker

Music Monday is a meme that was created by Drew from The Tattooed Book Geek. Bjørn and I will pick a song alternatively on each Monday and share our thoughts about them. Bjørn’s pick this week is Games by Chuckii Booker.

I never knew that the rather awful ‘Return of the Mack’ by Mark Morrison was built around a sample. In the classic example of the Universe being unfair, ‘Return of the Mack’ was a worldwide hit and ‘Games’ by Chuckii Booker reached #68 in the US. I found out it existed from the One Song podcast, where it was mentioned as one of the great missing songs from the 1990s, and I fell in love – how could I not when the multilayered harmonies sound like Janet Jackson’s and the keyboards are old-school Babyface/Jam & Lewis when Booker produced it himself? Unsurprisingly, the album this song comes from was his last and I’d risk saying that he probably made most of his money from ‘Return of the Mack’. Have I mentioned I like Mark Morrison almost as much as dentist visits? Nevertheless, the use of the sample is genius. To the point where I don’t know what got sampled.

Would you be with me if I had nothing
If I couldn’t buy you something
Now you’ve got your share
And look who’s paying
I got your thing together
And you’re not staying

I’ve worked hard
To get the things I have, ooh, oh
I’ve worked hard
To get the things you need
And I wanna know
Why you wanna play on me?

(Why you wanna) Hoo (play your games on me?)
Why you wanna play
(Why you wanna play your games on me?)
Why you wanna play on me?
(Why you wanna) Hoo (play your games on me?)
Why you wanna play
(Why you wanna play your games on me?)

Oh
Shoo-doo (My baby)
(Those games of love)
Shoo-doo (My baby)

Is this just a game that you’re used to playing
Or am I just a fool that’s chasing?
Girl, I’ve tried my best to keep you happy
Instead you turned around and tried to try me

I’ve worked hard
To get the things I have, hoo, oh
I’ve worked hard (Hard)
To get the things you need
And I wanna know
Why you wanna play on me?

(Why you wanna) Hoo (play your games on me?)
Why you wanna play
(Why you wanna play your games on me?)
Said why you wanna play on me
(Why you wanna) Hoo (play your games on me?)
Why you want to play
(Why you wanna play your games on me?)
Oh, oh

Shoo-doo (My baby)
Hey, hey (The games of love), oh, oh-oh
Baby, baby (My baby)
Ooh (Games of love)

[Bridge]
Why you (Chuckii, Chuckii)
Why-why-why-why-why you (Chuckii, Chuckii)
Why-why-why-why-why you (Chuckii, Chuckii)
Why-why-why-why play your games on me (Chuckii, Chuckii)
Why-why-why-why-why you (Chuckii, Chuckii)
Why-why-why-why-why you (Chuckii, Chuckii)
Play your game, play your game
Why-why-why-why-why you (Chuckii, Chuckii)