“It’s a Game,” released in spring 1977, was the lead single from Bay City Rollers’ album It’s a Game. A cover of a 1973 song by String Driven Thing, the Rollers’ version—produced by David Bowie collaborator Harry Maslin—showcased a sleeker, more mature sound that departed from their earlier teen-pop image. In the UK, it reached No. 16, their first single outside the Top 10, while in Germany it climbed to No. 4, and in the U.S. it secured a Gold certification despite modest airplay
Bay City Rollers – It’s A Game
🧩 Originally by another band: The song was first recorded in 1973 by British folk-rock band String Driven Thing; Bay City Rollers transformed it into a polished pop-rock anthem
International appeal: The album It’s a Game topped Japan’s charts and reached the top 20 in the UK, Canada, and Australia; in the U.S. it peaked inside the Billboard 200 top‑30, earning Gold certification for 500,000 units sold by August 17, 1977
🎤 Line-up shift: During recording, guitarist Pat McGlynn—who appeared in the song’s video—was dismissed, and the band moved forward as a four‑piece with McKeown, Faulkner, Wood, and Derek Longmuir
🎧 Soft‑rock ballad follow-ups: Later singles from the same album—“You Made Me Believe in Magic” and “The Way I Feel Tonight”—marked the Rollers’ last big U.S. hits, with the latter reaching No. 24 on Billboard and No. 16 on Adult Contemporary charts
🎶 Fantasy imagery in lyrics: The song’s lyrics employ metaphorical symbols like “snakes on your ladder” and “lipstick on my collar” to convey confusion, betrayal, and chance within relationships
