(1) A country singer an… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists by this name:
(1) A country singer and songwriter from Texas.
(2) An alias of techno producer Thomas Wendel.
(1) Don Williams (Born May 27, 1939, in Floydada, Texas - Died September 8, 2017) spent much of his childhood in Corpus Christi, Texas. His father was a mechanic whose job took him to other regions, his mother played guitar and he grew up listening to country music. He and Lofton Kline formed a semi-professional folk group called the Strangers Two, and then, with the addition of Susan Taylor, they became the Pozo-Seco Singers, the phrase being a geological term to denote a dry well. Handled by Bob Dylan's manager Albert Grossman, they had major pop hits in the U.S. with "Time," "I Can Make It With You" and "Look What You've Done." Following Kline's departure, they employed several replacements, resulting in a lack of musical direction. After Williams had failed to turn the trio towards country music, they disbanded in 1971.
He then worked for his father-in-law but also wrote for Susan Taylor's solo album via Jack Clement's music publishing company. Clement asked Williams to record albums of his company's best songs, mainly with a view to attracting other performers. In 1973, Don Williams, Volume 1 was released on the fledgling JMI label and included such memorable songs as Bob McDill's apologia for growing old, "Amanda," and Williams' own "The Shelter of Your Eye." Williams' work was reissued by Dot Records, and Don Williams, Volume 2 included "Atta Way to Go" and "We Should Be Together." Williams then had a country No. 1 with Wayland Holyfield's "You're My Best Friend," which has become a standard and is the perennial sing-along anthem at his concerts. By now, the Williams' style had developed: gently paced love songs with straightforward arrangements, lyrics and sentiments. Williams was mining the same vein as Jim Reeves, but he eschewed Reeves' smartness by dressing like a ranch-hand. Besides having a huge contingent of female fans, Williams counted Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend among his admirers. Clapton recorded his country hit "Tulsa Time," written by Danny Flowers, a member of Williams' band.
Williams played a band member himself in the Burt Reynolds film W.W. & the Dixie Dance Kings and also appeared in Smokey and the Bandit 2. Williams' other successes include "Till the Rivers All Run Dry," "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend," "Lay Down Beside Me" and his only U.S. solo pop hit, "I Believe in You." Unlike most established country artists, he has not sought duet partners, although he and Emmylou Harris found success in 1981 with their version of Townes Van Zandt's "If I Needed You." Among the highlights of Williams' recording career is his interpretation of "Good Ol' Boys Like Me," McDill's homage to his southern roots. Moving to Capitol Records in the mid-'80s, Williams released such singles as "Heartbeat in the Darkness" and "Senorita," but the material was not as impressive. He took a sabbatical in 1988, but subsequent RCA Records recordings showed that nothing had changed.
In 1998, Williams released I Turn the Page on Giant Records, but the label soon closed its country music division. Following a live album in 2001, Williams retuned in 2004 with My Heart to You.
Maintaining his stress-free style, Williams continues to be a major concert attraction, especially in the U.K. and South Africa.
Williams initially started out as a songwriter for Jack Music Inc., since he lacked belief about going solo but then signed with JMI as a solo artist. His 1974 song "We Should Be Together" reached number five and he was signed on with ABC/Dot. His first single with ABC/Dot, "I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me," became a number one hit, and was the first of a string of top ten hits he had between 1974 and 1991. In fact, only four of his 46 singles didn't make it to the Top Ten. Recently (as of 2012), he released the album And So It Goes.
From His Own Website.
They came to call Don Williams “the Gentle Giant” in the decades he was a dominating country hit maker because of his unique blend of commanding presence and that laid-back, easy style that has appealed to adult men and women alike—cutting across national and genre boundaries. If those personal and musical qualities stood out strongly across the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, they are all the more distinctive in 2012, when so many country and pop records seem to work as check off lists of somebody’s idea of how to be a man, or hard-sell attempts to indicate affection for a woman. Don Williams has never sounded like he felt the need to sell somebody something, or to prove anything.
On And So It Goes, available from Sugar Hill on June 19th, that winning, self-assured ease is again front and center, and the musical style that has made Don a ballad vocal model for performers ranging from Eric Clapton (with whom he’d traded songs—“Tulsa Time,” “Lay Down Sally”) to Keith Urban (who guests on this release). One listen to the characteristically right-on-target vocals on this first Don Williams recording in eight years and his admirers will be wondering what he’s done to maintain that strength over the hiatus.
“Well, there are things that I don’t do,” Don laughs. “I don’t do a whole lot of sitting around chit-chatting, laughing, and carrying on—especially when I’m on the road, where that just makes you tired, anyway. Even at home on the farm there are literally days on end that I may not say anything but for an hour or two a day.”
This man who so clearly loves the quiet home life can still fill an auditorium or stadium across the U.S., the U.K., Europe and Africa; his special role as an international ambassador for American country and pop music is ongoing and his musical appeal, he has long since been astonished to find, is about the same from the Central Time Zone to central Africa.
“The weird thing about that is—no; I don’t change my show to go play England or Nairobi. I can pretty much choose anything from my repertoire and it works wherever I am, and that still amazes me, because you’re talking about different cultures, sometimes different languages, and the whole nine yards.”
The hundreds of memorable songs in that repertoire—over fifty of them major hits—whether contemplative ballads, affecting love songs or change-up rhythm numbers, have always been a core Don Williams strength and focus. Don and long-time producer Garth Fundis, who returns in that role on this new album, each credit the other with having contributed to their own song-picking and sequencing skills—skills well put to shared use again when Nashville’s finest writers submitted hundreds of songs for consideration for Don’s return to recording. They both knew what they were looking for in selections that would appear on And So It Goes:
“They’re very well written, they’re interesting, and the melody and the lyric are saying the same thing,” Don says. “Even when we’re starting looking for the songs, just experimenting, Garth and I are just in agreement; we just want to make good music that touches our hearts and, hopefully, touches others’ in the process. For many years, though, Garth has fussed at me about one thing— that we need to be sure and do whatever song that I wrote, because I would just pass over it. I get more excited about a new song that I’ve just heard than I do my own material!” (There are, in fact, two Don Williams co-writes among the ten outstanding songs on this new release.)
Riding and crossing the line between country and pop, and all the more distinctive for doing it, Don brought a sound and sensibility to the country charts that proved a smash—a development that was initially a surprise even to him.
“When I was just a wee lad,” he recalls, “I really appreciated people like Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash and Jim Reeves; all of those guys back then meant a lot to me, but at the same time, I really loved Brook Benton, and the Platters and all of those people. But even when I was ‘in pop’ myself, with everything that I wrote, the only people who really seemed to appreciate it were country fans. That has to tell you a little bit about where your heart’s at, whether your head agrees with it or not!”
Born in Floydada, Florida in 1939 and growing up near Corpus Christi, Texas, Don was playing guitar by age twelve, taught by his mother, and performed in folk, country and rock bands as a teenager. He first gained musical attention as a member of the pop folk trio The Pozo Seco Singers, which had six pop chart hits in 1966-’67, then was signed as a songwriter by Nashville’s Cowboy Jack Clement in 1971—the sort of songwriter whose demos demanded attention. Between 1974 and 1991, Don had at least one major hit every year, including such country standards to be as “ Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “Till the Rivers All Run Dry,” “It Must Be Love,” “I’m Just a Country Boy,” “Amanda” and “I Believe in You.” He also had a hit duet with Emmylou Harris on Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You.” Don was the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year in 1978; his “Tulsa Time” was the ACM Record of the Year for 1979.
In 2010, Don received country music’s highest honor, with his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Don Williams died on 8 september 2017 after a short illness. He was 78 years old.
(2) Founder and owner of Mojuba & A.R.T.less Records and one half of the Tokomak Records company. He is the creative force behind these imprints and Tokomak's main founding member. His musical influences ranges from Classic, Funk and Jazz via Drum & Bass and Trip Hop to his beloved Detroit Techno and US House, which can be still enjoyed throughout his DJ-Sets. After a few releases on the legendary Pure Plastic imprint, he delivers tracks of his own brand of funk on labels like Rewired, Styrax Leaves and 100% Pure.
Games People Play
Don Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every night and every day now
Never meaning what they say now,
Never saying what they mean.
They just wile away the hours,
In their ivory towers
Til they're covered up with flowers,
In the back of a black limousine.
La da da, da da da, da dee
I'm talking bout you and me
And the games people play.
Oh, we make one another cry,
Break our heart when we say goodbye
Cross our hearts and we hope to die
Bet the other was to blame.
Neither one ever give an inch
So we gaze at our eight by ten
Thinking bout the things that might of been
And its a dirty rotten shame.
--- Instrumental ---
People walking up to you,
Singing glory, Hallelujah!
And their trying to sock it to you,
In the name of the Lord.
There gonna teach you how to meditate
Read your horoscope and cheat your fate
And to furthermore to hell with hate
Come on get on board.
La da da, da da da, da da
La da da, da da da, da dee
I'm talking bout you and me
And the games people play.
Well, look around and tell me what you see
What's a happening to you and me
God grant me the serenity
To remember who I am.
'Cause you've given up your sanity
For your pride and your vanity
Turns you back on humanity
And you don't give a da da.
La da da, da da da, da da
La da da, da da da, da dee
I'm talking bout you and me
And the games people play.
La da da, da da da, da da
La da da, da da da, da dee
I'm talking bout you and me
And the games people play...
The lyrics to Don Williams’ “Games People Play” reflect the bitter disappointment that many people feel as they navigate through life’s complications. The opening verse describes how people are not always truthful and often play games, never saying what they really mean. They pretend to live in “ivory towers” and ignore the consequences of their actions until they pass away and are carried away by a “black limousine” to their final resting place. The chorus serves as a reminder that everyone plays games, breaking each other’s hearts and making each other cry. They refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes and instead point fingers, causing pain and heartache.
The second verse talks about people who try to preach and teach others, but only end up fooling them. They talk about meditation, horoscopes, and other ways of cheating fate. The message of the song is that people should not give up their sanity for the sake of pride or vanity. Instead, they should look around and see what is happening to them and others, and remember who they truly are.
Overall, “Games People Play” is a cautionary tale about the consequences of selfishness, dishonesty, and self-delusion. It highlights the importance of empathy, responsibility, and self-awareness. The melody is light and catchy, but the lyrics are deep and contemplative, making it both enjoyable to listen to and thought-provoking.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the games people play now,
People are playing games every day and every night, trying to deceive and mislead each other.
Every night and every day now
These games are being played all the time, constantly and consistently.
Never meaning what they say now,
People are not being genuine with their words, saying things that they do not truly mean.
Never saying what they mean.
Instead of being honest, people are holding back their true feelings and intentions.
They just wile away the hours,
People pass the time with these games, not really accomplishing much.
In their ivory towers,
People are hiding and separating themselves from others, thinking they are above them.
Til they're covered up with flowers,
Eventually, they will die and be buried, possibly with a lot of false praise.
In the back of a black limousine.
They want to give off the impression of being wealthy and important, even in death.
La da da, da da da, da da
La da da, da da da, da dee
Just a small musical interlude.
I'm talking bout you and me
The song is a commentary on the actions of people in general, including the singer and the listener.
And the games people play.
Reinforcing the main theme of the song that people are always playing games with each other.
Oh, we make one another cry,
People hurt each other while playing these games, causing tears and heartbreak.
Break our heart when we say goodbye
Saying goodbye can be very painful and it can break people's hearts.
Cross our hearts and we hope to die
Promises are made, but people often do not uphold them.
Bet the other was to blame.
People tend to attribute fault to the other person instead of taking responsibility for their own actions.
Neither one ever give an inch
Neither person is willing to compromise or give in during disagreements.
So we gaze at our eight by ten
People reflect on what could have been and what they did wrong.
Thinking bout the things that might of been
Regretting missed opportunities and the choices made in the past.
And its a dirty rotten shame.
It's a sad and unfortunate reality in life.
People walking up to you,
Strangers may approach you and show fake kindness.
Singing glory, Hallelujah!
They may act religious and full of praise.
And their trying to sock it to you,
They are actually trying to take advantage of you or deceive you.
In the name of the Lord.
They may act as if what they're doing is acceptable because they're doing it in the name of religion.
There gonna teach you how to meditate
They will try to teach you something that they claim will improve your life.
Read your horoscope and cheat your fate
They will also suggest something like astrology or other things that in reality cannot change one's fate.
And to furthermore to hell with hate
They will talk about love and positivity in direct opposition to hateful feelings.
Come on get on board.
They will try to persuade you to join in on their fake positivity.
Well, look around and tell me what you see
People should take a good look at the world and realize what is truly happening around them.
What's a happening to you and me
The current state of society affects everyone, not just one person specifically.
God grant me the serenity
The singer is asking for peace and serenity from God.
To remember who I am.
In the midst of all the games and deception, it's important to stay true to oneself.
'Cause you've given up your sanity
People lose their own sanity when they try to fit in with societal expectations.
For your pride and your vanity
People sacrifice their mental health for their own pride and vanity.
Turns you back on humanity
Society promotes selfishness instead of compassion and empathy.
And you don't give a da da.
It's a sad truth that people are willing to harm others for their own benefit.
La da da, da da da, da da
La da da, da da da, da dee
Another musical interlude.
I'm talking bout you and me
Reaffirming that the song is addressing everyone, including the listener.
And the games people play.
The song concludes by repeating the main theme, that people are always playing games with each other.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Joe South
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@melin520
Oh, the games people play now
Every night and every day and now
Never meaning what they say now
Never saying what they mean
They just wile away the hours in their ivory towers
'Til they're covered with flowers in the back of a black limousine
La La La, La La La, La La
La La La, LaLaLa, La dee
I'm talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play
*Oh, we make one another cry
Break our heart when we say goodbye
Cross our hearts and we hope to die
Bet the other was to blame
Neither one ever give an inch
So we gaze at our eight to ten
Thinking 'bout the things that might've been
And it's a dirty rotten shame
*****************
People walking up to you singing glory, Hallelujah!
And they're trying to sock it to you in the name of the Lord
There gonna teach you how to meditate
Read your horoscope and cheat your fate
And the furthermore they hell with hate
Come on get on board
La La La, La La La, La La
La La La, LaLaLa, La dee
I'm talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play
++++++++++++++
Well, look around, tell me what you see
What's happening into you and me
God grant me the serenity to remember who I am
'Cause you've given up your sanity for your pride and your vanity
Turns you back on humanity and you do not give a da da da
La La La, La La La, La La
La La La, LaLaLa, La dee
I'm talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play
La La La, La La La, La La
La La La, LaLaLa, La dee
I'm talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play.
@joankaranja5973
God grant me the serenity to remember who I am ♥️
@nitasheehan2704
Great treatment of a great song.
@777bigbird
One of the finest voices ever. And even a finer man . Love Don aways RIP my friend
@rosannamartin6779
Very true songs 🌹
@Helene604
Love this good old song! But nothing changes much..same old story.. tragic but true...
@luciafeliciano9242
Isso é magnífico. Todas as músicas de Don Williams são lindas.❤
@billieduff8118
That song is so TRUE!!!!! Sickest thing ever in the.of GOD to do!!!
@katecohu3107
I’ve never loved 🥰 this song 🎵 as much as I do now Don is tops at singing it ❤❤❤❤❤❤
@craighreynish7881
Great song!!!
@katecohu3107
This song and circle driveway are two of my great favorites ❤❤❤❤❤❤