Games People Play
Lissie Lyrics
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Every night and every day now
Never meaning what they say now
Never saying what they mean
And they wile away the hours
In their ivory towers
Till they're covered up with flowers
In the back of a black limousine
La da da, da da da, de
Talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play
Oh, we make one another cry
Break a heart then we say goodbye
Cross our hearts and we hope to die
That the other was to blame
Neither one will give in
So we gaze at our eight by ten
Thinking 'bout the things that
Might have been it's a dirty rotten shame
La da da, da da da, da da
La da da, da da da, de
Talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play
People walking up to you
Singing Glory Hallelujah
And they're trying to sock it to you
In the name of the Lord
They're gonna teach you how to meditate
Read your horoscope, cheat your faith
And further more to hell with hate
Come on and get on board
La da da, da da da, da da
La da da, da da da, de
Talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play
Look around tell me what you see
What's 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 sad on humanity
And you don't give a da da dam da da
La da da, da da da, da da
La da da, da da da, de
Talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play
The lyrics of Lissie's song "Games People Play" delve into the dishonesty and manipulation that often occur in human relationships. The opening lines describe how people engage in these games, both during the day and at night, never truly meaning what they say and never saying what they truly mean. The image of "ivory towers" suggests that these individuals separate themselves from reality and from genuine connection with others.
As time passes, they become engulfed in their own games until they meet a tragic end, symbolized by being "covered up with flowers in the back of a black limousine." Lissie emphasizes the cycle of these games by repeating the chorus, reinforcing how prevalent these behaviors are in our society.
The second verse focuses on the emotional toll these games take, as they make one another cry and break hearts before parting ways. Neither side is willing to compromise or admit fault, becoming fixated on what might have been. Lissie presents this as a lamentable situation, expressing how sad it is that these games prevent genuine relationships and connection.
The third verse expands the concept of games people play beyond personal relationships to societal influences. Here, Lissie criticizes those who use religion and spirituality to manipulate and deceive others, claiming to have higher moral authority while exploiting others in the name of faith. She encourages listeners to reject this behavior and instead focus on love and unity.
The song concludes with an introspective call to self-reflection, urging individuals to remember who they truly are and resist sacrificing their sanity and humanity for pride and vanity. Lissie suggests that we should strive for authenticity, serenity, and empathy instead of engaging in these games that perpetuate pain and disconnection.
In summary, "Games People Play" is a critique of the superficiality, deceit, and emotional toll that deceitful actions and manipulation have on individuals and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the games people play now
Oh, the deceitful actions and manipulations that people engage in
Every night and every day now
These games occur constantly, without pause
Never meaning what they say now
People speak insincerely, with no true intentions behind their words
Never saying what they mean
They hide their true thoughts and feelings, refusing to express them honestly
And they wile away the hours
They pass the time with these games, wasting their precious moments
In their ivory towers
From their positions of privilege and power, they carry out these games
Till they're covered up with flowers
Until they meet their demise and are mourned by others
In the back of a black limousine
Their funerals are grandiose and lavish, symbolized by a luxurious vehicle
Talking 'bout you and me
Discussing the actions and behaviors of both individuals and society as a whole
Oh, we make one another cry
We inflict emotional pain upon each other
Break a heart then we say goodbye
We damage someone's emotions and then abruptly end the relationship
Cross our hearts and we hope to die
We make false promises, swearing on our lives
That the other was to blame
We shift the responsibility onto the other person
Neither one will give in
Neither party is willing to compromise or surrender
So we gaze at our eight by ten
We stare at our photographs, reminiscing about what could have been
Thinking 'bout the things that might have been
Reflecting on the missed opportunities and lost potentials
It's a dirty rotten shame
It's a disgraceful and unfortunate situation
People walking up to you
Individuals approaching you
Singing Glory Hallelujah
Expressing praise and worship, seemingly devout
And they're trying to sock it to you
Attempting to deceive or take advantage of you
In the name of the Lord
Using religion as a justification for their actions
They're gonna teach you how to meditate
They claim to guide you in finding inner peace and tranquility
Read your horoscope, cheat your faith
They encourage reliance on astrology and manipulate your beliefs
And further more to hell with hate
They promote a disregard for hatred and negativity
Come on and get on board
Join their manipulative endeavors and conform to their ways
Look around tell me what you see
Observe your surroundings and share your observations
What's happening to you and me
Consider the current state and impact on individuals and the collective
God grant me the serenity
May God bestow upon me a calm and peaceful state of mind
To remember who I am
To stay true to my authentic self and not be influenced by others
'Cause You've given up Your sanity
Because you have sacrificed your mental well-being
For Your pride and your vanity
Due to your excessive self-importance and egotism
Turns You sad on humanity
Leaves you disappointed in the behavior of humankind
And you don't give a da da dam da da
And you no longer care, feeling indifferent
Talking 'bout you and me
Discussing the impact of these games on individuals
And the games people play
And the manipulative actions and behaviors exhibited by people
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOE SOUTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Scott Bruno
Nice cover. Love her voice and the production, too. It sounds like the 70s -- but in a good way, which is rare. I can practically see them hanging out and just jamming the song.
effelove
She is brilliant, so real, and just simply fabulous. Anyone that says otherwise has zero radar for true and pure greatness in the realm of musical talent. Genius- i love her. You move my soul Lissie! I am your fan for life- hope yours is a beautiful healthy one. Peace and love Lissie- you are a legend!
Mr Wayne
@Trowblood Really. You don't see the arrogance in that statement.
Trowblood
@Mr Wayne Calm down Wayne. You're being a bit over protective yourself.
Mr Wayne
Your arrogance is fucking unbelievable. Who do you think you are to tell the whole world if you disagree with me you don't know what you're talking about.
Brandy Houze
Yes she is !! So Awesoeme..love her and her voice is amazing:)
ss
this woman is the queen of covers
FraAngelico729
Just heard this on the radio and had to look it up. Her voice is indescribable and this is a brilliant version. Probably my favorite cover. Thanks for sharing your talent, Lissie.
Darlene-Ashley Cheleze
i just found this young lady today. this is my fourth song in a row. she has a magic in that voice for sure but the songs sound good too.
strangersound
Wonderful rendition. <3