During its early years, Triumvirat initially played Top 40 songs at local venues in Cologne. The Nice and Emerson, Lake & Palmer heavily influenced Triumvirat’s musical direction and the band incorporated some of Nice/ELP music into their repertoire (Rondo among others).
In the early 1970s, the band sent a demo tape to EMI Records in Cologne and won their first record contract. Triumvirat subsequently produced modestly successful albums during the early to mid-1970s, including Mediterranean Tales (Across The Waters) and Illusions on a Double Dimple, and toured the United States with Fleetwood Mac to support Illusions on a Double Dimple, playing the album in its entirety. In 1975, Triumvirat reached the apex of their commercial success with the release of Spartacus.
The band underwent numerous personnel changes over the course of its life and eventually disbanded in 1980 with the release of their final album Russian Roulette.
Games
Triumvirat Lyrics
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Used to never play games at all
Just standing aside
Like a priest in a dancing hall
An older man I know
Has been gambling all his life
Winning nothing he could have owned
He lost his mind
You're trying anything
Right before you go insane
Pretend your loss is small
Pretend you didn't lose at al]
Define your lies
Convince them all
There's always gonna be a rise
After you fall
As long as you survive
That endless fall before you rise
Teachers teach in school
There is nothing that can't be learned
And at home they praise the grades
You never earned
No one shows you how
To understand the major rule
You can drown in a public pool
You do, you do
You bet your life and put it in again
You're trying anything
Right before you go insane
Pretend your loss is small
Pretend you didn't lose at all
Explain your lies
Convince them all
There's always gonna be a rise
After you fall
As long as they survive
That endless fall before you rise
A long gone friend of mine
Pulled a joker and lost his cool
But he lost his cool in style
The cool fool
The main theme of Triumvirat's song Games is the concept of gambling and the risks involved in it. The lyrics describe the experiences of two different people, an old man who has been gambling all his life and another friend who used to never play any games at all. The old man has won nothing of significant value, yet continued playing and eventually lost his mind. Both the old man and the friend represent opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to gambling, with the old man taking excessive risks while the friend avoids gambling completely, acting like a priest in a dancing hall.
The song also touches upon the idea of pretending or convincing oneself and others to believe that losses are small or didn't happen at all. The lyrics suggest that this is a major aspect of gambling - convincing oneself that a loss was not significant and continuing to play again, risking more and more. The song highlights the eternal cycle of rising and falling and the need to survive the endless fall before one can rise again.
Line by Line Meaning
A long gone friend of mine
The singer is referring to a friend who is no longer present.
Used to never play games at all
The friend never engaged in deceit or trickery.
Just standing aside
This could indicate that the friend was not interested in playing games or was wary of them.
Like a priest in a dancing hall
The friend stood out because of their non-participation like a religious figure in a place of revelry.
An older man I know
The artist is referring to an older man in their acquaintance.
Has been gambling all his life
The older man has been betting in games of chance for a long time.
Winning nothing he could have owned
Despite playing, he never won anything of substantial value.
He lost his mind
The act of gambling could have driven him insane or he was already predisposed to mental instability.
You bet your life and play again
This could be interpreted as risking everything in order to have another chance to win.
You're trying anything
The desperation to successfully win at the game is causing the person to attempt anything to achieve victory.
Right before you go insane
The singer is cautioning listeners from engaging in too much gaming or betting, as it could lead to madness.
Pretend your loss is small
To save face, the artist proposes that pretending the loss was insignificant or easy to bear might help the loser feel better.
Pretend you didn't lose at all
This line re-emphasizes the idea that the loser should pretend the loss didn't happen because it's less painful.
Define your lies
This line might advise that the loser should be careful in crafting their excuses or alibis for losing.
Convince them all
The loser must try to convince others of the efficacy of their excuses or lies to avoid embarrassment and maintain an image of success.
There's always gonna be a rise
This line alludes to the hope that there will always be another opportunity to win or redeem oneself after a loss.
After you fall
This refers to the act of losing, which is followed by the opportunity to try again and succeed.
As long as you survive
This line suggests that so long as you haven't lost everything and still have the ability to continue playing, there's always a chance of success.
That endless fall before you rise
Refers to a long losing streak or period of misfortune, which might precede eventual success or redemption.
Teachers teach in school
The artist highlights the role of educators in imparting knowledge and skills to children.
There is nothing that can't be learned
The artist invokes the idea that everything can be learned, even skills with practical applications in everyday life.
And at home they praise the grades
The artist notes that students might receive encouragement and praise from family members for achieving high grades in school.
You never earned
This line suggests that despite the praise, perhaps the student did not actually earn the high grades through hard work and dedication.
No one shows you how
This might refer to life skills and lessons that are not taught in school, and which parents or others in a child's life might neglect to impart.
To understand the major rule
This line might allude to the major rule in the 'game of life' - that success can be elusive and there are no guarantees of happiness or prosperity.
You can drown in a public pool
This metaphor could indicate that dangers are present even in seemingly innocuous or benign situations and locations.
You do, you do
This repeats the warning that one should be wary of deceit and illusions in life.
Pulled a joker and lost his cool
A metaphorical joker - an unexpected and disadvantageous event - has caused the friend to lose control and react emotionally.
But he lost his cool in style
This line could mean that despite the emotional reaction, the friend maintained dignity and grace while losing their composure.
The cool fool
This phrase might be interpreted as an oxymoron - an individual who is both composed and level-headed, while also foolish or irrational.
Contributed by Lucas F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.