"Games People Play"

I've actually only heard the Joe South version of "Games People Play" once. It's a decent song, and not one that I would choose to arrange as an instrumental on my own. I have King Curtis to thank for that, whose Grammy-winning version featured a young session guitarist named Duane Allman on slide guitar and, oddly enough, sitar. The tune appeared on the first Duane Allman Anthology, which was a gateway for me to all kinds of music - Johnny Jenkins' Ton-Ton Macoute, Delaney & Bonnie, Cowboy, John Hammond, Aretha Franklin's "The Weight", Wilson Pickett's "Hey Jude", etc.


But it was King Curtis' sweet and soulful take on a pretty standard pop hit by Joe South that struck me. Listening to Joe South's version, it could be Harry Nilsson or BJ Thomas-lite - it's fairly forgettable. In King Curtis' hands the strings, steady strut, and none sense singing are replaced with Muscle Shoals' soul-drenched horns, a steady swing, and of course, a sweet alto sax. King Curtis' version resonated with me and quickly became one of my favorite tunes and it wasn't long before I adapted it to slide guitar. Naturally, it seemed like the logical next tune for this acoustic project.