This article is about the 1979 Mi-Sex song. For the 1978 Yellow Magic Orchestra song, see Yellow Magic Orchestra (album).
"Computer Games" is a song by New Zealand band Mi-Sex, released in September 1979 in Australia and New Zealand as the second single from their debut studio album, Graffiti Crimes (1979). The song peaked at number 1 in Australia and 5 in New Zealand. The music video was filmed on location at what was at the time Control Data Corporation's North Sydney centre and included gameplay from the 1979 arcade games Speed Freak, Basketball and Star Fire. The single won the award for Best Australian Single at the 1979 TV Week/Countdown Music Awards.[1]
The single was also released in Europe and North America, as well as South Africa where the band's name was altered to MS to satisfy censorship.
The song was also re-recorded as the final track for the band's 1983 album Where Do They Go?, a dub version was the 12" B-side of their 1983 single "Lost Time"[2] and again on the 2016 EP Extended Play.
Musicologist Ian McFarlane opined that it was an "electro-pop anthem... with its simplistic, brain-teasing riff and Gilpin's mannered vocal yelps, "Computer Games" boasted little substance but was constructed for maximum effect. It came to epitomise the one word which has plagued the memory of Mi-Sex: 'contrived'."[3]
Stewart Mason from AllMusic said "Steve Gilpin's theatrical vocals, full of Brian Connolly-style hiccups and leaps into falsetto, are an interesting counterpoint to the unvarying electronic rhythm, particularly on the memorable stuttering chorus."[4]Cash Box said, "This avant-pop band has taken the sound first pioneered by Eno and Ultravox and molded it into more of a hard rock sound. The band employs witty future-orientated lyrics to augment the swirling synthesized sounds."[5]
computer, games, song, this, article, about, 1979, song, 1978, yellow, magic, orchestra, song, yellow, magic, orchestra, album, computer, games, song, zealand, band, released, september, 1979, australia, zealand, second, single, from, their, debut, studio, alb. This article is about the 1979 Mi Sex song For the 1978 Yellow Magic Orchestra song see Yellow Magic Orchestra album Computer Games is a song by New Zealand band Mi Sex released in September 1979 in Australia and New Zealand as the second single from their debut studio album Graffiti Crimes 1979 The song peaked at number 1 in Australia and 5 in New Zealand The music video was filmed on location at what was at the time Control Data Corporation s North Sydney centre and included gameplay from the 1979 arcade games Speed Freak Basketball and Star Fire The single won the award for Best Australian Single at the 1979 TV Week Countdown Music Awards 1 Computer Games Single by Mi Sexfrom the album Graffiti CrimesReleasedSeptember 1979 Australia NZ Recorded1979GenreSynth popLength3 54LabelCBSSongwriter s Murray Burns Steve Gilpin Kevin StantonProducer s Peter DawkinsMi Sex singles chronology But You Don t Care 1979 Computer Games 1979 People 1980 The single was also released in Europe and North America as well as South Africa where the band s name was altered to MS to satisfy censorship The song was also re recorded as the final track for the band s 1983 album Where Do They Go a dub version was the 12 B side of their 1983 single Lost Time 2 and again on the 2016 EP Extended Play Contents 1 Reception 2 Track listings 3 Charts 3 1 Weekly charts 3 2 Year end charts 4 See also 5 ReferencesReception EditMusicologist Ian McFarlane opined that it was an electro pop anthem with its simplistic brain teasing riff and Gilpin s mannered vocal yelps Computer Games boasted little substance but was constructed for maximum effect It came to epitomise the one word which has plagued the memory of Mi Sex contrived 3 Stewart Mason from AllMusic said Steve Gilpin s theatrical vocals full of Brian Connolly style hiccups and leaps into falsetto are an interesting counterpoint to the unvarying electronic rhythm particularly on the memorable stuttering chorus 4 Cash Box said This avant pop band has taken the sound first pioneered by Eno and Ultravox and molded it into more of a hard rock sound The band employs witty future orientated lyrics to augment the swirling synthesized sounds 5 Track listings EditAustralia New Zealand 7 BA 222563 Computer Games 3 54 Wot Do You Want 2 55Australian 12 Computer Games Disco Version 4 41 Graffiti Crimes 3 49Spanish version Juego De Computadoras Computer Games 3 54 Que Queres Wot Do You Want 2 55United Kingdom dance version Computer Games Special Dance Mix 6 17 Wot Do You Want 2 55Charts EditWeekly charts Edit Chart 1979 1981 PeakpositionAustralia Kent Music Report 6 1Austria O3 Austria Top 40 7 16Canada 8 2Netherlands Single Top 100 9 44New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 10 5US Hot Dance Club Songs 11 61Year end charts Edit Chart 1979 RankAustralia Kent Music Report 12 19See also EditList of number one singles in Australia during the 1970sReferences Edit Countdown Show no 235 Aired 13 4 1979 on ABC Australia Mi Sex Lost Time Dub Version 1983 Vinyl McFarlane Mi Sex entry Archived from the original on 7 August 2004 Retrieved 7 May 2016 Computer Games by Mi Sex AllMusic Retrieved 13 October 2017 CashBox Singles Reviews PDF Cash Box March 1 1980 p 15 Retrieved 2022 01 01 Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 St Ives NSW Australian Chart Book p 202 ISBN 0 646 11917 6 NOTE Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid 1988 Mi Sex Computer Games in German O3 Austria Top 40 Retrieved 3 October 2017 Sergent Bruce Mi Sex New Zealand Music of the 60 s and 70 s Bruce Sergent Retrieved 7 May 2016 Mi Sex Computer Games in Dutch Single Top 100 Retrieved 3 October 2017 Mi Sex Computer Games Top 40 Singles Retrieved 3 October 2017 Mi Sex Chart History Dance Club Songs Billboard Retrieved 14 November 2020 Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 St Ives NSW Australian Chart Book p 431 ISBN 0 646 11917 6 NOTE Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid 1988 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Computer Games song amp oldid 1125843435, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
