Love Is a Game (song)

“Love Is a Game”
Song by Adele from the album 30
Released	November 19, 2021
Length	6:43
Label	Columbia Records
Writer(s)	Adele Adkins, Dean Josiah Cover
Producer(s)	Inflo
30 track listing
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“Love Is a Game” is a song by British singer-songwriter Adele, taken from her fourth studio album, 30. The song was written by Adele with Inflo and serves as the album’s closing track. Its title was confirmed on November 1, 2021, when the album’s track listing was revealed online.

Background and composition

“Love Is a Game” was the first of three songs for 30 co-written by Adele and British producer Inflo. Sonically, the song was inspired by the music of the 1960s and has been described as having a distinct cinematic feel, which Adele attributed to the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s playing on mute in the recording studio while “Love Is a Game” was written and recorded. “As it finished, we were trying to work out how to end the song, and I said, ‘We should write it as if we were writing the soundtrack’ — you know, at the end of the movie, where it pans out.” She went on to call it the “end song the movie should have had,” while also serving as the finale of the post-divorce journey that inspired the album.

In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Adele said she “really stepped up [her background vocal] game on this album,” estimating that she recorded nearly 270 tracks that were used to create the backing vocals for the studio version of “Love Is a Game.”

Live performances

“Love Is a Game” was performed live for the first time during the taping of Adele’s CBS special, Adele One Night Only. It was also included in the setlist of Adele’s ITV concert special, An Audience with Adele.

Lyrics

All your expectations of my love are impossible Surely you know, that I’m not easy to hold It’s so sad how incapable of learning to grow I am My heart speaks in puzzles and codes I’ve been trying my whole life to solve God only knows how I’ve cried I can’t take another defeat A next time would be the ending of me Now that I see That love (ooh-ooh) is a game (ooh-ooh) for fools to play (ooh, ooh, ooh) And I ain’t fooling (fooling), what a cruel thing (cruel thing) To self-inflict that pain, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah Love (ooh-ooh) is a game (ooh-ooh) for fools to play (ooh, ooh, ooh) And I ain’t fooling (fooling), what a cruel thing (cruel thing) To self-inflict that pain How unbelievable (Unbelievable) Of me to fall, for the lies that I tell? (Lies I tell) The dream that I sell? (Dream I sell) When my heart ache, it's inevitable (It's inevitable) But I’m no good at doing it well Not that I care (I don’t care) Why should anything about it be fair? When love (ooh-ooh) is a game (ooh-ooh) for fools to play (ooh, ooh, ooh) And I ain’t fooling (fooling), what a cruel thing (cruel thing) To self-inflict that pain, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah Love (ooh-ooh) is a game (ooh-ooh) for fools to play (ooh, ooh, ooh) And I ain’t fooling again (fooling), what a cruel thing (cruel thing) To self-inflict that pain No amount of love, can keep me satisfied (Satisfied, satisfied) I can’t keep up (Can't keep up, can't keep up) When I keep changing my mind (Change my mind, change my mind) The feelings flood me to the heights of no compromise Love (ooh-ooh) is a game (ooh-ooh) for fools to play (ooh, ooh, ooh) And I ain’t fooling (fooling), what a cruel thing (cruel thing) To self-inflict that pain, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah Love (ooh-ooh) is a game (ooh-ooh) for fools to play (ooh, ooh, ooh) And I ain’t fooling again (fooling), what a cruel thing (cruel thing) To self-inflict that pain (Ah, ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah, ah, ah, ah) I can love me I can love my whole again I love me now I can love everything I’m a fool for that You know I, you know I’m gonna do it Oh-oh, oh-oh I’d do it all again Like I did it ‘Cause I’m addicted, I’m addicted You know I’m gonna do it again