It's No Game (Part I)
David Bowie · Scary Monsters... And Super Creeps [1980]
Mo tengoku no giu no kaidan wa nai
Silhouettes and shadows watch the revolution
No more free steps to heaven
It's no game
Ore genjitsu kara shime dasare
Nani ga okkote iru ka wakara nai
Doko ni kyokun wa aruka
Hitobito wa yabi oorareteiru
Konna dokusaishani igashima rareru nowa kanashi
I am barred from the event
I really don't understand the situation
And it's no game
Documentaries on refugees
Couples 'gainst the target
They throw the rock against the road
And it breaks into peices
Draw the blinds on yesterday
And it's all so much scarier
Put a bullet in my brain
And it makes all the papers
Nammino kiroku eiga
Hioteki o se ni shita koibi to tach
Michi ni ishi o nage reba
Konago na mi kudake
Kino ni hutao sureba
Kyohu wa masu
Ore no atama ni tama o buchi kome ba
Shinbun wa kaki tateru
So where's the moral when people have their fingers broken
To be insulted by these fascists - it's so degrading
And it's no game
It's No Game (Part I)
It's No Game (Part I) stands as a pivotal track on David Bowie's 1980 album Scary Monsters... And Super Creeps, marking a distinct shift toward a harder, more aggressive sound. The recording features a driving, funk-infused rhythm that contrasts with the atmospheric textures found elsewhere on the record. As the first half of a two-part suite, the song builds tension through its repetitive structure and dynamic instrumentation, showcasing Bowie's ability to blend rock energy with experimental production techniques. This era represents a crucial transition in his discography, moving away from the glam excesses of the previous decade toward a more grounded, new wave aesthetic. The track remains a celebrated example of his creative evolution during a period of significant artistic reinvention.