It's No Game

"It's No Game"
Song by David Bowie
from the album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
Released12 September 1980 (1980-09-12)
Recorded
  • February 1980 (No. 1, No. 2)
  • April 1980 (No. 1)
Studio
  • Power Station, New York City (No. 1, No. 2)
  • Good Earth, London (No. 1)
Genre
Length
  • 4:15 (No. 1)
  • 4:22 (No. 2)
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)David Bowie
Producer(s)

"It's No Game" is a song written by English musician David Bowie for his 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), featuring lead guitar played by Robert Fripp. The song is split into two parts, opening and closing the album. "(No. 1)" is musically sinister, featuring Bowie screaming lyrics and Japanese narration provided by actress Michi Hirota. "(No. 2)", a stark contrast to "(No. 1)", is much calmer, which Bowie's biographers symbolise as Bowie facing the same situation in "(No. 1)", but after the album's duration.

Alongside the album, "(No. 1)" was released as the B-side of the US version of the single "Ashes to Ashes" in August 1980. Bowie never performed "It's No Game" live during his concert tours, although the ending of "(No. 1)" was adapted for the 1987 Glass Spider Tour. The full song was later performed in the 2015 musical Lazarus.