String Driven Thing: It's a Game

Someone posted a track by String Driven Thing on Bluesky the other day and I wondered why I knew the name. And then I remembered this.

It's a Game was covered by the Bay City Rollers in 1977 and provided them with their last top 20 hit. But I already knew the song, so this original version by String Driven Thing must have received airplay in 1973, even though it didn't make the charts.

String Driven Thing began as a folk trio, but were encouraged by their record company to adopt the folk rock sound that you hear on It's a Game. They toured America, supporting Lou Reed at one point, but never troubled the singles chart there or here.

Their Wikipedia entry reveals rapid line up changes, and also the interesting destinations of former members. These include being the guitar technician for Steve Winwood and Jeff Beck, and membership of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Just that I really hated the Bay City Rollers.