Just_a_Game_(album) Knowpia

Just a Game
Just a Game
Studio album by Triumph
Released	March 1979
Recorded	Fall & Winter 1978
Studio	Sounds Interchange Studios, Toronto and Metalworks Studios, Mississauga, ON
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
Length	36:22
Label	Attic, RCA, TML
Producer	Mike Levine
Triumph chronology
Music video
	"Lay It on the Line"" on YouTube
Music video
	"Hold On" on YouTube

Just a Game is the third studio album by Canadian hard rock band Triumph, released in 1979. The album contains one of Triumph's most popular songs on FM album-oriented radio, "Lay it on the Line", and the Top 40 hit "Hold On", which peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 33 in Canada.

Artwork edit

The vinyl LP version of the album featured a sleeve that folded open to reveal a board game (though later pressings just contained a regular vinyl sleeve without this). According to a Rockline interview, the board game was Rik Emmett's idea, but Mike Levine was the one who actually designed it and decided to make it impossible to win.

The front cover of the album revealed a futuristic world where every symbol depicts a song featured on the album.

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]

The Globe and Mail wrote that, "as Rush has become bogged down in a sea of pretention, Triumph has stuck to the basics and honed its heavy-metal drone to a steely edge."^[3]

Track listing edit

Vinyl release edit

Side 1

"Movin' On" (Moore) – 4:07
"Lay It on the Line" (Emmett) – 4:02
"Young Enough to Cry" (Moore) – 6:03
"American Girls" (Moore) – 5:01

Side 2

"Just a Game" (Emmett) – 6:13
"Fantasy Serenade" (Emmett) – 1:39
"Hold On" (Emmett) – 6:04
"Suitcase Blues" (Emmett) – 3:01

Cassette release edit

"Movin' On" (Moore) – 4:07
"Young Enough to Cry" (Moore) – 6:03
"American Girls" (Moore) – 5:01
"Lay It on the Line" (Emmett) – 4:02
"Suitcase Blues" (Emmett) – 3:01
"Just a Game" (Emmett) – 6:13
"Fantasy Serenade" (Emmett) – 1:39
"Hold On" (Emmett) – 6:04

CD release edit

"Movin' On" (Moore) – 4:07
"Lay It on the Line" (Emmett) – 4:02
"Young Enough to Cry" (Moore) – 6:03
"American Girls" (Moore) – 5:01
"Just a Game" (Emmett) – 6:13
"Fantasy Serenade" (Emmett) – 1:39
"Hold On" (Emmett) – 6:04
"Suitcase Blues" (Emmett) – 3:01

Personnel edit

Rik Emmett – guitars, vocals
Gil Moore – drums, vocals
Mike Levine – bass, keyboards
Laurie Delgrande – keyboards
Mike Danna – keyboards
Beau David – background vocals
Elaine Overholt – background vocals
Gord Waszek – background vocals
Colina Phillips – background vocals
Rosie Levine – background vocals

Production edit

Michael Levine – producer
Mike Jones – engineer
Doug Neil – assistant
George Semkiw – remixing
Hugh Cooper – assistant
John Golden – digital mastering
Brett Zilahi – digital re mastering
Rene Zamic – cover illustration
Gary Kremnitz – photography
Lynne Waggett – photography
Jim Murray – photography

Charts edit

Chart (1979)	Peak position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[4]	19
US Billboard 200^[5]	48

Certifications edit


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[6]	Platinum	100,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[7]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References edit

^ "RIAA".
^ "Just a Game Review by Eduardo Rivadavia". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
^ Michael-Davidson, Neil (5 May 1979). "Just a Game Triumph". The Globe and Mail. p. F4.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4499a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
^ "Triumph Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
^ "Canadian album certifications – Triumph – Just a Game". Music Canada.
^ "American album certifications – Triumph – Just a Game". Recording Industry Association of America.