Head Games cover art

  Studio Album · No. 3

Head Games Songwriting Credits by Foreigner

1979 Atlantic Records 10 tracks 38 min

Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, Mick Jones, Ian McDonald  ·  Engineered by Geoff Workman

Atlantic Records Hard RockArena RockAOR
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Foreigner carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Foreigner 0 tracksoutside writers
Foreigner's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
4
Lyricists
2
Producers
2 million
US Copies Sold
1979
Released
Data Insight

Head Games is a Mick Jones-led writing record. Jones wrote 'Women,' 'I'll Get Even with You,' 'The Modern Day,' and 'Blinded by Science' alone and co-wrote 'Dirty White Boy,' 'Love on the Telephone,' 'Seventeen,' and 'Head Games' with Lou Gramm, so his name is on eight of the ten songs. The two exceptions come from other members: Ian McDonald co-wrote 'Do What You Like' with Gramm, and keyboardist Al Greenwood co-wrote 'Rev on the Red Line' with Gramm. In the composer column the stage names give way to legal names, Louis Grammatico for Lou Gramm and Michael Leslie Jones for Mick Jones, while McDonald and Greenwood are credited under their own names. Gramm sings lead throughout except on 'The Modern Day,' where Jones takes the lead vocal.

Head Games is the third studio album by Foreigner, released on September 11, 1979 by Atlantic Records. It was the first album to feature bassist Rick Wills, who replaced Ed Gagliardi, and the last to feature the six-piece lineup before the band cut down to four for 4. Written and recorded over a couple of months in 1979 at Atlantic Studios in New York and Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, it is the only Foreigner album co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker, whose punchier approach followed his work with Queen and The Cars. Mick Jones and Lou Gramm wrote or co-wrote most of the record, with Jones the dominant author and Gramm handling lead vocals across the album. It reached number 5 on the Billboard 200 and went Platinum, driven by the top-fifteen singles 'Dirty White Boy' and 'Head Games.'

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Dirty White Boy #12
Mick JonesLou Gramm Michael Leslie JonesLouis Grammatico Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals, Percussion)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
2
Love on the Telephone
Mick JonesLou Gramm Michael Leslie JonesLouis Grammatico Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
3
Women #41
Mick Jones Michael Leslie Jones Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
4
I'll Get Even with You
Mick Jones Michael Leslie Jones Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
5
Seventeen
Mick JonesLou Gramm Michael Leslie JonesLouis Grammatico Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
6
Head Games #14
Lou GrammMick Jones Louis GrammaticoMichael Leslie Jones Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
7
The Modern Day
Mick Jones Michael Leslie Jones Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Mick Jones (Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar)Lou Gramm (Backing Vocals, Percussion)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
8
Blinded by Science
Mick Jones Michael Leslie Jones Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
9
Do What You Like
Ian McDonaldLou Gramm Ian McDonaldLouis Grammatico Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
10
Rev on the Red Line
Al GreenwoodLou Gramm Al GreenwoodLouis Grammatico Roy Thomas BakerMick Jones Lou Gramm (Lead Vocals)Mick Jones (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Ian McDonald (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Al Greenwood (Keyboards, Synthesizers)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 9 contributors

More from Foreigner

Frequently Asked Questions Head Games

Who wrote the songs on Head Games?
Mick Jones wrote or co-wrote eight of the ten songs, four of them alone and four with Lou Gramm. Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood each co-wrote one track with Gramm.
Who produced Head Games?
It was produced by Roy Thomas Baker with Mick Jones and Ian McDonald. It is the only Foreigner album Baker co-produced.
Who sang lead on Head Games?
Lou Gramm sang lead on every track except 'The Modern Day,' where Mick Jones took the lead vocal.
What were the hit singles?
'Dirty White Boy' reached number 12 and 'Head Games' reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. 'Women' followed at number 41.
Was Head Games a new lineup for Foreigner?
Yes. It was the first album with bassist Rick Wills, who replaced Ed Gagliardi, and the last with the six-piece lineup before the band slimmed to four for 4.
How did Head Games perform commercially?
It reached number 5 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum, selling around two million copies in the US.
Where was Head Games recorded?
It was recorded in 1979 at Atlantic Studios in New York, with additional recording and mixing at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood.

Sources