The week of April 20, 1965, saw Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘The Game of Love,’ a song that had reached #2 in their native UK six months earlier.
Frontman Fontana left the band in the middle of a concert later that year, leaving the Mindbenders to continue as a trio. They bounced back nicely, making it to #2 with ‘A Groovy Kind of Love’ the following year.
‘The Game of Love’ is one of two #1 hits written by Clint Ballard Jr. The second was Linda Ronstadt’s ‘You’re No Good,’ released a decade later.
And the purpose of a woman is to love a man
So come on, baby
Let’s start today
Come on, baby
Let’s play
The game of love, love
La, la, la, la, la love
It started long ago in the Garden of Eden
When Adam said to Eve
Baby, you’re for me
So come on, baby
Let’s start today
Come on, baby
Let’s play
The game of love, love
La, la, la, la, la love
Come on, baby
‘Cause the time is right
Love your daddy with all your might
Put your arms around me
Hold me tight
Play the game of love
The purpose of a man is to love a woman
And the purpose of a woman is to love a man
So come on, baby
Let’s start today
Come on, baby
Let’s play
The game of love, love
La, la, la, la, la love
[Instrumental Break]
The purpose of a man is to love a woman
And the purpose of a woman is to love a man
So come on, baby
Let’s start today
Come on, baby
Let’s play
The game of love, love
La, la, la, la, la love
Come on, baby
‘Cause the time is right
Love your daddy with all your might
Put your arms around me
Hold me tight
Play the game of love
The game of love, (love), love, (love)
La, la, la, la, la love
The game of love, (love), love, (love)
La, la, la, la, la love
The game of love, baby
The game of la, la, la, la, la love
The game of love, baby
The game of la la la la love
Meet Me In Montauk 
Leaving the band in the middle of a concert? Awkward!