Supertramp • Breakfast in America
Supertramp • Breakfast in America • 1979
Breakfast in America. This record is a studio album (the sixth) by the English rock band, Supertramp. The unusual Supertramp sound is distinct in its blend of progressive pop features with a lot of Wurly keyboards and saxophones. That and the amazing, unique vocal stylings of lead singer Roger Hodgson.
(Above) Roger Hodgson, represents the distinctive voice and sound of Supertramp
I spent some time visiting my parents in the California High Desert during the Summer of 1979. It was July. My Dad, a few years prior, had retired from aerospace, and was now selling cars for fun and profit. One day he asked me to drive with him about a half hour out of town to deliver a brand new vehicle to a customer. Looking back, I have a very fond, positive recollection of that day, driving with my Dad to a tiny Desert Ghost Town, Garlock, which is near Randsburg (the larger metropolis nearby - almost a hundred people!). All the while on this drive, I was enjoying listening to the music on the radio. That’s when I recall hearing Supertramp for the first time. It was the Logical Song, and I was struck with what a fun song it was to listen to. I’ll never forget that strange memory with my Dad. He wasn’t as impressed with the band as I was. Oh well. But one sign of how interesting a record is, might just be that you remember where you were the first time you heard it. Or maybe that’s just me.
Anyway, come to find out as the year went on, there was a whole album called Breakfast in America, and it was “chocked” full of amazing songs. In fact the album spun off four great singles, “The Logical Song” (which went to # 6 on the charts), “Goodbye Stranger” (# 15), “Take the Long Way Home” (# 10), and “Breakfast in America” (# 62). As it turned out, Breakfast in America won two Grammy Awards in 1980, and topped the album charts in several countries, including France where it became the biggest-selling English language album of all time (as per Classicrockreview).
Rolling Stone magazine summed it up this way: “Breakfast in America is a textbook-perfect album of post-Beatles, keyboard-centered English art rock that strikes the shrewdest possible balance between quasi-symphonic classicism and rock & roll.” (Wow, that’s a mouth full!) By 2007, according to Wikipedia, Supertramp album sales exceeded 60 million. They attained significant popularity in North America, Europe, South Africa and Australia. Their highest sales levels were in Canada, where they had two diamond-certified (ten-times platinum) albums (Crime of the Century and Breakfast in America).
Supertramp. Great band! One of my favorites.
Below, check out some of their classic tracks for yourself:
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Here is a Breakfast in America Playlist on Spotify:
Take a look at these videos to check out some fantastic live performances from this album:
Logical Song • Live in Paris:
Breakfast in America • Live Concert 1979
Lord is it Mine • Roger Hodgson
(Roger Hodgson was known for writing songs with spiritual themes. This is clearly one of them - almost like a sort of ‘secular hymn.’ It clearly contains a tender ‘reaching out’ to the Lord for connection, for understanding, for guidance, maybe just for rest in the midst of the weary journey. The lyrics say “I know that there’s a reason why I need to be alone; You’ve shown me there’s a silent place that I can call my own”
and then
“If only I could find a way, to feel your sweetness through the day; The love that shines around me could be mine.
So give us an answer, won’t you...”. Clearly, this wonderful psalm by Roger Hodgson is a prayer of longing. For a hurting world. Very timely.
Hope you’ll give it a listen. Maybe this is here for you today and for something that you might be going through...
Take the Long Way Home • Roger Hodgson
It’s Raining Again • Supertramp Video
My Kind of Lady • Supertramp 50s Style
For a more detailed analysis of the Breakfast in America album, take a look at this excellent loudersound.com Album Review:
