Top 10 Supertramp Songs And History Of The Band

Our Top 10 Supertramp Songs list takes a look at some of Supertramp’s most well known songs and forgotten gems. The band originated out of London in 1969. They were originally known as a progressive rock band as their earlier albums were more progressive in nature as opposed to the change of direction the band took with their late seventies releases. Regardless of categorization, the band Supertramp has attained one of the most loyal followings in classic rock history.

Supertramp’s first album was released in 1970 entitled Supertramp. At the time, the band consisted of Richard Davies, Roger Hodgson, Richard Palmer and Robert Millar. One year later, the band released their second album entitled Indelibly Stamped. Most of the songs on the album were composed by Richard Davies, Roger Hodgson.

The band’s musical direction started to shift on their third album. In 1974, Supertramp released the album Crime of the Century. The progressive overtones of their music shifter towards a more album oriented pop rock style. Nonetheless, there still was a progressive air to the music. The album has been hailed by many critics and fans as one of the band’s best albums. On the record the bass and drum duties were performed by new members Dougie Thomson on bass guitar and Bob C. Benberg on drums.

In 1975, Supertramp followed up their fabulous album Crime of the Century with the record Crisis? What Crisis? The album originally had been viewed as a disappointment by critics, fans and even members of the band. However, over time it has become a favorite of almost everyone. Two years later, Supertramp would release the great album Even in the Quietest Moments. The album featured the huge hit song “Give A Little Bit,” which helped fuel sales for the album making it Supertramp’s first Gold record.

The album that put Supertramp in the homes and cars of music fans around the world was released in 1979. The album entitled Breakfast in America was a hit making machine for the band. The album also won Supertramp two Grammy Awards. It is by far Supertramp’s biggest selling album of all time.

After the incredible success of Breakfast In America, the band took almost three years before releasing their next record entitled …Famous Last Words… The album would become Roger Hodgson’s swan song with the band at the time as he left the group after the album was released. Roger Hodgson would never record another album with Supertramp again.

Supertram returned in 1985 minus Roger Hodgson with the album Brother Where You Bound. The album featured a 16 minute track entitled “Brother Where You Bound,” in which Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour performed the guitar solos. The album also had a top 30 hit with the song “Cannonball.”

In 1987, the band released the disappointing album Free as a Bird. Billed as an experimental album in dance and electronica, the album failed miserably from a commercial standpoint. The band toured in the wake of the album and actually angered audiences by omitting all the Roger Hodgson songs. Inevitably, those decisions led to the end of Supertramp for the time being.

Tens years after the band had broke up, Supertramp returned in 1997 with the album, Some Things Never Change. All the songs on the record were written by Rick Davies and Mark Hart. The band’s final studio album was released in 2000 entitled Slow Motion.

# 10 – You Win, I Lose

“You Win, I lose,” is the only song on our Top 10 Supertramp songs to feature the band without Roger Hodgson. While we feel there are many better Supertramp songs that could have been on this list, from a historical perspective we felt it was important to showcase how the band sounded without Roger Hodgson. The song “You Win, I Lose,” was released on the album Some Things Never Change in 1997.

# 9 – Rosie Had Everything Planned

“Rosie Had Everything Planned,” is probably the least known Supertramp song on this list. However, it has always been one of our favorite Supertramp songs and shows a different side of the band. Below is Roger Hodgson’s beautiful solo performance of the song.

# 8 – Just A Normal Day

This great songs was released on the Crisis? What Crisis? album. While “Sister Moonshine,” was the hit on the album, “Just A Normal Day,” was always our favorite. How could it not be with that great duet between Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson? Listen to that amazingly beautiful sax solo by the fabulous John Anthony Helliwell.

# 7 – Hide In Your Shell

Continuing with our top 10 Supertramp songs list we turn to the great progressive pop track “Hide In Your Shell.” The song was originally released on the Crime of the Century album in 1974.

# 6 – Goodbye Stranger

The remaining six Supertramp songs on this list are easily the band’s most popular songs. This is fantastic music that we are hoping continued to be discovered by new generations of music fans. It’s the main reason we compose these list. We will keep it simple of the description of theses song as the music speaks for itself. “Goodbye Stranger,” was released on the Breakfast In America album in 1979.

# 5 – Take The Long Way Home

1979 was an interesting year for music. New Wave, Punk, dance, classic rock all competing for airplay. Bands like Blondie, The Ramones, The Cars, competing against the classic album releases by Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty and AC/DC. Right in the middle of all of that was Supertramp kicking butt. What a year!

# 4 – Bloody Well Right

“Bloody Well Right,” was one of the band’ earliest most successful commercial songs that wonderfully blended progressivism with pop and rock. “Bloody Well Right,” was released on the Crime of the Century album.

# 3 – Give A Little Bit

One of those songs that opened the eyes of many people towards the band Supertramp. One of our all time favorite Supertramp songs. It always reminded me of The Beatles in its lyrical and musical feel. Supertramp’s “Give A Little Bit,” reached the United States Billboard pop music charts top twenty peaking at number fifteen.

# 2 – Dreamer

The Supertramp song “Dreamer,” is what many believe to be the band’s musical masterpiece. We won’t argue with that. The song “Dreamer,” was released on the Crime of the Century album. The song was a top 20 hit in the United Kingdom in 1974.

# 1 – The Logical Song

The iconic Supertramp song “The Logical Song,” was the band’s biggest hit of their career. The opening Wurlitzer Electric Piano riff is instantly recognizable within the first second. The sax solo in the middle of the tune has become one of rock and roll’s greatest saxophone solos ever recorded. Form a lyrical, musical, creative and performance standpoint, this was pop music perfection. The song reached the number 6 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979.