The Logical Song
March 1979
4:11 LP version
The Logical Song is a song by British band Supertramp. It was released in 1979 on the album Breakfast in America and was sung by Roger Hodgson. It is the biggest hit of the music group in the United States and the United Kingdom, the most famous radio hits.
Instrumentation and compositional
In the song, keyboards, castanets and an instrumental part with Beatles' influence can be used. The Rolling Stone said of the piece, it encompasses a section of Hodgson's three - and four-syllable assonance ( " reeling off three -and four- syllable assonances ") with a kind of schoolboy humor ( " schoolboy 's tongue in cheek "). Among the sound effects of the song there is the ' attack sound ' a football video game from Mattel, as well as the "pop -o-matic " Bubble Trouble game, both of which were at the time of publication of the song popular.
The text is a " story of lost innocence and idealism " ( "story of innocence and idealism lost" ), with Hodgson complain that the education system is not focused on knowledge and sensitivity.
Success and reception
The title landed in England at No. 7, No. 6 in the U.S. and in Canada at No. 1
The magazine Rolling Stone called the song a " masterpiece " ("small masterpiece " ) and praised the " Hot Sax " ( "hot sax ") and Hodgson's droll sense of humor ( " wry humor" ). The magazine also drew comparisons between Hodgson and Ray Davies of The Kinks group.
Occupation
- Roger Hodgson: vocals, electric piano, guitars
- Rick Davies: synthesizer, Hammond organ, background vocals
- John Helliwell: saxophone, background vocals
- Bob Siebenberg: drums, percussion
- Dougie Thomson: Bass Guitar
Cover versions
In 2001 the song was covered by the band Scooter. This version uses samples of the recording of Supertramp, which were taken from their second compilation album Push the Beat for this Jam ( The Singles 98-02 ). The song reached the 2001 1st place in some European countries, such as Norway and Ireland, and in 2002 in Australia. The song reached number 2 in the UK and were the highest placed single from Scooter there. The song was honored for over 400,000 records sold by the British Phonographic Industry with a gold record and was there at number 15 of the best-selling single of 2002.
The Logical Song was covered by Brad Mehldau and At Vance. The Hee Bee Gee Bees made a parody of the song entitled The Scatological Song and The Barron Knights one called The Topical Song.
Use in film and television
The song appeared in television series such as The Simpsons in the episode " Looking back on marital happiness ," History Rocks and in the final scene of United States of Tara, as well as in the soundtrack of the movie Magnolia.