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The Logical Song

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For the David Guetta and Kim Petras song, see When We Were Young (The Logical Song).
"The Logical Song"
Single by Supertramp
from the album Breakfast in America
B-side"Just Another Nervous Wreck"
ReleasedMarch 1979 (1979-03)
Recorded1978
Studio
Genre
Length4:11
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Supertramp
  • Peter Henderson
Supertramp singles chronology
"Babaji"
(1977) 		"The Logical Song"
(1979) 		"Breakfast in America"
(1979)
Music video
"The Logical Song" on YouTube

"The Logical Song" is a song by English rock group Supertramp that was released as the lead single from their album Breakfast in America in March 1979. It was written primarily by the band's Roger Hodgson, who based the lyrics on his experiences being sent away to boarding school for ten years. The song became Supertramp's biggest hit, rising to No. 7 in the United Kingdom and No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2001, a cover version by the band Scooter returned the song to the top 10 in several European countries.

Background

[edit]

"The Logical Song" was written primarily by Roger Hodgson, the lyrics based on his experience of being sent away to boarding school for ten years.[3] It was a very personal song for Hodgson; he had worked on the song during soundchecks, and completed the lyrics and arrangement six months before proposing it to the band for the album.[4] In 1980, Hodgson was honoured with the Ivor Novello Award from The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters for "The Logical Song" being named the best song both musically and lyrically.

Hodgson has said of the song's meaning: "'The Logical Song' was born from my questions about what really matters in life. Throughout childhood we are taught all these ways to be and yet we are rarely told anything about our true self. We are taught how to function outwardly, but not guided to who we are inwardly. We go from the innocence and wonder of childhood to the confusion of adolescence that often ends in the cynicism and disillusionment of adulthood. In 'The Logical Song', the burning question that came down to its rawest place was 'please tell me who I am', and that's basically what the song is about. I think this eternal question continues to hit such a deep chord in people around the world and why it stays so meaningful."[5][6][7][8]: 3 

The lyrics have been said to be a condemnation of an education system focused on categorical jargon as opposed to knowledge and sensitivity.[9] Billboard writer David Farrell described the song's theme as a "man lost in the world."[10] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso described the theme as "the loss of childhood idealism."[11]

According to the 1979 album notes, Supertramp co-founder Rick Davies wrote the vocal harmony on the second chorus,[12] though Hodgson alone is credited with songwriting.

Composition

[edit]
"The Logical Song"
A 21-second sample of Supertramp's "The Logical Song" where the instrumental break is played.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The song is written in the key of C minor and is set in the time signature of common time (although the verses follow a 10-beat pattern of 4/4 – 2/4 – 4/4) with a tempo of 120 beats per minute.[13] Roger Hodgson's vocal range spans two octaves, from G3 to E♭5.[13] The song makes use of keyboards, castanets, and an instrumental section.[14] Among the contemporary sound effects in this song are the 'tackled' sound from a Mattel electronic football game – popular at the time this song was released.[11][12]

Reception

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Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone called the song a "small masterpiece", praising the "hot sax" and Hodgson's "wry humor".[9] The magazine also made comparisons between Hodgson and Ray Davies from the Kinks.[9] Paul McCartney named "The Logical Song" as his favourite song of the year.[15] Billboard considered it to be possibly Supertramp's best song to date with "solid and incisive lyrics" and a catchy hook.[16] Cash Box said that "a skillful and probing lyric and a raucous sax line are joined by a familiar circling guitar lick and excellent singing" and also praised the "emphatic" beat.[17] Record World said that it "should hit the AORs first with Top 40 likely to follow."[18]

The song was a hit on its original release, reaching No. 7 in the United Kingdom[19][20] and No. 6 in the United States.[21] The song achieved the most success in Canada where it spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart,[22] was the top song of the year, and was certified Platinum in Canada.[23] It stayed for three months on the Billboard Hot 100 in the middle of 1979.[14]

Hodgson rated it as one of the top 10 songs he ever wrote.[8]

Personnel

[edit]

Personnel are sourced from Sound on Sound.[12]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[43] Platinum 150,000^
France (SNEP)[44] Gold 500,000*
Italy (FIMI)[45]
sales since 2009 		Gold 35,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[46] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Gold 400,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Scooter version

[edit]
"The Logical Song"
Single by Scooter
from the album Push the Beat for This Jam (The Second Chapter)
B-side"Siberia"
Released10 December 2001 (2001-12-10)
Length3:57
LabelSheffield Tunes
Songwriter(s)Roger Hodgson
Producer(s)Scooter
Scooter singles chronology
"Aiii Shot the DJ"
(2001) 		"The Logical Song"
(2001) 		"Nessaja"
(2002)
Music video
"The Logical Song" on YouTube

German techno band Scooter covered "The Logical Song" and released it as a single in 2001 under the title "Ramp! (The Logical Song)"; for later releases, including those in the UK and Australia, the song retained its original title. Scooter's cover is included on their second singles compilation album, Push the Beat for This Jam (The Singles 98–02). This version heavily samples Supertramp's recording, and makes lyrical references to British stadium house band the KLF.

The single reached No. 1 in Norway and Ireland, as well as in Australia in October 2002. It reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom, becoming Scooter's highest-charting single there; it has been certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), selling over 400,000 copies, and was the UK's 15th-best-selling single of 2002.[48]

The Scooter version was an anthem in Glasgow's rave culture throughout the 2000s.[49][50]

Track listings

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[84] Platinum 70,000^
Germany (BVMI)[85] Gold 250,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)[86] Platinum  
United Kingdom (BPI)[87] Platinum 600,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Germany 10 December 2001 (2001-12-10) CD Sheffield Tunes [66]
Australia 19 August 2002 (2002-08-19) Addiction [88]

References

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  1. ^ Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (2000), Night Moves: Pop Music in the Late '70s, St. Martin's Press, p. 68, ISBN 978-0-312-19821-3
  2. ^ "The story behind the Logical Song by Supertramp". 8 July 2021.
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  4. ^ "The Logical Song". Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Supertramp Founder Roger Hodgson". Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Breakfast in Detroit: Tales from a Dreamer!". Retrieved 16 November 2017.
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  9. ^ a b c Holden, Stephen (14 June 1979). "Supertramp: Breakfast in America". Rolling Stone. New York. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  10. ^ "Closeup" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 31 March 1979. p. 166. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  11. ^ a b DeRiso, Nick (22 July 2013). "Top 10 Supertramp Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  12. ^ a b c Buskin, Richard (July 2005). CLASSIC TRACKS: Supertramp's 'Logical Song', Sound on Sound.
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  14. ^ a b "Logical Song Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  15. ^ Elliott, Paul (31 December 2015). "The Story Behind the Song: The Logical Song by Supertramp". TeamRock. Future Publishing. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  16. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 17 March 1979. p. 103. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
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  19. ^ Singles Chart Official Charts. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
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  50. ^ Mullen, Stacey (6 June 2017). "Scooter: We didn't realise how big The Logical Song had become in Scotland after Celtic signing Scott Sinclair". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
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