The Logical Song

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"The Logical Song"
Single by Supertramp
from the album Breakfast in America
B-side "Just Another Nervous Wreck"
Released June 1979
Recorded 1978 at The Village Recorder/Studio B, Los Angeles, California
Genre Progressive rock
Length 3:45 (Single version)
4:11 (Album version)
Label A&M
Writer(s) Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson
Producer Supertramp, Peter Henderson
Supertramp singles chronology
"From Now On"
(1977)		 "The Logical Song"
(1979)		 "Breakfast in America"
(1979)

"The Logical Song" is a hit single on Supertramp's 1979 album Breakfast in America, sung by band member Roger Hodgson. It is the band's biggest chart hit in both the United States and their native United Kingdom, and is among their most widely recognized radio hits.[1]

Contents

[edit] Composition and Lyrics

"The Logical Song" was mostly penned by Roger Hodgson; Rick Davies wrote the vocal harmony on the second chorus.[2] The song makes use of keyboards, castanets, and an instrumental section with a strong Beatles influence.[1] The song includes a section of Hodgson "reeling off three- and four-syllable assonances" with a "schoolboy's tongue in cheek".[3] Among the contemporary sound effects in this song are the 'tackled' sound from a Mattel electronic football game,[2] as well as the Trouble "Pop-o-matic" bubble – both popular at the time this song was released.

The lyrics are a "story of innocence and idealism lost"[1] with Hodgson condemning an education system not focused on knowledge and sensitivity.[3]

[edit] Reception

"The Logical Song" was a hit on its original release, reaching number 7 in the United Kingdom, number 6 in the United States and spent two weeks at number 1 on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart.[1][4][5] It stayed for three months on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1979.[1] Rolling Stone called it a "small masterpiece" praising the "hot sax" and Hodgson's "wry humor".[3] The magazine also made comparisons between Hodgson and Ray Davies from The Kinks.[3]

[edit] Personnel

  • Roger Hodgson - lead and backing vocals, Wurlitzer electric piano, electric and 12-string acoustic guitars
  • Rick Davies - Elka and Oberheim synthesizers, Hammond organ, Hohner Clavinet with wah-wah, backing vocal
  • John Helliwell - alto saxophone, siren whistle, backing vocal, intro breathing
  • Bob Siebenberg - drums, castanets, timbales, cowbell
  • Dougie Thomson - bass

[edit] Charts

Chart (1979) Peak
Position
Canadian RPM Singles Chart 1
UK Singles Chart[5] 7
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[4] 6
German Singles Chart[6] 12

[edit] Scooter version

"The Logical Song"
Single by Scooter
from the album Push the Beat for this Jam (The Singles 98-02)
B-side "Siberia"
Released 10 December 2001 (Germany)
10 June 2002 (UK)
Genre Happy hardcore, trance
Length 3:53
Writer(s) Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson
Producer Roger Hodgson
Certification Gold (BPI) (Sweden)
Platinum (ARIA, Norway)
Scooter singles chronology
"Aiii Shot the DJ"
(2001)		 "The Logical Song"
(2001)		 "Nessaja"
(2002)

"Ramp! (The Logical Song)", or just "The Logical Song" in certain territories, is a 2001 single by the German techno band Scooter. This version also uses samples from Supertramp's recording. Taken from their second singles compilation album Push the Beat for this Jam (The Singles 98-02), it reached number 1 in several European countries, including Norway and Ireland, as well as number 1 in Australia in 2002.

The single reached number 2 in the United Kingdom, their highest ever charting single beating the number 18 peak of "Back in the U.K." in 1996. It has been certified gold by the BPI, selling over 400,000 copies and was the 15th best selling single of 2002.[7] The song became an anthem in Scottish teaboy culture.[8]

[edit] Charts

Chart (2001-2002) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[10] 4
Denmark (Tracklisten)[11] 10
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 11
France (SNEP)[13] 53
Germany (Media Control AG)[14] 7
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[16] 1
New Zealand (RIANZ)[17] 32
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 14
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[20] 2

[edit] Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified
Australia [21] Platinum 2002 70,000 +
Norway [22] Platinum 2003 30,000 +
UK[23] Gold 2001 100,000 +

[edit] Legacy and other versions

"The Logical Song" has been covered by Brad Mehldau and At Vance. The Hee Bee Gee Bees made a parody of this song for "The Scatological Song" and The Barron Knights made a parody entitled "The Topical Song". There was also a second remake by the German "Hands Up" band Rave Allstars in 2007. It has also appeared in TV shows such as The Simpsons ("I Married Marge"), History Rocks and the closing scene of The United States of Tara's series finale, as well as in the soundtrack of the film Magnolia.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Logical Song Review". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/song/t458990. Retrieved 26 April 2009. 
  2. ^ a b Buskin, Richard (July 2005). CLASSIC TRACKS: Supertramp's 'Logical Song', Sound on Sound.
  3. ^ a b c d "Breakfast in America Review". Rolling Stone magazine. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/supertramp/albums/album/230648/review/6067854/breakfast_in_america. Retrieved 26 April 2009. 
  4. ^ a b "All music chart". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5562/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved 26 April 2009. 
  5. ^ a b "UK Chart History". http://www.everyhit.com/searchsec.php. Retrieved 22 May 2009. 
  6. ^ http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/title/SUPERTRAMP/The+Logical+Song/single
  7. ^ ChartsPlus.co.uk
  8. ^ MacFarlane, Colin The Real Gorbals Story: True Tales from Glasgow's Meanest Streets, Mainstream Publishing, 2007
  9. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Scooter – The Logical Song". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  10. ^ "Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song) – Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  11. ^ "Danishcharts.com – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)". Tracklisten. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  12. ^ "Finnishcharts.com – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  13. ^ "Lescharts.com – Scooter – The Logical Song" (in French). Les classement single. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  14. ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  15. ^ "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  16. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)". VG-lista. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  17. ^ "Charts.org.nz – Scooter – The Logical Song". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  18. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)". Singles Top 60. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  19. ^ "Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song) – swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  20. ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  21. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-singles-2002.htm. 
  22. ^ "Norwegian certifications – Ramp! The Logical Song" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. http://www.ifpi.no/sok/lst_trofeer_sok.asp?type=artist. 
  23. ^ "British certifications – Ramp! The Logical Song". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx.  Enter Ramp! The Logical Song in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Click Go
Preceded by
"Love You Inside and Out" by Bee Gees		 RPM Canadian Singles Chart number-one single
30 June – 7 July 1979		 Succeeded by
"We Are Family" by Sister Sledge
Preceded by
"Complicated" by Avril Lavigne		 ARIA (Australia) number one single
(Scooter version)
29 September 2002 – 6 October 2002		 Succeeded by
"The Ketchup Song" by Las Ketchup
Preceded by
"Let Me Be the One" by Six		 Irish Singles Chart number one single
(Scooter version)
18 July 2002 – 25 July 2002		 Succeeded by
"Underneath Your Clothes" by Shakira
Supertramp
  • Touring members: Marty Walsh (1985–1988)
  • Brad Cole (1986–1988)
  • Scott Page (1983–1985)
  • Fred Mandel (1983)
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"Vallée de Larmes"  · "Hyper Hyper"  · "Move Your Ass!"  · "Friends"  · "Endless Summer"  · "Back in the U.K."  · "Let Me Be Your Valentine"  · "Rebel Yell"  · "I'm Raving"  · "Break It Up"  · "Fire"  · "The Age of Love"  · "No Fate"  · "How Much Is the Fish?"  · "We Are The Greatest/I Was Made For Lovin' You"  · "Call Me Mañana"  · "Faster Harder Scooter"  · "Fuck the Millennium"  · "I'm Your Pusher"  · "She's the Sun"  · "Posse (I Need You on the Floor)"  · "Aiii Shot the DJ"  · "Ramp! (The Logical Song)"  · "Habanera"  · "Nessaja"  · "Weekend!"  · "The Night"  · "Maria (I Like It Loud)"  · "Jigga Jigga!"  · "Shake That!"  · "One (Always Hardcore)"  · "Suavemente"  · "Hello! (Good to Be Back)"  · "Apache Rocks the Bottom!"  · "Behind the Cow"  · "Lass Uns Tanzen"  · "Stripped"  · "The Question Is What Is the Question?"  · "And No Matches"  · "Jumping All Over the World"  · "I'm Lonely"  · "Jump That Rock (Whatever You Want)"  · "J'adore Hardcore"  · "Ti Sento"  · "The Sound Above My Hair"  · "Stuck on Replay"  · "Friends Turbo"  · "The Only One"  · "David Doesn't Eat"  · "C'est Bleu"
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