The Logical Song

"The Logical Song"
Single by Supertramp
from the album Breakfast in America
B-side "Just Another Nervous Wreck"
Released April 1979
Recorded
Genre Progressive pop[1]
Length 4:11
Label A&M
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Supertramp, Peter Henderson
Supertramp singles chronology
"From Now On"
(1977)		 "The Logical Song"
(1979)		 "Breakfast in America"
(1979)
Music sample
"The Logical Song"

"The Logical Song" is a song by the English rock band Supertramp. The song was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Breakfast in America (1979), in March 1979 by A&M Records.

"The Logical Song" is Supertramp's biggest chart hit in both the United States, South Africa, and their native United Kingdom and is amongst their most widely recognised radio hits.[2] Roger Hodgson composed the song from an autobiographical point of view, from his experience of being sent away to boarding school for ten years.[3] It won the 1979 Ivor Novello Award for "Best Song Musically and Lyrically".[4]

Composition and lyrics

"The Logical Song" was mostly penned by Roger Hodgson; Rick Davies wrote the vocal harmony on the second chorus.[5] The song makes use of keyboards, castanets, and an instrumental section.[2] Among the contemporary sound effects in this song are the 'tackled' sound from a Mattel electronic football game[5] and the Trouble "Pop-o-matic" bubble – both popular at the time this song was released.

The lyrics are a condemnation of an education system focused on categorical jargon as opposed to knowledge and sensitivity.[6] The lyrics are notable for their use of consonance, with a repetition of the '-ical/ -able' endings of multiple adjectives.

Critical reception

Rolling Stone called the song a "small masterpiece" praising the "hot sax" and Hodgson's "wry humor".[6] The magazine also made comparisons between Hodgson and Ray Davies from The Kinks.[6]

Commercial performance

The song was a hit on its original release, reaching number 7 in the United Kingdom and number 6 in the United States.[2][7][8] The song also spent two weeks at number 1 on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart, was the top song of the year, and was certified Platinum in Canada.[9][10] It stayed for three months on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1979.[2]

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1979) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 16
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 19
Belgium[14] 9
Canada (RPM)[10] 1
France (SNEP)[15] 2
Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 12
Ireland (IRMA)[17] 6
Italy (AFI)[18] 14
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 13
Portugal (Música & Som)[21] 8
Spain (AFE)[22] 12
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[23] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[24] 6
US Cash Box Top 100[25] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (1979) Rank
Australia [26] 106
Canada [27] 1
UK 63
U.S. Billboard [28] 27
U.S. Cash Box [29] 37

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[30] Platinum 150,000^
France (SNEP)[31] Gold 677,000[32]

^shipments figures based on certification alone

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 Eurodance, hardcore techno, trance
Length 3:53
Writer(s) Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson
Producer(s) Roger Hodgson
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, featured 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 number 1 in several European countries, including Norway and Ireland, as well as number 1 in Australia in 2002. It 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.[33]

The Scooter version became an anthem in Glasgow's ned culture throughout the 2000s.[34]

Charts

Chart (2001–2002) Peak
position
scope="row"Australia (ARIA)[35] 1
scope="row"Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[36] 4
scope="row"Denmark (Tracklisten)[37] 10
scope="row"Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[38] 11
scope="row"France (SNEP)[39] 53
scope="row"Germany (Official German Charts)[40] 7
scope="row"Ireland (IRMA)[41] 1
scope="row"Norway (VG-lista)[42] 1
scope="row"New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[43] 32
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[44] 8
scope="row"Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[45] 8
scope="row"Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[46] 14
scope="row"UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[47] 2

Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified
Australia[48] Platinum 2002 70,000 +
Norway[49] Platinum 2003 30,000 +
UK[50] Gold 2002 400,000 +

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.

The song was covered in 2013 with a change to the primary drum rhythm by synthpunk band Mindless Self Indulgence.[51]

The song has also been re worded and used as a chant by supports of Australian football club Western Sydney Wanderers.

References

  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. 1 2 3 4 "Logical Song Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  3. ↑ "The Eye of the Acoustic Storm: Supertramp/Roger Hodgson". Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  4. ↑ Lister, David. "Pop ballads bite back in lyrical fashion". The Independent. 28 May 1994. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  5. 1 2 Buskin, Richard (July 2005). CLASSIC TRACKS: Supertramp's 'Logical Song', Sound on Sound.
  6. 1 2 3 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.
  7. ↑ "All music chart". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  8. ↑ "UK Chart History". Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  9. ↑ "Gold Platinum Database: Supertramp – The Logical Song". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  10. 1 2 "Top Singles - Volume 31, No. 14, June 30, 1979". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 1979-06-30. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
  11. ↑ "Billboard Vol. 91, No. 25: Hits Of The World". Kent Music Report. Billboard: 58. 1979-06-23. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  12. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Supertramp – The Logical Song" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  13. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Supertramp – The Logical Song" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  14. ↑ "Billboard Vol. 91, No. 31: Hits Of The World". Billboard. 1979-08-04: 54. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  15. ↑ "Tout les Titres par Artiste: S" (in French). Infodsic.fr. 2013-05-01. Click on the search bar, type "Supert", select "SUPERTRAMP" and click "OK". Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  16. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Supertramp – The Logical Song". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  17. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. 2008. To use, type "The Logical Song" in the "Search by Song Title" search bar and click search. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  18. ↑ "Billboard Vol. 91, No. 48: Hits Of The World". Billboard. 1979-12-01: 47. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  19. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Supertramp – The Logical Song" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  20. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Supertramp – The Logical Song". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  21. ↑ "Billboard Vol. 91: Hits Of The World". Kent Music Report. Billboard: 68. 1979-10-06. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  22. ↑ Davidalic (February 12, 2010). "Listas de superventas: 1979". AFE. Listas De Superventas. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  23. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1979-04-28" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  24. ↑ "Supertramp – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Supertramp. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  25. ↑
  26. ↑ "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  27. ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  28. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1979". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  29. ↑
  30. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Supertramp – Logical Song". Music Canada.
  31. ↑ "French single certifications – Supertramp – The Logical Song" (in French). InfoDisc. Select SUPERTRAMP and click OK
  32. ↑ "Les Singles en Or :". Infodisc.fr (in French). Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  33. ↑
  34. ↑ MacFarlane, Colin. The Real Gorbals Story: True Tales from Glasgow's Meanest Streets. p.224. Mainstream Publishing. 2007.
  35. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Scooter – The Logical Song". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  36. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  37. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)". Tracklisten. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  38. ↑ "Scooter: Ramp! (The Logical Song)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  39. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Scooter – The Logical Song" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  40. ↑ "Musicline.de – Scooter Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  41. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 29, 2002". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  42. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)". VG-lista. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  43. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Scooter – The Logical Song". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  44. ↑ "Romanian Top 100 - arhiva". Web.archive.org. 2004-12-17. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  45. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  46. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Scooter – Ramp! (The Logical Song)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  47. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2002-07-06" UK Singles Chart.
  48. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  49. ↑ "Norwegian certifications – Ramp! The Logical Song" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
  50. ↑ "British certifications – Ramp! The Logical Song". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Ramp! The Logical Song in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Click Search
  51. ↑ "Mindless Self Indulgence returns to Metropolis Records! – Metropolis Records". Metropolis-records.com. 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
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
Albums
Live albums
Compilations
Singles
Selected songs
Related articles
Supertramp
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations
Singles
Other articles
Ivor Novello Awards - Best Song Musically and Lyrically
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
*Awarded as The Best Song
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