Supertramp had good music, and that's what matters

For a long time, the music of Supertramp left me conflicted. On one hand, songs like "Goodbye, Stranger," and "Take the Long Way Home," were endlessly enjoyable. On the other, the origins of their success always made me wary of admitting I liked the group. In college, I was told that Supertramp was supported financially by a Dutch millionaire. That, for a while, tainted my view of the group, which was unfair to both the band and the music. The formation of Supertramp is, though, different than just about any other rock group I've heard of. Supertramp formed in England in 1969, with singer/pianist Rick Davies, percussionist Robert Millar, guitarist Richard Palmer and vocalist/bassist Roger Hodgson. The bands songs were primarily written by Davies and/or Hodgson. And despite several lineup changes, that duo remained with the group – and acted as its creative force -- until the 1980s. Originally, the band received funding from a Dutch millionaire Stanley August Miesegaes. It was Miesegaes who was funding Davies' previous group, Joint. The millionaire lost interest in that band, but was willing to keep spending if Davies wanted to form a new band. That new band was Supertramp. While the money it received from Miesegaes certainly helped and sustained the group, the fact is, the commercial success didn't come until long after the millionaire cut off his money. Supertramp eventually did break through, thanks in large part to their theatrical progressive pop sound, as well as Hodgson's distinctive tenor vocal. The band hit in the mid '70s with songs like "Bloody Well Right" and "Give a Little Bit." But Supertramp's biggest record — and certainly, it most pop infused — came in with the 1979's "Breakfast in America." If you are just a casual fan of Supertramp, most of the songs you know are from that record. It spawned the enduring tacks "The Logical Song," "Goodbye Stranger," "Take The Long Way Home" and the album's title track. (Of note, it wasn't until writing this column that I knew there was a song called "Breakfast in America." I always figured the title was "Take a Look at My Girlfriend" since those are the most prominent lyrics. No wonder I could never find it in my Napster days). The album was a smash, topping the U.S. Charts. By the 1990s, it had sold more than 18 million copies. It's the biggest reason Supertramp has sold more than 60 million records worldwide. "Take the Long Way Home" has always been one of my favorite tracks, both for its clever instrumentation — it uses both harmonica and a playful-sounding clarinet for solos — and its introspective lyrics. "When you look through the years and see what you could have been," Hodgson sings, "Oh, what you might have been, if you had more time." Those words meant something to me in my 20s. They mean far more 20 years later. Hodgson later said it was the best song he'd written. He left the band in 1983, and, though the group continued, it never found the same level of success. Davies, who wrote "Goodbye, Stranger," among other hits, died this week at 81. For some reason, Supertramp is not in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Maybe the people who decide that look at the band the way I once did. Which is a shame, because Supertramp was a really good band with really good songs. No matter where their money came from. Zach Baker is sports editor of The Courier.