Breakfast in America (song)
| "Breakfast in America" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Supertramp | ||||
| from the album Breakfast in America | ||||
| B-side | "Gone Hollywood" | |||
| Released | June 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1978 | |||
| Studio | The Village Recorder/Studio B, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Progressive pop[1] | |||
| Length | 2:39 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson[2] | |||
| Producer(s) | Supertramp, Peter Henderson | |||
| Supertramp singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Breakfast in America" on YouTube | ||||
"Breakfast in America" is the title track from English rock band Supertramp's 1979 album of the same name. Credited to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, it was a top-ten hit in the UK[3] and a live version of the song reached No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1981. The lyrics tell about a person, presumably British, who dreams of visiting the United States.
Composition
[edit]The inner sleeve of the 1979 Breakfast in America album lists one musician – Roger Hodgson or Rick Davies – as composer for each song. For the "Breakfast in America" title track, Davies alone is incorrectly listed as composer and lyricist.[4] However, the center label of the 12-inch vinyl disc credits all songs to both Hodgson and Davies.[5] Similarly, on the vinyl single, it was credited to Hodgson and Davies.[6]
Supertramp started performing the song during a reunion tour without Hodgson; the latter took credit for writing the song, telling reporters that Davies initially "hated" the song, and that he believed Davies did not play on the recording at all.[7] According to Hodgson, he wrote the song when he was 19 years old.[8] Hodgson said that "I was dreaming and having fun one day and this song just flowed out. I think the lyric was written in about an hour, it just came out of me."[8] Hodgson has credited Davies with creating the vocalized retort line, "What's she got? Not a lot."[9] According to Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso, Hodgson started writing the song as a teenager, and Davies later "helped sharpen the lyrics".[10] Billboard critic Gary Graff agrees with this assessment, including Davies contributing the "What's she got? Not a lot" lyric.[11] Roger Hodgson uploaded an .mp3 version of his original 2-track demo of the track from ca. 1969 to his website in the early 2000's.[12]
DeRiso describes the lyrics as being about a child dreaming about visiting the United States some day.[10]
Hodgson included the song in his 2010 world tour, produced as a live album titled Classics Live.
In 2005, rap rock band Gym Class Heroes released the hit song "Cupid's Chokehold", which features the chorus from "Breakfast in America".
Reception
[edit]Billboard writer David Farrell praised John Helliwell's "Benny Goodman-flavoured clarinet solo".[13] DeRiso rated it as Supertramp's 9th greatest song.[10] Graff rated "Breakfast in America" as Supertramp's 5th best song.[11]
Record World predicted that "AOR-pop radio will make sure that [the live version would become] a morning staple", noting Hodgson's "light and lively" vocal performance.[14]
Hodgson rated it as one of the top 10 songs he ever wrote.[8]
Personnel
[edit]- Roger Hodgson: lead vocals, piano, pump organ, electric guitar
- Rick Davies: harpsichord, synthesizers, vocals
- John Helliwell: clarinet
- Dougie Thomson: bass[15]
- Bob Siebenberg: drums and percussion
- Slyde Hyde: trombone, tuba
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1979–80) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16] | 16 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17] | 18 |
| Germany (GfK)[18] | 23 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[19] | 6 |
| Japan (Oricon Singles Chart)[20] | 20 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] | 14 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] | 16 |
| South Africa (Springbok)[23] | 9 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[24] | 9 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[25] | 62 |
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[26] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[27] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[28] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[29] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "Progressive Rock (And Simpler Pleasures)". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
- ^ "ACE Repertory: Breakfast in America". ASCAP. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ Supertramp UK chart history, The Official Charts. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
- ^ Breakfast in America (1979). Inner sleeve credits. A&M Records.
- ^ Breakfast in America (1979). Center label credits. A&M Records.
- ^ "Breakfast in America" (1979). Vinyl disc in-lay credits. A&M Records.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Roger Hodgson Explains His Reaction To Supertramp Tour - Undercover.fm News". Undercover.fm. 25 April 2010. Archived from the original on 25 October 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ a b c Hodgson, Roger (20 March 2023). "Supertramp's Roger Hodgson: the 10 best songs I've written". Prog. Louder Sound. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "CRR Interview - Roger Hodgson: What's He Got? Quite A Lot!". Classicrockrevisited.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ a b c DeRiso, Nick (22 July 2013). "Top 10 Supertramp Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ a b Graff, Gary (10 October 2017). "Supertramp's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- ^ "The Music of Roger Hodgson". Archived from the original on 3 June 2003.
- ^ "Closeup" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 31 March 1979. p. 166. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 6 December 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ "Breakfast in America by Supertramp - Songfacts".
- ^ "Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Breakfast in America". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ "木曜日のタマネギ - 楽曲検索:ブレックファスト・イン・アメリカ - スーパートランプ".
- ^ "Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Supertramp" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Songs (A-B)".
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ allmusic ((( Supertramp > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))
- ^ "Danish single certifications – Supertramp – Breakfast in America". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- ^ "Italian single certifications – Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "Spanish single certifications – Supertramp – Breakfast in America". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "British single certifications – Supertramp – Breakfast in America". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
Sources
[edit]- Melhuish, Martin (1986). The Supertramp Book (1st ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0711907874.
