The Logical Song

"When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful..." That's the memorable opening line of Supertramp's "The Logical Song," an ode to the forgotten simple joys of life that managed to embody the British band in a mere four minutes. Over an insistent electric piano rhythm, Roger Hodgson sang his distinctive, high tenor vocal that urged listeners to re-evaluate the way they looked at life. The crystalline production of the song was almost as important as its writing, arrangement and performance. Supertramp, like Pink Floyd, were known as an audiophile's band, and they produced records that salesmen would use to demonstrate stereo systems and young men would in turn use to show off car speakers. Their brand of progressive pop music was the perfect fit for musical climate of the late '70s and early '80s.

"The Logical Song" is a hit single on Supertramp's 1979 album Breakfast in America and written and sung by band member Roger Hodgson. It is one of the band's most recognised songs. "The Logical Song" was written by Hodgson during this period and, as he relates, was a very personal lyric for him: "You can't preach to people, but you can stimulate their thoughts, and I think that this song does do that. I hate to use the word 'message,' but the thought here is that throughout childhood you are told so many things, and yet you are never told who you really are; you are not told anything about your real self. Very rarely, anyway. We are taught how to function outwardly, but not told who we are inwardly, and no one explains it to us."The song tells the story of a man who:
• is taken away from the unspoilt immediacy of childhood (When I was young, it seemed that life was so      
   wonderful, a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical),
• undergoes education (but then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible, logical, responsible,
   practical),
• sees a future prepared for him lacking any spontaneity of reaction (And they showed me a world where I
   could be so dependable, clinical, intellectual, cynical),
• feels constricted in his freedom of speech (Now watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical,
   liberal, fanatical, criminal),
• is put under pressure to conform (Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're acceptable,
   respectable, presentable, a vegetable)
• and ends up confused, without a coherent self-image (please tell me who I am).

A miracle, Oh it was beautiful, magical

- The Logical Song - Supertramp -

When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful,

a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.

And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily,

joyfully, playfully watching me.

But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible,

logical, responsible, practical.

And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable,

clinical, intellectual, cynical.

There are times when all the world's asleep,

the questions run too deep

for such a simple man.

Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned

I know it sounds absurd

but please tell me who I am.

Now watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical,

liberal, fanatical, criminal.

Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're

acceptable, respecable, presentable, a vegetable!

At night, when all the world's asleep,

the questions run so deep

for such a simple man.

Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned

I know it sounds absurd

but please tell me who I am.