Bloody Well Right
"Bloody Well Right" is a song by English rock band Supertramp from their 1974 album Crime of the Century. It appeared as the B-side of the single "Dreamer" in 1974. Listeners in the United States preferred it to the A-side, and "Bloody Well Right" became their breakthrough hit in the country, peaking at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2]
"Bloody Well Right" | ||||
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Single by Supertramp | ||||
from the album Crime of the Century | ||||
A-side | "Dreamer" | |||
Released | 1974 | |||
Recorded | 1974 | |||
Genre | Hard rock, progressive rock,[1] Blues rock | |||
Length | 4:32 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Songwriter(s) | Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson | |||
Producer(s) | Supertramp, Ken Scott | |||
Supertramp singles chronology | ||||
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Crime of the Century track listing | ||||
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Official audio | ||||
"Bloody Well Right" on YouTube |
Lyrical content
Davies consciously linked the song to the album's opening track "School" with the line "So you think your schooling is phoney", helping to perpetuate the false impression that Crime of the Century is a concept album. According to Hodgson, any unifying thread beyond that was left to the listener's imagination.[3] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso stated "Bloody Well Right" shares the theme with "School" of "questioning the education system."[4]
Structure
The song begins with Rick Davies playing a Wurlitzer electric piano 51-second piano solo, leading into the rest of the band joining in. There is then a guitar solo played by Roger Hodgson, making use of the wah-wah pedal, leading in the first sung word at the 1:38 mark in the song. The first verse and chorus occur with a short instrumental bridge into the second verse and second, slightly modified, chorus. The rest of the song is different variations of the chorus with a saxophone solo in the background. The song slowly fades away to the sound of the saxophone.
Reception
DeRiso rated it as Supertramp's 2nd best song, praising its "sharp anti-authoritarian streak."[4] Gary Graff of Billboard also rated it as Supertramp's 2nd best song, calling it "an angry indictment of British economic caste systems couched with hard rock, jazz and Music Hall references."[5]
Live versions
This song became a staple in Supertramp concerts after its release. The song's length is extended live often reaching over seven minutes. It appears on Paris, Live '88, It Was the Best of Times, and Is Everybody Listening?.
Personnel
- Rick Davies – Wurlitzer electronic piano, acoustic piano, lead vocals, handclaps
- Roger Hodgson – electric guitar, backing vocals, handclaps
- John Helliwell – tenor saxophone, backing vocals
- Dougie Thomson – bass
- Bob Siebenberg – drums
Charts
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
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Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] | 49 |
US Billboard Hot 100[2] | 35 |
References
- "Supertramp – Bloody Well Right". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- "Supertramp Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- The Mojo Collection. Canongate Books. November 2007. p. 335. ISBN 9781847676436. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
- DeRiso, Nick (22 July 2013). "Top 10 Supertramp Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- Graff, Gary (10 October 2017). "Supertramp's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3975a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 February 2021.