Breakfast in America (song)

"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.

"Breakfast in America"
Single by Supertramp
from the album Breakfast in America
B-side"Gone Hollywood"
ReleasedJune 1979
Recorded1978
StudioThe Village Recorder/Studio B, Los Angeles, California
GenreProgressive pop[1]
Length2:39
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson[2]
Producer(s)Supertramp, Peter Henderson
Supertramp singles chronology
"The Logical Song"
(1979)		 "Breakfast in America"
(1979)		 "Goodbye Stranger"
(1979)
Music video
"Breakfast in America" on YouTube

Composition

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

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

Charts
Chart (1979–80) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16] 16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17] 18
Germany (Official German Charts)[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
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[26] Gold 50,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. 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.
  2. "ACE Repertory: Breakfast in America". ASCAP. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  3. Supertramp UK chart history, The Official Charts. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  4. Breakfast in America (1979). Inner sleeve credits. A&M Records.
  5. Breakfast in America (1979). Center label credits. A&M Records.
  6. "Breakfast in America" (1979). Vinyl disc in-lay credits. A&M Records.
  7. "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.
  8. Hodgson, Roger (20 March 2023). "Supertramp's Roger Hodgson: the 10 best songs I've written". Prog. Louder Sound. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  9. "CRR Interview - Roger Hodgson: What's He Got? Quite A Lot!". Classicrockrevisited.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  10. DeRiso, Nick. "Top 10 Supertramp Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  11. Graff, Gary (10 October 2017). "Supertramp's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  12. https://web.archive.org/web/20030603221239/http://rogerhodgson.com/music.htm
  13. "Closeup" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 31 March 1979. p. 166. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  14. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 6 December 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  15. "Breakfast in America by Supertramp - Songfacts".
  16. "Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  17. "Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  18. "Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Breakfast in America". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  20. "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".
  21. "Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  22. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Supertramp" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  23. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Songs (A-B)".
  24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  25. allmusic ((( Supertramp > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))
  26. "Italian single certifications – Supertramp – Breakfast in America" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  27. "British single certifications – Supertramp – Breakfast in America". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 February 2020.

Sources
  • Melhuish, Martin (1986). The Supertramp Book (1st ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0711907874.
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