Breakfast in America (song)

"Breakfast in America" is the title track from 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 who has never been to the United States and fantasizes about it.

"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 rock[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 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, Hodgson 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] However, in other interviews Hodgson has credited Davies with creating the vocalized retort line, "What's she got? Not a lot."[8] Hodgson included the song in his 2010 world tour, produced as a live album titled Classics Live.

Billboard Magazine writer David Farrell praised John Helliwell's "Benny Goodman-flavoured clarinet solo."[9]

In 2005, rap rock band Gym Class Heroes released the hit song "Cupid's Chokehold", which features the chorus from "Breakfast in America".

Personnel

Charts
Chart (1979–80) Peak
position
Austria[11] 16
Belgium[11] 18
German Singles Chart[12] 23
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 6
Netherlands 14
South Africa[14] 9
UK Singles Chart[3] 9
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[15] 62

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Silver 200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Melhuish 1986.
  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. "CRR Interview - Roger Hodgson: What's He Got? Quite A Lot!". Classicrockrevisited.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  9. "Closeup" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 31 March 1979. p. 166. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/supertramp/breakfast-in-america. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. https://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Supertramp&titel=Breakfast+In+America&cat=s
  12. "Chartverfolgung / Supertramp / Single". Music Line (in German). Germany: Media Control Charts. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  13. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Breakfast in America". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  14. http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(A-B).html
  15. allmusic ((( Supertramp > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))
  16. "British single certifications – Supertramp – Breakfast in America". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  • Melhuish, Martin (1986). The Supertramp Book (1st ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0711907874.
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