When I was young . . .

February 17, 2005 4:49 AM

The Logical Song. Supertramp. From the trademark album "Breakfast in America": the saxophone was recorded with a STC 4038 in the bell and a U87 a couple of feet away for an overall sound. Here are the lyrics. Use this to sing along with (Midi File). Download the tune onto your cellphone here (Mp3).The famous Wurlitzer Piano opener (Mp3). My earworm work for the day is done, muahahahah
posted by jeremias (29 comments total)

.
posted by mcgraw at 5:07 AM on February 17, 2005

And lest we forget, "The Topical Song," a parody by the Barron Knights.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:26 AM on February 17, 2005

Oh man! Earworm indeed. You've now induced college flashbacks.
posted by gleenyc at 5:28 AM on February 17, 2005

This is a classic example of Erikson's "Identity Crisis" as detailed in his stages of psychosocial development. As we grow older and learn metacognition (to think about thinking, to think about ourselves, and to think about others' thinking) we look for a place to classify ourselves in the world.

Gotta get the most out of my psych training.
posted by Eideteker at 5:44 AM on February 17, 2005

The U87 was probably the best microphone ever made. One of those + a Neve console = awexome.
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:58 AM on February 17, 2005

Damn, that's pretty fascinating. The Logical Song's always been one of my favorite Supertramp songs - and Supertramp one of my favorite bands... but I never took the time to look up anything about them.

The part about the Mattel football game was great! I've always wondered about that.
posted by r3tr0 at 6:02 AM on February 17, 2005

I remember that football game, and I can clearly recall the moment in the song when it can be heard. I never really realized it was there!
posted by Songdog at 6:33 AM on February 17, 2005

Hah! You almost had me with your little plan, jeremias. I read your post this morning and even without clicking on the links, the loathsome music began to play in my head. But on the way to work my 5-year-old and I blasted back the evil prog-rock ear demons with the greater power of Raffi! Apples and bananas, my man, apples and bananas.
posted by LarryC at 7:04 AM on February 17, 2005

screw you, jeremias! I didn't even click on your links and the song is now stuck in my head. Damn, that's some black magic.
posted by jonson at 7:09 AM on February 17, 2005

Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, bananaphone!
Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, bananaphoooooone!

I've got this feeling
So a-PEELing!
for us to get together and sing...
posted by u.n. owen at 7:19 AM on February 17, 2005

Did anyone else think it was a chick singing that song when they first heard it?
posted by Cookiebastard at 7:23 AM on February 17, 2005

screw you, jeremias! I didn't even click on your links and the song is now stuck in my head. Damn, that's some black magic.

Now watch what you say!
They'll be calling you a radical, liberal, fanatical, criminal . . .
posted by jeremias at 7:33 AM on February 17, 2005

Did anyone else think it was a chick singing that song when they first heard it?

As in baby poultry? No.
posted by ninthart at 7:40 AM on February 17, 2005

The U87 was probably the best microphone ever made. One of those + a Neve console = awexome.

Agreed. I spent some of the happies engineering years of my life using the U87 and a pair of Neumann 184's through an Amek board with Neve preamps. Awexome indeed. *whistful sigh*


Now watch what you say, or they'll be calling you a radica...
posted by sourwookie at 7:50 AM on February 17, 2005

...l.
posted by sourwookie at 7:51 AM on February 17, 2005

Personally, I think the song needed more cowbell.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:05 AM on February 17, 2005

...and miss lynnster for the win!
posted by LarryC at 9:13 AM on February 17, 2005

I'm too young to remember when this track was first released, but when it was added to the Magnolia soundtrack, I've been hooked on it ever since. I guess there's just something about it that I like—catchiness, inspired lyrics, and a unique sound (to my ears, at least).
posted by Down10 at 10:00 AM on February 17, 2005

Down10, if you decide to Take the Long Way Home, you could say to others who you pass by but do not know, "Goodbye Stranger."
posted by mcgraw at 10:47 AM on February 17, 2005

Thanks Jeremias, that killed the Van Halen that's been on mental loop these last few days. Forgive me for referring to you as "that fucker who got me stuck on Supertramp (Supertramp!)" in my writings elsewhere...

;)
posted by black8 at 10:54 AM on February 17, 2005

Ahh, the Magnolia soundtrack, the only good thing about that long-winded soap opera wannabe.
posted by mischief at 11:04 AM on February 17, 2005

Did anyone else think it was a chick singing that song when they first heard it?

Yep. And I hate saxophones as well. Then I got dragged to one of their concerts. It was a revelatory experience. Fantabulous show.
posted by 3.2.3 at 12:32 PM on February 17, 2005

That's a great article. I love articles about recording. Makes me wish Behind the Music was actually called About the Music.
posted by Kattullus at 2:02 PM on February 17, 2005

Holy crap, I've been wanting to know what that song was for years. I'd only heard a bit of it in passing. Just try getting people to help you ID a song when your best description is "it has a lot of multisyllable words."
posted by Wolfdog at 6:51 PM on February 17, 2005

I remember that football game, and I can clearly recall the moment in the song when it can be heard.

I don't, and I also don't recall the word "digital" in the lyrics either - which is where the article says the football game sound was inserted. Which made me wonder - neither the linked lyric page nor any others I quickly googled has that lyric either. Where is it, then?
posted by yhbc at 7:23 PM on February 17, 2005

Okay, never mind - I ... um ... just found a copy of the song. It's in the fadeout at the end, just before the other lyric I forgot and that's also not in the "official" printed lyrics - "one, two, three, five!"

See, I was trying to not have to listen to the actual song. Now it is stuck in the head.
posted by yhbc at 7:49 PM on February 17, 2005

How do I take a RealPlayer MP3 and play it with Quicktime?
posted by ParisParamus at 8:04 PM on February 17, 2005

The Homesicks in Tel Aviv do a cover of it at live shows. An mp3 of it used to be here from Radio Tel Aviv's AltShift Sessions - sorry now it's just one other song - still a great band.
posted by terrortubby at 9:36 AM on February 19, 2005

I had to obey the earwig and now have the logical on my phone to alert for messages, and ring ring ring bananaphoooone as the ringer. jeremias and u.n. owen are now annoying all of Copenhagen. ;)
posted by dabitch at 10:44 AM on February 19, 2005