As mainstays of ’70s radio pop, Supertramp left a rather indelible stamp during their relatively brief period of music success from 1974-83. Supertramp’s Rick Davies, who passed away last week at the age of 81, led a life not to be mourned but celebrated. In an exercise of that celebration, here’s a look at Rick Davies’ Top 5 most notable contributions to the group he cofounded in 1970 with Roger Hodgson. (Well, actually seven):
No. 5. “FRIEND IN NEED” FROM ‘INDELIBLY STAMPED’ (1971): Supertramp’s first two albums were funded by a Dutch benefactor, millionaire Stanley “Sam” August Miesages. There’s a bit of experimentation on them both, and these two LPs remain largely forgotten or ignored as they lack the cohesiveness that Supertramp would finally find after they cemented their line-up with John Helliwell on woodwinds and Bob Siebenberg on drums starting on 1974’s Crime of the Century. That said, the seeds of what Supertramp would later grow into were evident, and perhaps no moreso than on “Friend in Need.” The song is a joyful romp that showcases a rather playful vocal and some fun piano chops that would not have sounded out of place in a 1920s speakeasy and some tasteful contributions by horn player Dave Winthrop.
No. 4. “PUT ON YOUR OLD BROWN SHOES” FROM ‘FAMOUS LAST WORDS’ (1982): Irresistibly catchy, “Put On Your Old Brown Shoes” pairs Davies’ rollicking piano and baritone lead vocals with some fantastic harmonizing with Roger Hodgson’s high falsetto. Sadly, the fractures between Hodgson and Davies were evident at this point so this would be one of the final instances of hearing Davies and Hodgson’s magical musical chemistry.
No. 3. “ANOTHER MAN’S WOMAN” FROM ‘CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS?’ (1975): This LP doesn’t contain any of the band’s major hits and it’s largely free of filler, remaining pretty strong from start to finish. The live version of “Another Man’s Woman” from 1980’s Paris album includes an extended and absolutely brilliant keyboard solo that showcases how strong Rick Davies was, not just as a vocalist but also an instrumentalist.
No. 2. (tie) “RUDY” and “CRIME OF THE CENTURY” FROM ‘CRIME OF THE CENTURY’ (1974): A bit of a cheat, as it adds a sixth song to the list, but to include either of these at the expense of the other would truly be a “crime of the century.” Both “Rudy” and “Crime of the Century” are equally brilliant showcases of Rick Davies’ songwriting, singing and keyboarding prowess.
No. 1. “GOODBYE STRANGER” FROM ‘BREAKFAST IN AMERICA’ (1979): This LP found Supertramp at the peak of their success. “Goodbye Stranger” is perhaps the best showcase of Davies’ talents – but also Hodgson’s, not to mention the musical chemistry they shared. This is perhaps the most Supertramp of Supertramp songs. “Goodbye Stranger” is their quintessential moment, as the track plays to all of their strengths. Individually, both Hodgson and Davies may have had stronger material but this was their strongest collaborative effort. That’s quite a bold statement considering the strength of their overall catalog.
RICK DAVIES HONORABLE MENTION: I have to shout out an honorable mention to “From Now On,” which just barely missed the list. An overall highlight from 1976’s Even In the Quietest Moments, “From Now On” is easily Davies strongest contribution to the album. Perhaps only Roger Hodgson’s “Fool’s Overture” is stronger – but only by one of the hairs from Davies’ erstwhile bandmate’s beard.
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