"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.
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
Roger Hodgson: lead vocals, piano, pump organ, electric guitar
