How Logical

This is definitely a cheat.

I am talking about my choice of song for Annie Kapur’s private Challenge, “Sing us the Song of the Century”. I could have chosen so many famous numbers from the twentieth century (assuming that this is the century that she is referring to; I am not too attracted to the noises of our new age). But I have to go back to a song that I have already written about on this page. As I said, this is definitely a cheat.

From my original notes for the older article:

[T]he singer introduces us to a boy whose life seems idyllic from the first line:

When I was young,

It seemed that life was so wonderful,

A miracle,

Oh, it was beautiful,

Magical…

At that point, he starts to sing about the birds singing joyfully, playfully (watching me). I did not relate to that part, but the first few lines were on point. I did think that I was lucky to live where I lived, right next to a forest that I enjoyed often with friends or by myself when I wanted to get away from home and school. There were also other forests and trails nearby, along with a large and abandoned cornfield you could get lost in. I was not shipped off to a boarding school for ten years of my life as a child – the lead singer, Roger Hodgson’s, fate – but every little moment where I felt that I was being pushed away from the things I loved made me consider and wonder where my life was heading…

But at night,

When all the world’s asleep,

The questions run so deep,

For such a simple man…

This part of song is repeated twice, ending with a request that stuck in my head:

I know it sounds absurd:

Please tell me who I am.

I have often been accused of over thinking things; of taking things too seriously that no one else worries about. All true, and it began as a child who wondered about all of the things in my life that were taking place or about to take place (bullying, high school, confusion about what to do with my life, travelling, work, betrayals and loss). There were plenty of forces that made me want to give up on the race and just retreat to my childhood memories (impossible of course).

The song that I am discussing here is “The Logical Song” by Supertramp, a song that has haunted me from my childhood to the present day. The sound of Roger’s voice, matched up with the particular tone of the keyboard played here (a Wurlitzer electric piano, 200A model, not often associated with popular music of the time) and the introduction of John Helliwell’s saxophone and Rick Davies’ backing vocals gives the entire song a dreamy, unreal tone and feeling.

Maybe I still need to have that dream in sound in my life, and that it will always remain the song of my youth and my life. Or maybe I am too old to choose something a little more in keeping with the clichés critics like to push on the public. Or maybe I just think that it is a wonderful song. No matter what the reason may be, I find that Supertramp’s biggest hit, from late in the century, is my song of that era.

Enjoy!

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You can find more poems, stories, and articles by Kendall Defoe on my Vocal profile. I complain, argue, provoke and create...just like everybody else.

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