Classic Album Review: Supertramp - Famous Last Words, a great Album ending one of the finest songwriting collaborations of all time

The last (7th) studio album collaboration by Supertramp's original singer/songwriter team of Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson is a fine pop album which is unfairly criticised as not delivering the same quality of music as their previous four classic rock productions. This criticism is however not warranted for a variety of reasons. It is a fine album with almost every single song worthy of a listen. The main point which however makes this album a classic is the meaningful if melancholic lyrics which puts both Roger and Rick amongst the greatest rock lyricists of all time.

The album was nevertheless written under difficult circumstances:

1. The album was written at the height of personal tension between Roger and Rick (and reportedly their respective wives who were not best of friends). For the first time they wrote and recorded their own songs in separate studios without any face to face collaboration. (although Roger has since claimed that this was always the case and he gave songwriting credit to Rick for many of the songs he had written over the years by himself)
2. This was a typical "under pressure" follow up album to the chart topping and 15m+ selling "Breakfast in America".
3. Whilst undoubtedly this album has a pop focus, it still remains a fine album with a classic rock edge.
2. The lyrics in songs such as "C'est Le Bon", "Waiting for so long" and "Know who you are" are in the "must Listen to" category of rock lyrics. They are amongst the greatest Supertramp lyrics of all time and as profound and meaningful as rock lyrics can ever get.

This album is not initially as easy to listen to as e.g. Breakfast in America. However, both the melodies and the lyrics become more and more meaningful with further listens.

Neither Roger Hodgson in his solo career afterwards, nor Supertramp without Roger managed to reach anything close to the success level of Supertramp up to and including Famous Last Words, yet again another case of lost synergistic creativity. although Roger Hodgson has managed to write and produce some fine songs and great lyrics for his solo albums.

I highly recommend this album to all Supertramp and classic rock fans.
My Rating Rating: ***** (5/5)

Calling all Classic Rock fans: Add your favourites to my selection of long (>5min) Classic Rock Songs of the late 70s to early 80s

I love long(ish) songs by classic rock bands/acts. These long epic songs evolved from the Beatles 2-3 minutes pop song explosion of the early 60s and helped create the major rock acts of late 60s and most of the 70s.

I do agree with the common view that some of these acts subsequently ended up taking themselves too seriously and released some overbearingly self indulgent (in some cases concept)albums as a result.

But the selection of songs I am presenting here do not belong to the "self indulgent" series! They are great classic rock songs, epic creations of once in a life time quality.

I must also add that the following are some of my favourite songs at the top of my head, in no particular order. There are many bands which do not appear here. Please feel free to leave their name + song(s) as comments. It's always nice to share music! Just remember, songs have to be from sixties to around 1981 the latest, and must be reasonably long!

1. Pink Floyd, Shine on you crazy Diamond
2. Pink Floyd, echoes
3. King Crimson, Epitaph
4. King Crimson, In the court of the crimson king
5. The Doors, Riders on the storm
6. The Doors, LA Woman (I am not a big fan of Light my fire, but it could be included)
7. Moody Blues, Knights in white satin
8. Moody Blues, Isn't life strange?
9. Eloy, Love over six centuries (A German prog rock band, well worth a listen)
10. Eloy, Mutiny
11. Eloy, The apocalypse
12. ELP, fanfare for the common man (EPL were later on guilty of self indulgent music)
13. Pink Floyd, Sheep
14. Pink Floyd, Dogs
15. Pink Floyd, Pigs
16. Pink Floyd, Atom heart mother Suite (although some accuse this piece of a little bit of self indulgence, Pink Floyd wrote and released it well before they became world famous)
17. Pink Floyd, Time
18. Pink Floyd, Mother
19. Pink Floyd, Comfortably numb
20. Supertramp, Child of vision
21. Supertramp, crime of the century
22. Supertramp, Fool's overture
23. Supertramp, A soapbox opera
24. Supertramp,Babaji
25. Supertramp, Waiting so long
27. Dire Straits, Sultans of swing
28. Dire Straits, In the gallery
29. The Eagles, hotel California
30. Fleetwood Mac, Sara
31. Foreigner, I wanna know what love is
32. Jeff Buckley, Mojo pin (Yes I know "Grace" is not a 70s album, but it is a classic nevertheless!)
33. Jeff Buckley, Grace
34. Jeff Buckley, Hallelujah (of course a cover song but great nevertheless)
35. Jethrotull, Thick as a brick part 1 & 2
36. Jimi Hendrix, Voodoo Chile
37. Jimi Hendrix, hey Joe
38. Jimi Hendrix, All along the watch tower (Bob Dylan cover)
39. Joe Cocker, With a little help from my friends (Beatles original)
40. Max Meritt,Slipping away from me
41. Neil Young, Cortez the killer
42. Neil Young, Words
43. Queen, Bohemian rhapsody
44. Simon & Garfunkel, The boxer
45. AC/DC, Long way to the top
46. AC/DC, Let there be rock
47. Black sabbath, Heaven & Hell
48. Black Sabbath, Sign of the Southern Cross
49. Deep Purple, Highway star
50. Deep Purple, Child in time
51. Led Zeppelin, Kashmir
52. Led Zeppelin, Stairway to heaven
53. Led Zeppelin, Whole lotta love
54. Al Stewart, Year of the cat
55. Animals, House of the rising sun
56. Leonard Cohen, Waiting for a miracle (I like Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah, but it's an original Cohen song)
57. Steely Dan, Do it again
58. Nina Simone, Sinnerman
59. Chris de Burgh, Crusader
60. Chris de Burgh, eastern wind,
61. Chris de Burgh, Spanish Train
62. Chris de Burgh, Just in time
63. David Bowie, space oddity
64. David glamour, No way out of here
65. Snowy White, The journey
66. Bob Dylan, Hurricane
67. Roy Harper, Same old Rock (also see my review of this album)
68. Roy Harper, Me and my woman (also see my review of this album)