℗ 1970 A & M Records SP 4274
Progressive in texture for the most part, Supertramp's debut album became increasingly disregarded as they blossomed commercially through the '70s. The album was the only one on which drummer Bob Miller and guitarist Richard Palmer appeared, replaced by Kevin Currie and Frank Farrell for the Indelibly Stamped release which surfaced a year later. Quite a bit different than their radio and AOR material, Supertramp is inundated with pretentious instrumental meandering, with greater emphasis and attention granted to the keyboards and guitars than to the writing and to the overall effluence of the music. There are some attractive moments, such as the mixture of ardor and subtlety that arises in "Words Unspoken," "Surely," and "Nothing to Show," and some of the fusion that erupts throughout the 12 minutes of "Try Again" is impressive even though the whole of the track results in one of the most extravagant and overblown pieces the band has ever produced. Hodgson's use of cello, flageolet, and acoustic guitar is endearing in spots, and while both he and Davies had just recently formed their alliance, it was evident that their songwriting was going to be one of the band's strengths. Ultimately dissatisfied with the results of the album, they retorted with Indelibly Stamped, which disappointingly followed suit. It wasn't until 1974's Crime of the Century that things began to improve for Supertramp, replacing Farrell and Currie with saxman John Helliwell, bass player Dougie Thompson, and drummer Bob Benberg. — Mike DeGagne. |
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Surely there's a way I could please you Only in your past, lie the tears Surely there's a day you can say went your way Some illusion you can keep through the years. Only if I lied could I love you Nothing of our lives could we share Only could we try to get by on a sigh Just because, just this once, I was there.
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Well the road I see before me Threatens pain at every bend, yeah Well my needs are mine, I understand And hope to calling friends Well, good company, it may comfort me But I don't want love to distract my heart from the way Now your love it gave me sorrow And a broken heart to mend, yeah So I took me to this lonely road My sweet hopes, to defend Oh and why pretend, I won't look back Even though the love of a happy man waits before Well, the winter wind blows chilly And the road is dark and gray So take pity on a wanderer should you pass me on the way Oh, I'm left alone without a home Makes a man ask why he travels on When hope is gone It's a long road It's a long road It's a long road It's a long road
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Morning at last! Every night is a fight till you're waking Dreams dancing past Through the silence of sleep Dawn is breaking I wake and watch them till then And I am not like other birds of prey And I am not like other birds of prey Oh, night is long, you won't needing me For a dressed up time I am there to see That fear holds no sway Soft is my plan And my eyes kill the lies that felt happy Life is my right And in sleep's little bed I'll protect you So, hear, let my presence dismay That I am not like other birds of prey That I am not like other birds of prey When hopes are young and your cares are few Then I'm sure above keeping truth in you And my name is love
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Why sing a lonely song The whole world knows that love goes wrong Why bruise a heart that isn't broken It isn't broken. It can be broken Life's just a show for free Come along and watch with me The only sins are words unspoken Words unspoken, never spoken Sweet thing come and go Give me shame, I'll give you woe To live for love isn't so easy It isn't easy, it won't be easy How all good men try Look around and wonder why Can they shape this world to please me Can they please me, should they please me And follow, and maybe you'll correct me I wish you'd never met me For I am no gentle man Follow and while you watch and wonder I pull the world asunder And show you who I am Send me a gentle dream Of love so strange it's never seen And prove how such a love can happen It can happen, make it happen Fine things don't abound Fade away without a sound But hope must never end or slacken Never slacken, never slacken And follow and maybe you'll correct me I wish you'd never met me I am no gentle man Follow and while you watch and wonder I'll pull the world asunder And show you who I am
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
I ain't got too much money, I ain't got too much sense Long ago I had a dream but that's no ?reconvenes? My father was a blind man, my brother was a fool My mother told me God is love But hatred makes the rules Teach me to fly, so I shall drag my feet in the sand Give me the sky, I will would take the whole world in my hand Well, don't you tell me that cannot last at all Before you know I'll come and go And make you if I can Maybe I'm a beggar, just check your symphony They throw away the gentle love that keep their ?pan? for me Can we be free, in a world where to love is to own? Well when will we see, that a man must face life all alone? Maybe I'm a beggar, just check your symphony They throw away the gentle love that keep their pan for me Teach me to fly, so I ?shall? drag my feet in the sand Give me the sky, I will would take the whole world in my hand Can we be free, in a world where to love is to own? Well when will we see, that a man must face life all alone?
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Many is the time that a dream has gone wrong When you're with me Many is the time when the blame went to you Please forgive me But the truth is my friend That the world isn't quite as I thought it to be Oh no, I wish I were back home again Oh no, I wish I were back home again Oh no, I wish I were back home again La la la , I wish I were back home again
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Nothing to show beyond the fear I had Body so warm within this perfumed bed Sleeping alone, the shadow of a man He will entice you too, and if he can Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing is handed, power is changing fast Many the empty hopes his lips caress Sorry to say his days are spent in vain Chasing a dream of doom of nights in pain Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been Shadowy nights of memories of the grave Gentle my love and sweetness sometimes sick Keep up his time while his crimes are known Only a fool can see he's sold his love Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been Nothing to show for love that's never been
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Did your shadow ever speak to you? And did he say that something's wrong? Only a figure on a lamplit wall Never realized he cared at all Did he stop you going on? Guess my shadow spoke to me tonight And made me throw my dreams away Told a story of a twisted man Who was playing with some foolish plan 'Bout a girl who had flown away Sometimes shadows are near I see things very clear, my life unwinds Somewhere I'll make my stand Look around at yesterday And change my mind Now your shadow isn't always there In the light of cloudy days Or in circles where you hide from view All the dust that ever bothered you And where people loose your name
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Later that evening, only a feeling But it was there in the air that we share in the twilight Humming a sad song, where was our day gone But in the dark was a spark, a remark I remember "Try again", she replied to some story I told "Try again", yes I will if I can Oh, all I need is somebody to hold Learning a feeling, seeking a meaning Finding a way, should she stay, how to say let's imagine Maybe I'll go wrong, an evening that last long But in the night all the light must be right for this moment "Try again", she replied to some story I told "Try again", yes I will if I can Oh, all I need is somebody to hold "Try again", she replied to some story I told "Try again", yes I will if I can Oh, all I need is somebody to hold "Try again", she replied to some story I told "Try again", yes I will if I can Oh, all I need is somebody to hold
(Rick Davies — Roger Hodgson — Richard Palmer)
Only if I lied could I love you Nothing of our lives could we share Only could we try to get by on a sigh Just because, just this once, I was there