The Logical Song

"The Logical Song" is a hit single on Supertramp's 1979 album Breakfast in America and written and sung by band member Roger Hodgson. It is one of the band's most recognized songs. This simple song makes use of keyboards, castanets, and a guitar break with a strong Beatles influence. The song includes a section of Hodgson "reeling off three- and four-syllable assonances" with a "schoolboy's tongue in cheek". Among the contemporary sound effects in this song are the 'tackled' sound from a Mattel digital football game, as well as the Trouble "Pop-o-matic" bubble - both popular at the time this song was released. The lyrics are a "story of innocence and idealism lost" with Hodgson condemning an education system not focused on knowledge and sensitivity.

[Verse 1] When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful A miracle, oh, it was beautiful, magical And all the birds in the trees, well, they'd be singing so happily Oh, joyfully, oh, playfully watching me But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible Logical, oh, responsible, practical And then they showed me a world where I could be so dependable Oh, clinical, oh, intellectual, cynical [Chorus 1] There are times when all the world's asleep The questions run too deep For such a simple man Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned? I know it sounds absurd Please tell me who I am [Verse 2] I said, watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical A liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal Oh, won't you sign up your name? We'd like to feel you're acceptable Respectable, oh, presentable, a vegetable Oh, take, take, take it, yeah [Instrumental Bridge] [Chorus 2] But at night, when all the world's asleep The questions run so deep For such a simple man Won't you please (Won't you tell me) Please tell me what we've learned? (Can you hear me?) I know it sounds absurd (Won't you help me?) But please, tell me who I am Who I am Who I am Who I am Ooh Hey [Outro] 'Cause I was feeling so illogical, yeah D-d-d-d-d-d-digital Yeah, one, two, three, five Oh, oh, oh, oh, ooh yeah Ooh, it's getting unbelievable Yeah