Free as a Bird (Supertramp song) explained

Free as a Bird
Cover:	Free as a Bird (Supertramp song).jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Supertramp
Album:	Free as a Bird
B-Side:	Thing For You
Released:	22 December 1987 (US) 26 February 1988 (UK)^[1]
Genre:	Pop rock
Length:	4:20
Label:	A&M
Producer:	Rick Davies, Supertramp^[2]
Prev Title:	I'm Beggin' You
Prev Year:	1987
Next Title:	You Win, I Lose
Next Year:	1997

"Free as a Bird" is the title track from Supertramp's 1987 album of the same name. Released as a single at the end of that year, the song achieved only marginal commercial success.

Overview

The music video for "Free as a Bird" was produced by Sue Pemberton and directed by Michael Patterson and Candace Reckenger.^[3]

Cash Box said that "Rick Davies sets an easy groove with his patented, bluesy keyboard style, and takes you to a gospel out-chorus."^[4]

In 1988 "Free as a Bird" was performed on the Dutch pop music television series, TopPop.^[5]

It is the only song from the album of the same name that survived the accompanying tour. Live recordings were released on Live '88 and It Was the Best of Times.

"Free as a Bird" also appears on Supertramp's 1992 best-of album The Very Best of Supertramp 2 and the later compilation Retrospectacle – The Supertramp Anthology.

Track listing

7" vinyl, Cassette

1. "Free as a Bird" – 4:20
2. "Thing For You" – 3:59

Personnel

According the Free as a Bird and The Very Best of Supertramp 2 liner notes.^{[6] [7]}

• Rick Davies - vocals, keyboards, producer
• John Anthony Helliwell - saxophone
• Dougie Thomson - bass
• Bob C. Benberg - drums

Other personnel

• Supertramp – producer
• Mark Hart – vocals, guitar and keyboards
• Marty Walsh – guitar
• Linda Foot – backing vocals
• Lise Miller – backing vocals
• Evan Rogers – backing vocals
• Karyn White – backing vocals

Notes and References

1. Web site: Music Week. 37.
2. "Free as a Bird". back cover. Supertramp. A&M. 1988. 30 January 2021.
3. 3 March 1988. Video Track. Billboard. United States. 100 #13. 52. worldradiohistory.com. 13 February 2021.
4. Single Releases. 10. Cash Box. January 30, 1988. 2022-11-06.
5. TopPop. 9 April 1988. Supertramp - Free As A Bird • TopPop. Television production. Netherlands. AVRO. YouTube. 13 February 2021.
6. Free as a Bird. liner notes. Supertramp. A&M. 2003. 5 February 2021.
7. The Very Best of Supertramp 2. Haverty. Doug. liner notes. Supertramp. A&M. 1992. 5 February 2021.