Goodbye Stranger
"Goodbye Stranger" | ||||
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Single by Supertramp | ||||
from the album Breakfast in America | ||||
B-side | "Even in the Quietest Moments" | |||
Released | July 1979 (US) 12 October 1979 (UK)[1] | |||
Recorded | 1978 | |||
Studio | The Village Recorder, Los Angeles | |||
Genre | Pop[2] | |||
Length | 5:50 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Songwriter(s) | Rick Davies | |||
Producer(s) | Peter Henderson, Supertramp | |||
Supertramp singles chronology | ||||
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"Goodbye Stranger" is a song by the English rock band Supertramp; it was written by Rick Davies.[3] The song first appeared on their sixth studio album, Breakfast in America (1979). The lyrics present an "optimistic view from a drifter."[4]
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Reception
Billboard described "Goodbye Stranger" as "a fluid midtempo number highlighted by the band's near falsetto vocals, dominant keyboards and a strong melody line."[5] Cash Box said it has "intriguing, well-paced vocals" from Rick Davies, and the "high backup singing" from Roger Hodgson and "blithe, spirited instrumentation."[6] Record World said that the "keyboard/guitar & chorus hook provide a blithe fairytale effect."[4]
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso rated it as Supertramp's 4th best song, calling it a "snarky kiss-off from Davies" that "showcases the band's predilection for the Wurlitzer."[7] Brett Milano of UDiscover Music rated Roger Hodgson's guitar solo at the end of the song as one of the 100 all-time greatest.[8] Gary Graff of Billboard rated "Goodbye Stranger" as Supertramp's 9th best song, saying it's "one of the best executed trade-offs between Davies and Hodgson vocals" and has one of Supertramp's "hottest guitar solos."[9]
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Personnel
- Rick Davies – Wurlitzer electronic piano, Hammond organ, lead and backing vocals
- Roger Hodgson – electric guitar, backing vocals, lead vocal on chorus
- John Helliwell – backing vocals, whistling
- Bob Siebenberg – drums
- Dougie Thomson – bass guitar
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Charts and certifications
Charts
Despite being met with only limited success in the UK, it was a major hit elsewhere, even a Top 20 hit in the United States and Canada, reaching number 15 and 6 respectively.
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[21] | Gold | 75,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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In popular culture
The song plays in many films and television programs. In the episode "Goodbye, Toby" of The Office, Michael Scott sings a parody of "Goodbye Stranger" entitled "Goodbye, Toby".[22] In the episode "Goodbye Stranger" in the eighth season of Supernatural, the song plays on the Impala's radio after the angel Castiel disappears.[23] The song plays in the trailer of the 2023 film Beau Is Afraid. It is also played in the film Magnolia.[24]
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Source: "Goodbye Stranger", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, March 16th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodbye_Stranger.
Further Reading

Supertramp

Rick Davies

Breakfast in America

Crime of the Century (album)

Crisis? What Crisis?

Even in the Quietest Moments...

Paris (Supertramp album)

...Famous Last Words...

The Autobiography of Supertramp
The Logical Song

Breakfast in America (song)

Take the Long Way Home (Supertramp song)

Blow Away

Dreamer (Supertramp song)

Give a Little Bit

It's Raining Again

My Kind of Lady

It Was the Best of Times
References
- ^ "Supertramp singles".
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Supertramp Breakfast in America Review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ Breakfast in America (1979). Inner sleeve credits. A&M Records.
- ^ a b "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 14 July 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 7 July 1979. p. 62. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 7 July 1979. p. 18. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ DeRiso, Nick. "Top 10 Supertramp Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ Milano, Brett (11 September 2020). "The Best Guitar Solos: 100 Hair-Raising Moments". udiscovermusic.com. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ Graff, Gary (10 October 2017). "Supertramp's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6849a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 27 October 1979. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ "Song artist 344 - Supertramp". Tsort.
- ^ "Supertramp – Goodbye Stranger" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ "Supertramp – Goodbye Stranger". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ "Supertramp: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ "Supertramp Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ "Supertramp Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 15, 1979
- ^ "Top 100 Singles (1979)". RPM. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Supertramp – Goodbye Stranger". Music Canada.
- ^ Giant, M. "Goodbye, Toby". Television Without Pity. NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ^ Wright, Thomas J. (20 March 2013), Goodbye Stranger, Supernatural, retrieved 12 February 2023
- ^ Starkey, Adam (10 January 2023). "What song is in the 'Beau Is Afraid' trailer?". NME. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
Categories
- 1978 songs
- 1979 singles
- A&M Records singles
- Articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers
- Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers
- Articles with hAudio microformats
- Articles with short description
- Certification Table Entry usages for Canada
- Music videos directed by Bruce Gowers
- Pages using certification Table Entry with shipments figures
- Pages using certification Table Entry with shipments footnote
- Short description matches Wikidata
- Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary
- Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100
- Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles
- Singlechart usages for Dutch100
- Singlechart usages for New Zealand
- Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname
- Songs written by Rick Davies
- Supertramp songs
- Use British English from December 2012
- Use dmy dates from January 2020
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