Free as a Bird (Supertramp song)

"Free as a Bird"
"Free as a Bird"
Single by Supertramp
from the album Free as a Bird
B-side	"Thing For You"
Released	22 December 1987 (US); 26 February 1988 (UK)
Genre	Pop rock
Length	4:20
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Rick Davies
Producer(s)	Rick Davies, Supertramp
Supertramp singles chronology
Music video
	"Free as a Bird" on YouTube

"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,^[1] 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.^[5]

Cash Box said that "Rick Davies sets an easy groove with his patented, bluesy keyboard style, and takes you to a gospel out-chorus."^[6]

In 1988 "Free as a Bird" was performed on the Dutch pop music television series, TopPop.^[7]

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

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

Personnel

According the Free as a Bird and The Very Best of Supertramp 2 liner notes.^[8]^[9]

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

Charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[1]	95
UK Singles (OCC)^[10]	95

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Supertramp – Free as a Bird" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 37.
^ "Free as a Bird" at AllMusic
^ "Free as a Bird" (back cover). Supertramp. A&M. 1988. Retrieved 30 January 2021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Video Track" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 100 #13. United States. 3 March 1988. p. 52. Retrieved 13 February 2021 – via worldradiohistory.com.
^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. January 30, 1988. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
^ Supertramp - Free As A Bird • TopPop. TopPop (Television production). Netherlands: AVRO. 9 April 1988. Retrieved 13 February 2021 – via YouTube.
^ Free as a Bird (liner notes). Supertramp. A&M. 2003. Retrieved 5 February 2021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Haverty, Doug (1992). The Very Best of Supertramp 2 (liner notes). Supertramp. A&M. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 January 2021.

[Dutch100-1] "Supertramp – Free as a Bird" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 January 2021.

[2] "Music Week" (PDF). p. 37.

[3] "Free as a Bird" at AllMusic

[4] "Free as a Bird" (back cover). Supertramp. A&M. 1988. Retrieved 30 January 2021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[5] "Video Track" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 100 #13. United States. 3 March 1988. p. 52. Retrieved 13 February 2021 – via worldradiohistory.com.

[cb-6] "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. January 30, 1988. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-11-06.

[7] Supertramp - Free As A Bird • TopPop. TopPop (Television production). Netherlands: AVRO. 9 April 1988. Retrieved 13 February 2021 – via YouTube.

[8] Free as a Bird (liner notes). Supertramp. A&M. 2003. Retrieved 5 February 2021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[9] Haverty, Doug (1992). The Very Best of Supertramp 2 (liner notes). Supertramp. A&M. Retrieved 5 February 2021.

[sc_UK_-10] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 January 2021.

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