Supertramp – The Logical Song

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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,
Joyfully, playfully watching me.
But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible,
Logical, responsible, practical.
And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable,
Clinical, intellectual, cynical.

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
But please tell me who I am.

Now watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical,
Liberal, fanatical, criminal.
Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're
Acceptable, respectable, presentable, a vegetable!

At night, when all the world's asleep,
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man.
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am.

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Lyrics submitted by Hunter, edited by kwisp

Track duration: 04:11

"The Logical Song" as written by Roger Hodgson Richard Davies

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Logical Song song meanings
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60 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:No difficult to see the song meaning, but a masterpiece, summing up perfectly how our originality and mental freedom is taken away with coming-of-age...
    Flagged IntenseMeon November 16, 2012   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning:This song, quite simply put, is about the society causing us to lose our personalities by making us conform to their standards, turning us into "vegetables". The lyrics are very simple, truthful, and beautiful.
    Flag oeraydinon April 23, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:To me this is the story of all of us, who go from the wonder of discovering the world through our own eyes, to being told by teachers et cetera that actually the world 'is' this or that way, and you'll be discarded as a radical, childish, illogical and liberal etc if you take another view of the world. As a Philosopher(student) in Britain under the current Anti-Humanities nonbusiness related academia policy of this government, I relate to this song more than ever. Large numbers of us, do not subscribe to 'their' way of seeing the world as statistics of citizens and productivity-per-person-per-hour, staunchly mob-morality and science as the truth , we delve into Metaphysical et cetera ways of thinking about everything (and coincidentally nothing) this is Radical, illogical, useless, un-presentable and dangerous, so Humanities departments and Faculties in universities across the country are being shut down, in 5 years the only young people in the United Kingdom that will have the choice to study these types of subjects will be the Oxbridge-Eton contingent.

    Sorry that politics has hijacked this comment, but this is how I see this song, its a Ballad for the Philosopher.
    Flag harataikion April 22, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:Ironically, I studied this song in my ESL class in high school. The lyrics are simple while also using advanced vocabulary (cynical, clinical). There are some teachers out there who encourage their students to challenge society's views.
    Flag nicoooon March 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ironically, I studied this song in my ESL class in high school. The lyrics are simple while also using advanced vocabulary (cynical, clinical). There are some teachers out there who encourage their students to challenge society's views.
    Flag nicoooon March 20, 2012   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction:Lots of grammatical errors in the lyrics. That should be fixed.
    Flagged RedEchidnaon September 12, 2011   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning:This song to me is about a boy with a great imagination who is forced to "grow up" and let go of the things his society doesn't see as practical and in a way it's about losing touch with who you were once
    Flag AlexPsyduckon May 25, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song obviously means that we are all FORCED to follow society law, rather than pursue our own agenda. We are all robots, following the same rules/regulations that our parents/grandparents set down for us. It is his wish that he become his own person, with his own idea rather than follow the ideas of his forefathers.
    Flag allanrjron March 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song obviously means that we are all FORCED to follow society law, rather than pursue our own agenda. We are all robots, following the same rules/regulations that our parents/grandparents set down for us. It is his wish that he become his own person, with his own idea rather than follow the ideas of his forefathers.
    Flag allanrjron March 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love how in the beginning it is describing his innocence, how everything seemed so nice, so beautiful. The birds (people) seemed happy and he is in ignorant bliss. However, the birds also playfully watch him. And then when he reaches age they (the people) take him away. He is taught to be like everyone else. Not to challenge convention in fear of being considered a "radical" or "liberal" or even jump to extreme conclusions and call him a "criminal." However, outside not wanting anyone to see how he really feels, "at night when all the world's asleep" or in his own mind space, he is confused and does not understand how this is right. Logically he should not feel this way since he is "such a simple man" but obviously he realizes he is nothing of that sort. He wants to understand "who I am." "someone tell me please."
    Flag missjulieon January 25, 2011   Link

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