"Goodbye Stranger" is a song by the English

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Supertramp Supertramp were an English rock band that formed in London in 1969. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), they are distinguished for blending pro ...

; it was written by

Rick Davies Richard Davies (born 22 July 1944) is an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as founder, vocalist and keyboardist of the rock band Supertramp. Davies was its only constant member, and composed some of the band's best known songs ...

. The song first appeared on their sixth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

, ''

Breakfast in America ''Breakfast in America'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released by A&M Records on 29 March 1979. It was recorded in 1978 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. It spawned four US ''Billboard'' hit singles: "The ...

'' (1979).

Reception

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' described "Goodbye Stranger" as "a fluid midtempo number highlighted by the band's near falsetto vocals, dominant keyboards and a strong melody line." ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said it has "intriguing, well-paced vocals" from Rick Davies, and the "high backup singing" from

Roger Hodgson Charles Roger Pomfret Hodgson (born 21 March 1950) is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the former co-frontman and founding member of progressive rock band Supertramp. Hodgson composed and sang the majority of the band’ ...

and "blithe, spirited instrumentation." ''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 The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

." Brett Milano of

UDiscover Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

rated Roger Hodgson's

guitar solo A guitar solo is a melodic passage, instrumental section, or entire piece of music, pre-written (or improvised) to be played on a classical guitar, electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. In 20th and 21st century traditional music and popular m ...

at the end of the song as one of the 100 all-time greatest. Gary Graff of ''

'' 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."

Personnel

–

Wurlitzer electronic piano The Wurlitzer electronic piano is an electric piano manufactured and marketed by Wurlitzer from the mid-1950s to mid-1980s. Sound is generated by striking a metal reed with a hammer, which induces an electric current in a pickup. It is conceptu ...

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

, lead and backing vocals *

– electric guitar, backing vocals, lead vocal on chorus *

John Helliwell John Anthony Helliwell (born 15 February 1945) is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist, secondary keyboardist, backing vocalist, and occasional songwriter for the rock band Supertramp. He also served as an MC during the band's ...

– backing vocals, whistling * Bob Siebenberg – drums *

Dougie Thomson Douglas 'Doogie' Campbell Thomson (born 24 March 1951) is a Scottish musician, born in Glasgow and raised in the Rutherglen area of the city. He was the bass guitarist of progressive rock band Supertramp during much of the seventies and eight ...

– bass guitar

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

Year-end charts

Certifications

In popular culture

The song plays in many films and television programs. In the episode "

Goodbye, Toby "Goodbye, Toby" is the fourth season hour-long finale of the American comedy television series ''The Office'', and the show's seventy-first and seventy-second episodes overall. Written by Paul Lieberstein and Jennifer Celotta, and directed by Pau ...

" of ''The Office'', Michael Scott sings a parody of "Goodbye Stranger" entitled "Goodbye, Toby".

References

{{authority control Supertramp songs 1978 songs 1979 singles Songs written by Rick Davies Music videos directed by Bruce Gowers A&M Records singles