After the departure of Roger Hodgson from Supertramp in the early eighties, there was a reputation to uphold; a point to prove. Now led by Rick Davies’ songwriting talents exclusively, Davies and the rest of the band had to make a statement to both the music world and to their fans that Supertramp was continuing its journey. Supertramp pushed onward in its evolution and released its eighth studio album titled Brother Where You Bound. Released in 1985, Brother Where You Bound reached the Top 40 in the U.S. and the Top 20 in Canada. Among the songs that came from the album, “Cannonball” was the stand-out hit.
Even before Brother Where You Bound was released and “Cannonball” hit the charts, fans were concerned about the breakup of Supertramp. Rick Davies knew the remaining members had to show that Supertramp could exist without Hodgson and still be successful. In an article with Billboard, Davies says, “When we did our last European tour, Roger told audiences that it would be the last time they would see all of us together. That made a lot of people think the band was breaking up. We wanted to make it clear that the band is very much alive and well” (billboard). Brother Where You Bound was the statement both A & M Records and Supertramp wanted to make. Add in a Top 40 hit with “Cannonball”, and any worries about continued success of the band were thrown out the window.
Peaking at 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song “Cannonball” brought all the muster Davies and Supertramp had to offer. A piano-led composition, the song offered strong dance beats, horns, and catchy lyrics. It not only proved the band’s resilience to change, it also offered an evolution of Davies as a composer. Written entirely in G Minor, Davies said in an interview he did the song simply to see if it could be done. “Cannonball” would remain on the Billboard Hot 100 for twelve weeks in 1985 and solidified to the fans, the music world, and to Supertramp that the band would not retire simply because a lineup change happened.
Evolution in a band’s journey is inevitable. Music will progress and change over time. Members will come and go. Supertramp wanted to ensure that its legacy didn’t stop simply because Hodgson decided to move on. Brother Where You Bound and “Cannonball” did just that.
-Jenna Jakes, WOGB
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