Give a Little Bit
{{Short description|1977 single by Supertramp}}
{{about||the TV episodes|Give a Little Bit (Entourage)|and|Give a Little Bit (Grey's Anatomy)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Give a Little Bit
| cover = Supertramp Give a Little Bit single cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Supertramp
| album = Even in the Quietest Moments...
| B-side = Downstream
| released = 27 May 1977 {{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Supertramp&titel=Give+A+Little+Bit&cat=s|title=Supertramp singles}}
| recorded = 15 November 1976 {{cite web |last1=Hurwitz |first1=Matt |title=Classic Tracks: Supertramp's "Give a Little Bit" |url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/classic-tracks-supertramp-give-a-little-bit |website=Mixonline |date=3 April 2018 |access-date=12 June 2023}}
| studio = Caribou Ranch (Nederland, Colorado)
| genre = *Progressive pop
| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=08}}
| label = A&M
| writer = *Rick Davies
| producer = Supertramp
| prev_title = Sister Moonshine
| prev_year = 1976
| next_title = Babaji
| next_year = 1977
| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|0dJ30dREjaE|"Give a Little Bit"}}}}
}}
"Give a Little Bit" is the opening song on Supertramp's 1977 album Even in the Quietest Moments... The song was released as a single that same year and became an international hit for the band, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5562|pure_url=yes}} |title=allmusic – Supertramp – Billboard singles |access-date=2009-02-22}} It was a chart hit in the band's native UK, reaching number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/The%20Muppet%20Show%20Music%20Hall%20EP |title=The Official Charts Company – Supertramp – Give a Little Bit |website=Official Charts |access-date=22 February 2009}} The single was re-released in 1992 to raise funds for the ITV Telethon Charity event, but failed to chart.
Recording and composition
"Give a Little Bit" was first written by Hodgson when he was 19 or 20 years old before it was introduced to the band for recording five to six years later. Hodgson stated that the song was inspired by The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love", released during the love and peace movement of the 1960s.{{cite web |url=http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/supertramp_founder_roger_hodgson |title=Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson |publisher=Songfacts |access-date=6 November 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2013/08/07/supertramps-rodger-hodgson-on-how-the-beatles-inspired-give-a-little-bit/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107055359/http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2013/08/07/supertramps-rodger-hodgson-on-how-the-beatles-inspired-give-a-little-bit/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 November 2017 |title=Roger Hodgson - Events |publisher=K-Earth 101 |access-date=6 November 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.dprp.net/specials/2006_hodgson/ |title=Giving A Little Bit - A Conversation With Roger Hodgson |publisher=DPRP.net |access-date=6 November 2017}}
Hodgson said:{{quote|Even at an unwizened young age when I wrote this song, I saw that the world needed love. I believed in love – it was always for love – and I just felt that was the most important thing in life. This song has really taken on a life of its own, and I think it’s even more relevant today than when I wrote it. Because we really are needing to value love in a much deeper way, and also we’re needing to care.}}
Drummer Bob Siebenberg recounted that "Roger had been working at Malibu for quite a while on this tune. I'd hear the song in hotel rooms and places like that. He had the song on a little tape when I first joined the band so I was quite familiar with the tune. We tried out various drum things and it seemed right to ride it along on the snare drum […] giving it something almost like a train beat. So it's all on the snare and bass drum, with no tom-tom fills or anything."
Its writing credits are given to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, although it is a Hodgson composition.{{cite book |last=Melhuish |first=Martin |title=The Supertramp Book |publisher=Omnibus Press |location=Toronto, Canada |year=1986 |pages=119–137 |isbn=0-9691272-2-7 }} Hodgson and Davies shared writing credits from 1974 until 1983, when Hodgson left Supertramp.
Reception
Cash Box said that it "would be a great crack at a pop hit for any artist," that "the rhythm is gentle, yet persuasive; the harmonies are full of uplifting momentum" and "the lead vocal has a vulnerable quality similar to Peter Gabriel's work."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=14 May 1977|page=22|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=26 December 2021|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-05-14.pdf}} Record World praised "its easy, flowing style."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=21 May 1977|accessdate=16 February 2023|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/77/Record-World-1977-05-21.pdf}}
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso rated it as Supertramp's all time best song, calling it a "singalong paean to the Golden Rule."{{cite web|title=Top 10 Supertramp Songs|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock|accessdate=8 June 2022|author=DeRiso, Nick|date=22 July 2013 |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/supertramp-songs/}} Gary Graff of Billboard rated "Give a Little Bit" as Supertramp's 10th best song, praising its "chiming 12-string acoustic guitar and Hodgson’s keening vocals."{{cite web|title=Supertramp's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks|author=Graff, Gary|accessdate=16 June 2022|publisher=Billboard|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/supertramp-songs-best-hits-list-7997371/|date=10 October 2017}}
Hodgson rated it as one of the top 10 songs he ever wrote.{{cite web|title=Supertramp's Roger Hodgson: the 10 best songs I've written|author=Hodgson, Roger|publisher=Louder Sound|work=Prog|accessdate=23 March 2023|date=20 March 2023|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/supertramps-roger-hodgson-the-10-best-songs-ive-written-composed-and-sung}}
Live performances
"Give a Little Bit" was recorded to be released on the live album Paris, but the song was dropped because the band members found all the available recordings of the song to be of unacceptable quality.{{cite book |last=Melhuish |first=Martin |title=The Supertramp Book |publisher=Omnibus Press |location=Toronto, Canada |year=1986 |pages=163–165 |isbn=0-9691272-2-7 }}
After Hodgson had left Supertramp, the song was included in almost all his live performances. The song has also been performed by Hodgson during his tour with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band in 2001; a recording appears on the album Ringo Starr and Friends. On Sunday 1 July 2007, Roger Hodgson sang this song as his finale for his short set at the Concert for Diana, held at Wembley Stadium in London. Princess Diana loved the song, and Hodgson said of the performance in her honor: "It was very wonderful when the audience all stood up, and the princes also, to sing 'Give a Little Bit' with me. That was a magical moment."{{cite web |url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=391 |title=Give a Little Bit - Songfacts |publisher=Songfacts |access-date=2017-11-06}} "Give a Little Bit" can also be found on Hodgson's album Classics Live, a collection of his live performances from acoustic, band and orchestra shows recorded on tour in 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.rogerhodgsonstore.com/classics-live-cd/ |website=rogerhodgsonstore.com |title=Classics Live CD |access-date=7 November 2017}}
After Hodgson's departure from Supertramp, the band included the song for the first time in their set list in 2002 during their One More for the Road Tour. The song was sung by Jesse Siebenberg. The band also played the song in their 70–10 Tour in 2010.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}
In popular culture
"Give a Little Bit" has been used in films such as Superman and The Invention of Lying and in some commercials, such as for the Gap and to encourage giving to charity drives.
Track listings
=7" vinyl single (1977)=
{{tracklist
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Give a Little Bit
| length1 = 3:20
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = Side two
| title1 = Downstream
| length1 = 4:00
}}
=CD single (1990)=
{{tracklist
| title1 = Give a Little Bit
| length1 = 4:07
| title2 = The Logical Song
| note2 = Live version
| length2 = 3:41
| title3 = Bloody Well Right
| note3 = Live version
| length3 = 6:11
}}
=CD single (1992)=
{{tracklist
| title1 = Give a Little Bit
| length1 = 4:10
| title2 = Give a Little Bit
| note2 = Live version
| length2 = 4:03
| title3 = Breakfast in America
| length3 = 2:38
}}
=CD single (2012)=
Give a Little Bit (with choir)
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1977)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Flanders|12|artist=Supertramp|song=Give a Little Bit|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Wallonia|26|artist=Supertramp|song=Give a Little Bit|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|8|chartid=5425a|rowheader=true|access-date=12 February 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|2|year=1977|week=43|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|2|artist=Supertramp|song=Give a Little Bit|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|14|artist=Supertramp|song=Give a Little Bit|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Norway|9|artist=Supertramp|song=Give a Little Bit|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
| scope="row"| South Africa (Springbok){{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965 – March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(S).html|access-date=5 September 2018}}
| 4 |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|29|artist=Supertramp|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|15|artist=Supertramp|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
| scope="row"| U.S. Cash Box Top 100{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19770820.html |title=Top 100 1977-08-20 |work=Cashbox Magazine |access-date=28 November 2015 |archive-date=2 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181102032039/http://www.cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19770820.html |url-status=dead }}
| 12 |
| {{single chart|West Germany|29|songid=6738|artist=Supertramp|song=Give a Little Bit|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=Spain|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1977|certyear=2024|artist=Supertramp|title=Give a Little Bit|accessdate=20 April 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Supertramp|title=Give a Little Bit|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=16381-13-1|access-date=21 August 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Personnel
Credits listed by Matt Hurwitz of Mix. {{Cite web|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/classic-tracks-supertramp-give-a-little-bit|title = Classic Tracks: Supertramp's "Give a Little Bit"|date = 3 April 2018}}
- Roger Hodgson – 12-string acoustic guitars, 12-string Rickenbacker electric guitar, 6-string electric guitar, lead and backing vocals
- Dougie Thomson – Fender Jazz Bass
- Bob Siebenberg – drums and percussion
- Rick Davies – clavinet, piano, organ
- John Helliwell – saxophone
Goo Goo Dolls version
{{Infobox song
| name = Give a Little Bit
| cover = Give a Little GGD Single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Goo Goo Dolls
| album = Let Love In {{noitalic|and}} Live in Buffalo: July 4th, 2004
| B-side = Sympathy
| released = {{start date|2004|10|11|df=y}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:35
| label = Warner Bros.
| writer = Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson
| producer = Goo Goo Dolls, Rob Cavallo
| prev_title = Sympathy
| prev_year = 2002
| next_title = Better Days
| next_year = 2005
}}
In 2004, American rock band Goo Goo Dolls covered the song, releasing it as a single in October of that year. It peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 2005. It was first covered (partially) in 2001, when guitarist and lead vocalist Johnny Rzeznik appeared in an ad for The Gap singing the song along with other artists. The song opened the live album Live in Buffalo: July 4th, 2004, and later appeared as a track on their hit album Let Love In. In May 2006, their version of "Give a Little Bit" was honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in recognition of being one of the most played songs in the ASCAP repertoire in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/popawards/2006/songs.html |title=23rd Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards, Los Angeles, 2006, Most performed songs |access-date=22 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119042226/http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/popawards/2006/songs.html |archive-date=19 November 2008 }}
=Track listing=
{{tracklist
| title1 = Give a Little Bit
| length1 = 3:35
| title2 = Sympathy
| length2 = 2:58
| title3 = Give a Little Bit
| note3 = acoustic version
| length3 = 3:35
}}
=Charts=
==Weekly charts==
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (2005) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Austria|45|artist=The Goo Goo Dolls|song=Give a Little Bit|access-date=19 June 2021}} |
| Canada Hot AC Top 30 (Radio & Records){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2005/RR-2005-02-04.pdf|title=R&R Canada Hot AC Top 30|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1592|page=54|date=4 February 2005|access-date=25 June 2020}}
|align="center"|1 |
| {{single chart|Germany|78|artist=The Goo Goo Dolls|song=Give a Little Bit|songid=98063|access-date=19 June 2021}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardhot100|37|artist=Goo Goo Dolls|access-date=12 February 2021}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|5|artist=Goo Goo Dolls|access-date=12 February 2021}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|1|artist=Goo Goo Dolls|access-date=12 February 2021}} |
==Year-end charts==
| class="wikitable"
!Chart (2004) !Position |
| US Adult Top 40 (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs|magazine=Billboard Radio Monitor|volume=12|issue=51|page=26|date=17 December 2004}}
|align="center"|60 |
| class="wikitable"
!Chart (2005) !Position |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=2005 The Year in Music & Touring|magazine=Billboard|volume=117|issue=52|page=YE-76|date=24 December 2005}}
|align="center"|8 |
| US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)
|align="center"|4 |
=Release history=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left"
!scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States
|{{start date|2004|10|11|df=y}} |rowspan="2"|Warner Bros. |{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-10-08.pdf|title=Going for Adds|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1576|page=35|date=8 October 2004|access-date=19 June 2021}} |
|---|
| {{start date|2004|11|29|df=y}} |
Other versions
In January 2005, cover versions produced and arranged by John Fields were recorded by John Ondrasik and UNICEF ambassadors Clay Aiken and India Arie. The covers were created as part of the "Kids Help Out" public service announcement campaign designed by Cartoon Network to inspire viewers to support relief efforts toward the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. For the campaign, Hodgson also provided a new recording with an 80-piece orchestra and choir.{{cite web |url=https://www.awn.com/news/cartoon-network-animates-psas-kids-give-little-bit-tsuna |title=Cartoon Network Animates PSAs for Kids to 'Give a Little Bit' to Tsunami Victims |last=DeMott |first=Rick |website=Animation World Network |date=January 12, 2005 |access-date=January 25, 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Supertramp}}
{{Goo Goo Dolls}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Give A Little Bit}}
Category:Five for Fighting songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Rob Cavallo
Category:Songs written by Rick Davies