Goodbye Stranger
{{Short description|1979 single by Supertramp}}
{{For|the children's novel by Rebecca Stead|Goodbye Stranger (novel){{!}}Goodbye Stranger (novel)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2012}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Goodbye Stranger
| cover = Goodbye Stranger.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Supertramp
| album = Breakfast in America
| B-side = Even in the Quietest Moments
| released = July 1979 (US)
12 October 1979 (UK){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Supertramp&titel=Goodbye+Stranger&cat=s|title=Supertramp singles}}
| recorded = 1978
| studio = The Village Recorder, Los Angeles
| genre = Progressive pop{{cite web | url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/breakfast-in-america-mw0000308462 | title = Supertramp Breakfast in America Review |access-date=22 August 2021 |last = Erlewine | first = Stephen Thomas | author-link = Stephen Thomas Erlewine |work=AllMusic | publisher = Rovi Corporation}}
| length = 5:50
| label = A&M
| writer = Rick Davies
| producer = Peter Henderson, Supertramp
| prev_title = Breakfast in America
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Take the Long Way Home
| next_year = 1979
}}
"Goodbye Stranger" is a song by the English rock band Supertramp; it was written by Rick Davies.Breakfast in America (1979). Inner sleeve credits. A&M Records. The song first appeared on their sixth studio album, Breakfast in America (1979). The lyrics present an "optimistic view from a drifter".
Reception
Billboard described "Goodbye Stranger" as "a fluid midtempo number highlighted by the band's near falsetto vocals, dominant keyboards and a strong melody line".{{cite news|title=Top Single Picks|newspaper=Billboard Magazine|access-date=8 July 2020|date=7 July 1979|page=62|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-07-07.pdf}} Cash Box said it has "intriguing, well-paced vocals" from Rick Davies, and the "high backup singing" from Roger Hodgson and "blithe, spirited instrumentation".{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=7 July 1979|page=18|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=1 January 2022|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1979/CB-1979-07-07.pdf}} Record World said that the "keyboard/guitar & chorus hook provide a blithe fairytale effect".{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=July 14, 1979|accessdate=2023-02-11|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/79/RW-1979-07-14.pdf}}
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso rated it as Supertramp's fourth-best song, calling it a "snarky kiss-off from Davies" that "showcases the band's predilection for the Wurlitzer".{{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/}} Brett Milano of UDiscover Music rated Roger Hodgson's guitar solo at the end of the song as one of the 100 all-time greatest.{{cite web|title=The Best Guitar Solos: 100 Hair-Raising Moments|author=Milano, Brett|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-guitar-solos-ever/|date=11 September 2020|access-date=15 September 2020|publisher=udiscovermusic.com}} Gary Graff of Billboard rated "Goodbye Stranger" as Supertramp's ninth 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".{{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}}
Personnel
- Rick Davies – Wurlitzer electronic piano, Hammond organ, lead vocals
- Roger Hodgson – electric guitar, harmony vocals
- John Helliwell – harmony vocals, whistling
- Dougie Thomson – bass guitar
- Bob Siebenberg – drums
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.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1979)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|6|artist=Supertramp|song=Goodbye Stranger|chartid=6849a|access-date=23 January 2021}} |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.7848&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.7848.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.7848|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=27 October 1979 |accessdate=7 March 2022}}
| style="text-align:center;"|9 |
| French Singles Chart{{Cite web |url=http://tsort.info/music/0t2h7u.htm |title=Song artist 344 - Supertramp |website=Tsort}}
|align="center"|9 |
| {{singlechart|Dutch100|41|artist=Supertramp|song=Goodbye Stranger|access-date=23 January 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|New Zealand|40|artist=Supertramp|song=Goodbye Stranger|access-date=23 January 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|UKsinglesbyname|57|artist=Supertramp|song=Goodbye Stranger|artistid=33163|access-date=23 January 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|32|artist=Supertramp|song=Goodbye Stranger|access-date=23 January 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|15|artist=Supertramp|song=Goodbye Stranger|access-date=23 January 2021}} |
| US Cash Box Top 100[http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19790915.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 15, 1979]
|align="center"|16 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable" |
| Chart (1979)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|58|chartid=6855a|access-date=21 December 2024|refname=CA_YE79}} |
| US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual){{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |date=1999 |title=Pop Annual |url= |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |publisher=Record Research Inc. |page= |isbn=0-89820-142-X}}
| style="text-align:center;"|108 |
{{col-end}}
=Certifications=
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=Goodbye Stranger|artist=Supertramp|type=single|award=Gold|certyear=1979|relyear=1979}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
In popular culture
The song plays in many films and television programs. In the episode "Goodbye, Toby" of The Office, Michael Scott sings a parody of "Goodbye Stranger" entitled "Goodbye, Toby".{{cite web|last=Giant|first=M.|title=Goodbye, Toby|url=http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/the-office/goodbye-toby.php?page=7|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630040208/http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/the-office/goodbye-toby.php?page=7|archive-date=30 June 2013|access-date=7 June 2013|work=Television Without Pity|publisher=NBCUniversal}} In the episode "Goodbye Stranger" in the eighth season of Supernatural, the song plays on the Impala's radio after the angel Castiel disappears.{{Citation |last=Wright |first=Thomas J. |title=Goodbye Stranger |date=2013-03-20 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2692382/ |series=Supernatural |access-date=2023-02-12}} The song plays in the trailer of the 2023 film Beau Is Afraid.{{cite web |last1=Starkey |first1=Adam |title=What song is in the 'Beau Is Afraid' trailer? |url=https://www.nme.com/news/film/what-is-song-beau-is-afraid-trailer-3377985 |website=NME |access-date=11 January 2023 |date=10 January 2023}} It is also played in the 1999 film Magnolia, and the 2017 film I, Tonya. It is featured in the second season finale of Hacks. The song is played in the first episode of the second season of the television show Reacher.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Supertramp}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Rick Davies