Paris by Supertramp

Paris

by Supertramp

Released: September 26, 1980

Progressive rock, pop rock, art rock

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Chart Success.

01

The Album

Recorded during their "Breakfast in America" tour, most tracks are from a concert on November 29, 1979, at the Pavillon de Paris. According to Roger Hodgson, Supertramp recorded their live album "Paris" to both introduce their earlier works to U.S. audiences and to showcase songs that performed better live than in the studio. The primary motivation, however, was to buy time as they felt pressure to produce a follow-up to the successful "Breakfast in America." This pause allowed them to rethink their direction, delaying their next studio album until at least 1981.

02

Inside the Recording

Some studio overdubs were added, primarily for vocals and organ, though John Helliwell noted that the overdubbing was minimal compared to other live albums.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

Using their mobile studio, the band recorded various…

Using their mobile studio, the band recorded various shows in Canada and Europe, ultimately choosing tracks from a November 29, 1979, concert at the Pavillon de Paris.

"Paris" is a live album by the English…

"Paris" is a live album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in 1980.

The live rendition of "Dreamer" also achieved success…

The live rendition of "Dreamer" also achieved success, reaching the US Top 20.

The concerts were filmed in 16 mm, capturing…

The concerts were filmed in 16 mm, capturing nearly all songs except five to save on costs.

The album features nearly all of "Crime of…

The album features nearly all of "Crime of the Century," several tracks from their other albums, and notable hits, though "Give a Little Bit" was omitted due to unsatisfactory recordings.

Then

Reception

Initially titled "Roadworks," the album reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold shortly after its release.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Paris" is a live album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in 1980. Recorded during their "Breakfast in America" tour, most tracks are from a concert on November 29, 1979, at the Pavillon de Paris. Initially titled "Roadworks," the album reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold shortly after its release. The live rendition of "Dreamer" also achieved success, reaching the US Top 20.

According to Roger Hodgson, Supertramp recorded their live album "Paris" to both introduce their earlier works to U.S. audiences and to showcase songs that performed better live than in the studio. The primary motivation, however, was to buy time as they felt pressure to produce a follow-up to the successful "Breakfast in America." This pause allowed them to rethink their direction, delaying their next studio album until at least 1981.

Using their mobile studio, the band recorded various shows in Canada and Europe, ultimately choosing tracks from a November 29, 1979, concert at the Pavillon de Paris. Some studio overdubs were added, primarily for vocals and organ, though John Helliwell noted that the overdubbing was minimal compared to other live albums. The concerts were filmed in 16 mm, capturing nearly all songs except five to save on costs.

The album features nearly all of "Crime of the Century," several tracks from their other albums, and notable hits, though "Give a Little Bit" was omitted due to unsatisfactory recordings. Other songs played during the tour but not included in the album later appeared in the deluxe anniversary edition of "Breakfast in America" and the "Live in Paris '79" set.

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