Famous Last Words, Supertramp - Promo
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Small Tear in Back Cover
Supertramp – Famous Last Words...
Artist: Supertramp
Title: Famous Last Words...
Album Type: Ninth Studio Album
Original Release Date: October 1982
Label: A&M Records
Genre: Art Rock / Pop Rock / Progressive Pop
Background & Production Famous Last Words... is a bittersweet milestone in the Supertramp discography, as it marks the final studio album to feature the classic lineup of Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies together. Following the astronomical success of Breakfast in America, the band spent several months recording at Unicorn Studios in Nevada and Backyard Studios in California. The album’s title proved prophetic; internal creative differences led Hodgson to depart for a solo career shortly after the supporting world tour. Despite the tension, the production—handled by the band and Peter Henderson—retained the immaculate, "audiophile-grade" clarity that became Supertramp’s sonic signature.
Musical Composition & Themes The album continues the band’s tradition of contrasting Hodgson’s high-tenor, spiritual pop melodies with Davies’ bluesier, cynical rock numbers.
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The Major Hit: "It's Raining Again" became a global success, featuring the band's trademark Wurlitzer electric piano and a whimsical, nursery-rhyme ending. It remains a staple of 80s melodic pop.
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Complex Arrangements: Tracks like "Crazy" and "C'est le Bon" showcase the sophisticated woodwind work of John Helliwell, while the 7-minute epic "Waiting So Long" provides a darker, progressive rock edge that recalled their mid-70s output.
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Artistic Balance: The record captures the tension between radio-friendly pop and the band’s art-rock roots, balanced by the rock-solid rhythm section of Bob Siebenberg and Dougie Thomson.
Legacy & Collector Notes The album was a commercial powerhouse, reaching #5 on the Billboard 200 and #6 in the UK. It is particularly beloved by audiophiles for its pristine engineering; like its predecessor, it is often used to demonstrate the dynamic range of high-end vintage audio systems. For vinyl collectors, the cover art—featuring a tightrope walker balancing above a mountain range—is an iconic visual representation of the band's precarious state at the time. It is an essential title for any shopify store stocking "Classic Rock" or "Yacht Rock" adjacent essentials.
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Keywords: Supertramp, Famous Last Words, Roger Hodgson, Rick Davies, It's Raining Again, A&M Records, 1982 Vinyl, Art Rock, Progressive Pop, Audiophile Vinyl.
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Collection Ideas: 80s Pop-Rock Classics, Final Lineup Albums, Audiophile Recording Essentials, Best of Supertramp.
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Related Artists: The Alan Parsons Project, ELO, 10cc, Steely Dan, Genesis.
MINT - sealed
NM - likely never played - almost perfect
VG+ - light scuffs, light scratches wont effect play
VG - signs of wear, light scratches you can feel
GOOD - surface noise, visible groove wear
POOR / FAIR- some damage, causing issues like skipping & distorted audio
OIS - original inner sleeve
