Supertramp - Breakfast in America (1979) bass cover

Original bassist - Dougie Thomson
"Breakfast in America" is the title track from English rock band Supertramp's 1979 album of the same name. Credited to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, it was a top-ten hit in the UK and a live version of the song reached No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1981. The lyrics tell about a person, presumably British, who dreams of visiting the United States.
The inner sleeve of the 1979 Breakfast in America album lists one musician - Roger Hodgson or Rick Davies - as composer for each song. For the "Breakfast in America" title track, Davies alone is incorrectly listed as composer and lyricist. However, the center label of the 12-inch vinyl disc credits all songs to both Hodgson and Davies. Similarly, on the vinyl single, it was credited to Hodgson and Davies.
Supertramp started performing the song during a reunion tour without Hodgson; the latter took credit for writing the song, telling reporters that Davies initially "hated" the song, and that he believed Davies did not play on the recording at all. According to Hodgson, he wrote the song when he was 19 years old. Hodgson said that "I was dreaming and having fun one day and this song just flowed out. I think the lyric was written in about an hour, it just came out of me." Hodgson has credited Davies with creating the vocalized retort line, "What's she got? Not a lot." According to Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso, Hodgson started writing the song as a teenager, and Davies later "helped sharpen the lyrics". Billboard critic Gary Graff agrees with this assessment, including Davies contributing the "What's she got? Not a lot" lyric. Roger Hodgson uploaded an .mp3 version of his original 2-track demo of the track from ca. 1969 to his website in the early 2000's.
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Take a look at my girlfriend
She's the only one I got
Not much of a girlfriend
I never seem to get a lot
Take a jumbo across the water
Like to see America
See the girls in California
I'm hoping it's going to come true
But there's not a lot I can do
[Verse 2]
Could we have kippers for breakfast
Mummy dear, Mummy dear?
They gotta have 'em in Texas
'Cause everyone's a millionaire
I'm a winner, I'm a sinner
Do you want my autograph?
I'm a loser, what a joker
I'm playing my jokes upon you
While there's nothing better to do, hey
[Instrumental]
[Verse 3]
Don't you look at my girlfriend (Girlfriend)
She's the only one I got
Not much of a girlfriend (Girlfriend)
I never seem to get a lot (What she's got? Not a lot)
Take a jumbo across the water
Like to see America
See the girls in California
I'm hoping it's going to come true
But there's not a lot I can do, hey
Ba da da dum
Ba da da dum
Ba da da da dum

[@Beecosy]

Great cover. It has been a l-o-n-g time since I heard this one on cassette. Thank you for sharing. 👍

[@justinandsheba]

Thank you too!

[@bass_face]

love it! Dougie Thomson is an underrated bass player I think, great cover.

[@justinandsheba]

Thanks!!

[@Evsta]

sweet

[@billybadd4693]

Love this song..cool bass lines you got it perfectly 😊 great job.

[@justinandsheba]

Thanks man

[@schepler2]

This seemingly simple bassline has some interesting subtleties, which you've captured nicely, Justin. 🤘

[@justinandsheba]

Thanks Aaron. That's one of the big advantages of listening to the isolated bass before trying to learn a song properly.

[@andreaplaysbass]

That sounds fantastic Justin. Makes me appreciate running my PC sound through my hifi. If ever someone asks why you play bass, you just need to play this video.

[@justinandsheba]

Thanks Andrea!

[@themadbassist]

Another great one dude!

[@justinandsheba]

Thanks Blaze!