Posted on 09/08/2025 12:40:36 PM PDT by Morgana
Rick Davies, who was a founding member of the 70s British rock band Supertramp, has died at age 81.
Following a battle with cancer, the singer-songwriter passed away in his Long Island home on Friday.
The sad news was announced in a statement from the band, which gave its condolences to Rick's widow Sue.
Rick co-founded Supertramp in 1970 alongside fellow singer-songwriter Roger Hodgson.
They later enlisted Dougie Thomson, Bob Siebenberg, and John Helliwell, performing together from 1973 to 1983.
The Supertramp Partnership is very sad to announce the death of the Supertramp founder, Rick Davies after a long illness.
'Rick passed away at his home on Long Island on September 5th. We had the privilege of knowing him, and playing with him for over fifty years. We offer our sincere condolences to Sue Davies,' the band's public statement read.
The band also took to Instagram on Sunday to share a tribute using Davies's lyrics from the 1979 track Goodbye Stranger: 'Goodbye stranger it's been nice / Hope you find your paradise...'
They also revealed that Davies had battled Multiple Myeloma for over 10 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Yes, thanks.
I agree. It ruins the whole song.
More importantly, I hope he didn't enter eternity believing it.
Sorry, I know nothing of this person or his work.
Well he did live 81 years and had a rock star lifestyle before returning home that’s a pretty long road to travel
He was a great singer, but his economic analysis of Texas in the 1970s was a bit optimistic.
Agreed on all points. Supertramp’s musicianship was almost always excellent, IMO, tho’ I prefer Davies voice to Hodgson’s high pitched voice.
Supertramp is probably my daughter’s favorite band, and she’s really bummed out about hearing of Davies death. Tho’ Davies is not my #1 fave artist / songwriter, he’s definitely in my top 20, and, there are few tunes of his I don’t like quite a bit.
I’ll close with:
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rick-davies-supertramp-songs/
... a very good selection indeed, and,
RIP, Mr. Davies. “You done good”. :-)
I’d say it’s pretty clear Davies is referring to a critic trying to insult him (Davies).
The lyrics refer to someone else saying that (about Davies), and Davies rejects the insult.
Good Lord, our education system REALLY stinks...
I’d also point out that while Davies (esp. in his younger years) was a bit of a free spirit, but there’s no hint of Satanism or devil worship in his work.
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rick-davies-supertramp-songs/
FWIW, a search on Brave indicates that “Supertramp has achieved total equivalent album sales of 71.2 million”.
Yeah, I was thinking, that’s better than most rockers, and he had been fighting cancer for a decade, I believe...
Well, yeah, the article spells that out too (about the cancer).
I’m sure it’s taken out of context. /sar
The line isn’t “the devil is my savior.”
The line is “You can laugh at my behaviour and that’ll never bother me. Say the devil is my saviour, but I don’t pay no heed.”
He’s saying that you can laugh at his behavior and accuse him of having the devil as his savior because of his love ‘em and leave ‘em lifestyle, but he pays no heed to the accusation.
Yea, that line always disturbed me too. Hope he found salvation.
There are many who think that "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum is a gospel song. However, it contains the phrase "Never been a sinner, never sinned, I have a friend in Jesus." Greenbaum, who was not a Christian, mistakenly thought that was what Christians believe, but it's actually the opposite.
I really like them back in the day.
https://youtu.be/Bfgu31KtKZE?si=C_yU9Yxk8WEorU3L
Lord, won't you come and get into my life
Lord, won't you come and get into my life
Say won't you please, stay won't you please
Stay won't you please, say won't you please
Oh Lord, don't go
Won't you come to me?
And even when the song is over
Where have I been -- was it just a dream?
And though your door is always open
Where do I begin -- may I please come in, dear?
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