Supertramp – Bloody Well Right (Live In Paris ’79)

Bloody Well Right (Live in Paris ’79) — Supertramp (Song & Video)

Summary
“Bloody Well Right” was Supertramp’s first U.S. charting hit, reaching No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975, while failing to chart in the UK—possibly due to cultural sensitivity over the word “bloody.” This Live in Paris ’79performance, recorded during the band’s Breakfast in America tour, showcases Rick Davies’s gritty baritone and blues-infused piano, backed by Supertramp at their peak.

Quick Facts

• Song: “Bloody Well Right”

• Artist: Supertramp

• Album (studio): Crime of the Century (1974)

• First release: December 1974 (B-side to “Dreamer”)

• Chart success: No. 35 – Billboard Hot 100 (U.S.); failed to chart in UK

• Live recording venue: Pavillon de Paris, France

• Live recording dates: 1–2 December 1979

• Live releases:

  • Paris (1980, condensed live album)

  • Live in Paris ’79 (2025, 22-track full concert, Mercury Studios)

• Genre: Progressive rock · Hard rock · Art rock

• Writers: Rick Davies · Roger Hodgson

• Vocals/keys: Rick Davies

• Video runtime: ~6 minutes

Background & Release

“Bloody Well Right” first appeared on Supertramp’s 1974 album Crime of the Century, paired as the B-side to “Dreamer.” To the band’s surprise, U.S. radio favored the B-side, propelling it to No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975 [1]. In the UK, however, the single stalled. One theory holds that British listeners found the title’s use of “bloody”offensive at the time. Today the term is considered a mild expletive globally [1].

The track became a concert staple, particularly noted for its biting social commentary and Rick Davies’s raspy vocal delivery.

Composition & Lyrics

• Themes: Critique of rigid schooling and social hierarchies.

• Style: Mix of blues-rock piano riffs, hard rock guitar licks, and satirical, anti-establishment lyrics.

• Performance: Opens with electric piano before building into a full-band statement, underpinned by Davies’s gravelly baritone.

Music Video: Concept & Production (Live in Paris ’79)

• Venue: Pavillon de Paris (capacity ~8,000; converted slaughterhouse) [2].

• Date: 1–2 December 1979, during the Breakfast in America world tour.

• Filming: Multi-camera setup capturing both crowd atmosphere and close performance shots.

• First release: Featured on the 1980 live album Paris (16 tracks from 29 November show).

• Later releases:

  • Live in Paris ’79 DVD/Blu-Ray (2012).

  • Expanded 2-CD / 3-LP full-concert edition by Mercury Studios (2025), restoring full setlist [3].

Reception

Critics highlight “Bloody Well Right” as a defining Supertramp moment:

• Ultimate Classic Rock praised its “sharp anti-authoritarian streak.”

• Billboard called it “an angry indictment of British economic caste systems” [1].

• Goldmine Magazine (2025) hailed the new Live in Paris ’79 release as “a completist’s dream,” with the live version of “Bloody Well Right” among its standout performances [3].

Chart Performance (Studio Single)

Timeline

• Dec 1974 — Song released as B-side to “Dreamer”.

• 1975 — Climbs to No. 35 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

• Nov–Dec 1979 — Performed in Paris; recorded for live album and video.

• Sept 1980 — Paris live album released; peaks at No. 8 in the U.S.

• 2012 — Live in Paris ’79 DVD/Blu-Ray issued.

• 2025 — Expanded Live in Paris ’79 released on CD/LP with full setlist.

References

1. Bloody Well Right – Wikipedia, Wikipedia (accessed 7 Sept 2025).

2. Paris (Supertramp album) – Wikipedia, Wikipedia (accessed 7 Sept 2025).

3. Joe Marchese, “Supertramp Goes Big with Expanded Live in Paris ’79,” The Second Disc, 27 Feb 2025. Link(accessed 7 Sept 2025).