I always thought that Supertramp, the name was some reference to Jesus - and NO I am not a religious nut. Under this belief, I concluded that this album works at many levels with the 'Crime of the Century' being the stripping of humanity and decency from people, until they become Rudy and eventually are 'crucified'.
So if you think of it as a rock opera like that (which were very popular at the time). The song before - School - is the start of the journey. It points to how ridiculous schooling is. Now I believe "Rudy" has started to complain about things. On one hand he's being told - yeah, yeah boy - you go ahead and complain, you're quite right. But really the 'machine' wants him to 'hush his face'. I think Asylum goes on to say 'well we're all crazy really'. Dreamer goes on to examine wishing for something better and Rudy is the reality check.
If Everyone was Listening is the song that made me think of the Jesus connection. It sounds very much like it's saying "man this has been happening since the days of Jesus - ain't no one gonna listen to that". And then Crime of the Century is saying - "yeah, it's the machine and guess what, you're part of the machine"
Perhaps in my younger days I thought way too much about this album!! :-)
I always thought that Supertramp, the name was some reference to Jesus - and NO I am not a religious nut. Under this belief, I concluded that this album works at many levels with the 'Crime of the Century' being the stripping of humanity and decency from people, until they become Rudy and eventually are 'crucified'.
So if you think of it as a rock opera like that (which were very popular at the time). The song before - School - is the start of the journey. It points to how ridiculous schooling is. Now I believe "Rudy" has started to complain about things. On one hand he's being told - yeah, yeah boy - you go ahead and complain, you're quite right. But really the 'machine' wants him to 'hush his face'. I think Asylum goes on to say 'well we're all crazy really'. Dreamer goes on to examine wishing for something better and Rudy is the reality check.
If Everyone was Listening is the song that made me think of the Jesus connection. It sounds very much like it's saying "man this has been happening since the days of Jesus - ain't no one gonna listen to that". And then Crime of the Century is saying - "yeah, it's the machine and guess what, you're part of the machine"
Perhaps in my younger days I thought way too much about this album!! :-)