Boston charted with “More Than a Feeling”

More Than a Feeling Boston

Writer(s): Tom Scholz (see lyrics here) First Charted: September 11, 1976 Peak: 5 US, 4 CB, 3 GR, 4 HR, 1 CL, 22 UK, 4 CN, 11 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.6 UK, 2.01 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 141.0 video, 812.16 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Boston’s 1976 self-titled debut album proved to be a classic rock staple with “a sound that was unique and yet somehow familiar.” UCR “The distinctive tone of [Tom] Sholtz’s guitar coupled with the soaring vocals of Brad Delp became the trademark Boston sound.” UCR Critics and the press hated the band, often calling them “corporate rock,” UCR but the 17 million who bought the first album disagreed. The lead single “More Than a Feeling,” was “an almost sickly sweet ear worm” UCR which served up “a rush of sunshine-laced guitars and vocals” UCR which sometimes blended so seamlessly as to seem to become one. The recording is effectively a Tom Scholz solo effort in which he “grafted on Brad Delp’s yelping vocal and enlisted Boyland’s production gloss to persuade the record company bureaucrats they weren’t just putting out a homemade demo.” DM Scholz “wasn’t your average poor struggling rocker; he was an M.I.T. graduate who invented his own effects pedal called ‘The Rockman.’” UCR He was the “ultimate perfectionist” DM and worked on the song for five years, recording in his basement WK with equipment he bought with money he earned from a job at Polaroid. SF The result was “FM immortality.” TB The Book of Rock Lists suggests that the song’s riff on the chorus may be an homage to the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie.” Scholz has said the Left Banke’s “Walk Away Renee” was the song’s main inspiration. WK In turn, “More Than a Feeling” inspired the riff for Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” RS500 Scholz said he didn’t hear the similarity, but that he “consider[ed] it a compliment.” SF Lyrically, the song is a “blast of nostalgia for the memories invoked by an oldie on the radio.” DT Boston’s website explained that “Feeling” is about “the power an old song can have in your life.” WK The protagonist is discontent with the present and yearning for Marianne, a former lover, whose memory is evoked by an old familiar song. WK Scholz confirmed there really was a Marianne. When he was 8 or 9 years old, he was “secretly in love” with a cousin who much much older. He also said, though, that the lyrics were about the ending of a school love affair. WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Boston BC Brad Carl (2015). 50 Songs from the 70s and 80s That Still Hold Up. Pages 13-14. RC Rod Couch (2015). The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era: 1955-2015. Pages 308-9. DM Dave Marsh (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. New American Library: New York, NY. Page 615. RS500 Rolling Stone (12/04). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” SF Songfacts DT Dave Thompson (2011). 1000 Songs That Rock Your World. Krause Publications: Iola, WI. Page 176. Thunder Bay UCR UltimateClassicRock.com (6/20/2013). “Top 100 Classic Rock Songs” WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 2/10/2021; last updated 4/29/2024.