The fact that a 47 year old song is still being analyzed and discussed at this level should tell you something. I've been listening to this song for almost my entire life and will never get tired of listening to it :)
I was 20 when I first heard this. I loved it then. I was at work just a few days ago listening to my dab radio through earphones, and it was played. Straight away goosebumps and a deep nostalgic feeling. Wonderful piece of music.
@@myoldmate I mirror your experience hearing this song. I was 20 as well when this came out. I first heard it in a small store I was in and asked the owner, "who is this?" I went out and bought the 8-track. I still get goosebumps when I hear this masterpiece.
Now you know WHY those born in the 60s LOVE the 70s music...it's just fantastic and we got to hear it as it all came out...Heart, Journey, Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Chicago, Boston etc etc etc...we were a very lucky generation to grow up listening to this music!
True! This is my all-time favorite song. I love Journey, but they're judged by "Don't Stop Believin', and early Journey was AWESOME! Infinity, Evolution with Greg Rolie on keys and singing and harmonizing with Steve Perry....perfect!
Hard to believe such a well put together song was written by Tom Sholz in his basement before they even had a contract. He played everything but the drums on the song. It took a perfectionist like Tom to blend all of the nuances together into a masterpiece. And it took someone with a voice like Brad Delp to sing it.
Greatest debut album in music history. The fact that every track from this album still receives constant rotation on classic rock stations speaks volumes!
Only debut album in history that could double as a Greatest Hits Volume 1. Can still listen to it start to finish almost 50 years later and still love every song. Still hard to believe it was done almost 5 decades ago. This dwarfs everything that has come out in decades.
The reason Boston is not in the Rock and roll Hall of Fame is because they were one album Wonder. The album was a synthesized album adding the lead vocalist at the end to make the record meaning there was no band in the studio just the MIT Producer Tom Schultz who played all the instruments and the drummer Jim Masdea and then the finished product was sent to Los Angeles for the lead singer Brad Delp to finish the recording. The album came out in 1976 just after I graduated high school. The three singles from the album had heavy airplay on the radio and were strategically placed so that the album would have huge sales. They had to recruit a band in order to have a tour. I believe it would be an insult to other groups who worked hard to produce albums and had a successful touring career to include Boston in the Hall of Fame. Boston had one great album and made a lot of money ...good for them Those in the industry view Boston as they view the Monkees... enough said.
@@KevanCorkillno. Their second album was successful. When people compare it to the debut, of course it’s not going to meet that standard but they were not only a multi hit band but multi album band.
@matteoedwardes2876 and Tom Schultz was a great songwriter and that is why people enjoy his songs. The first two albums are fantastic and they deserve every bit of recognition they received. And the R&R Hall of Fame is a joke anyway. A lot of people that are in there don't deserve to be there, and a lot of people that deserve to be are not. It's a lot of internal politics and pompous Insider decision-making.
@@KevanCorkill I think the real reason they aren't in the HOF is that they didn't kiss the ring of Jann Wenner, the co-founder of Rolling Stone magazine, who dominated the R&R HOF board until he was deposed in 2023 for making racist and sexist remarks. He kept Chicago out of the Hall for decades because of a feud he had long ago with James William Guercio, Chicago's first producer. Wenner let his no-talent friends into the Hall and kept out some great bands for reasons that had nothing to do with music.
I know Brad gets a lot of credit for his performance on this song, but Tom's songwriting, arranging, playing and production are just masterful. He was pushing the envelope with technology and creativity.
I hear you, but I actually think Brad does not get enough credit for how great of a vocalist he was. He is rarely mentioned with the other greats Plant, Mercury, Paul Rodgers, Perry, etc. He deserves to be there.
Dude, it is probably the only song that you can come away from feeling as you been skating on rainbows with fireworks coming out of your ears and ass like and adolescent who just discovered love.
It’s a soft pop-rock song … there was no band here… one guy recorded all the instruments and vocals …when the album became a hit, he had to create an actual band to tour !….
@@jayedwards4787 Wrong! Delp sang on the demos and also helped write some of the songs. (Come on man, Scholz couldn't begin to sing like Delp.) The also had a friend drummer that arranged and played drums on the demo's. He was fired because the record label that signed them, made Scholz fire him. (Whom he later hired back in secret for the finals).
@@cowboy7x one guy created and recorded the music …there was no “Boston” …I remember when this soft pop rock LP came out … very popular because it was soft radio music …not remotely rock
❤I'm an aeronautical engineer and commercial pilot and love knowing how things work. I bought this album when it came out, and things that I love about this song were a mystery to me but no longer thanks to you. Thank you, love these analyses.
Rick Beato did a wonderful "What Makes This Song Great" piece on this song as well. Your commentary makes a wonderful complement to it! I was in high school when this song came out, but got the remastered version for this Christmas--I'm 60 now, but cranked it in the car on the way to work!!
First time I bought a stereo with a CD player, I bought 1 CD...Bostons first album...because I knew you should crank it and everything sounds great for the entire album. More than a Feeling is the best tune there.
Every time it comes in the car radio, I jack up the volume and get goosebumps. I’m sure this song alone is responsible for some of my high end hearing loss! I’m 67 and I just never get tired of this song.
Me too. Just a few days ago I did additional hearing damage, though while listening to George Clinton, Gap Band, and other funk artists. But I digress... More Than A Feeling is one of my all-time favorites. It still amazes me how he could hit those high notes and still sound so good.
Tom Sholz was just a genius to put this whole album together in his basement almost by himself. Incredible. The intro actually was two twelve strings and a clean electric.
The story of how this album got made is amazing in itself, but I've thought it was poetic that the song about that special song that takes you back to some place in your life actually BECAME that song for so many people. The transitional changes are one of the main things that set this song apart from the crowd. They're not abrupt but work perfectly for this song. Truly one of the greatest of all time.
Stared at that album cover for 30 years and then one day a friend said you know those spaceships are guitars right? Mind blown. Never saw it like that.
Really?? I always thought they were mushrooms...but then, it could well be because of the mushroom omelette I'd been eating, not the kind you'd buy in the supermarket. Must have been Bali '76, purple skies and all that.
Absolutely loved Brad Delp. Big crush as a 13 year old girl. Got to see Boston when I was 16. Backstage pass (thanks to my cousin who was the concert promoter). I was so awestruck that I couldn’t even speak. 1977 was a banner year for me. What a loss when he took his own life. I hope that he found his peace.
That high D is epic, then when Brad takes it to the high E, it is mind-blowing. I love how it is so closely married to Tom's guitar that they sound like one!
That patented effect Sholtz invented and applied to all Boston songs has allowed it be a song nothing sounded like previously, or since. It's really a shame Boston didn't do more. They were unique and excellent, but the other two albums they did were either rushed, or were put together in the midst of massive legal entanglements.
@@johnboehmer6683..they actually did six studio albums and a couple of compilation albums. They did hire a new singer. Their last album was released in 2014.
The first time I heard More Than a Feeling by Boston was in 1976 on the way home from school on the school bus seem like every kid on the bus ask the bus driver to please turn up the radio when this song came on. Boston self-title debut album Boston is one of the best debut rock albums of all time.
I was 16 when this song came out. I never thought much of it. I'm 62 now, and I treasure the thoughts this song has been associated with through the years. Seeing it brought to light here simply and greatly increases the focus on it. Coming to understand the "nuts and bolts" of every song on this channel... PRICELESS. Phil, thank you, so much, for the work you do out here!
Right there with you - I was also 16 and every time I hear More than a Feeling - it also takes me back to my first Hi Fi Stereo System that I just received during the Holidays of 76 - BIC Turntable - JBL L100s and powered by a Sherwood Receiver! Back then we took those bands for granted, thinking we' always would have sensational music from the 60s to the 70s...How could we predict that those bands like Boston, The Eagles, Bruce and Fleetwood Mac would not last forever and give way to the ultimate demise of Rock and Roll that we see today. Delp's lyrics on More than a Feeling hits the high note, for sure!
I as well, 10th grade, age 16 when I bought this record from the "New Release" LP section. Every high school party had this album played for a few years. The expansive guitar sounds and vocal harmonies would sweep me into another world.
So was I. So many memories tied up with it and it stays a favourite. It is up there with Bohemian Rhapsody and Livin' Thing , Tragedy and Lady (Styx) as some of the greatest songs of the 70's. But the list is long and it's difficult to choose one - just as I think This one I then remember That one. Music, the eternal gift.
There with you. I am the same age, and memories of hearing this song are associated with my teen school years, as is the case with so many of we boomers (or thereabouts!). Great post.
I can still hear Boston cranked up on my brother's radio shack 8 track player in his room back in '76 when released. I was blown away with their sound and how crips the vocals and guitar were. I was 12 and in 6th grade but grew up on classic rock as we had a couple great local radio stations who played full albums. I'd go with my brother in his '77 ford mustang II, pop in Boston's 8 track tape and crank it up on his jensen speakers with the windows down and cruise around town. Being a teen ager cranking tunes back in the day was magic. It took you to another place. In fact, every time I hear the song "Rock and Roll Band", I wait for the click that moved it from one track to the next back in the day as it was recording on 8 track. I have two 22 boys and both of them can't stand their generation's music. They grew up listening to my classic rock from my childhood etc and totally embrace it. One wishes he could go back to the 70's and live through all of this. I did and wouldn't have traded any other time in history. It was a BLAST.
NO DOUBT IN THE WORLD... THIS SONG IS A MASTERPIECE!! I HAVE LISTENED TO IT COUNTLESS TIMES AND LOVE IT MORE EACH TIME! IMPOSSIBLE TO EVER GET TIRED OF THIS GREAT TUNE!!😊😊😊😊
I was 12 when this song came out. At 58, I still don't tire of this song. Delp was brilliant, and Tom is a genius. He literally invented equipment in order to get the sounds we hear on the album.
there is an amazing documentary about Tom's pedals out there, it's Japanese (and in Japanese, except when Tom is talking) It's 2 hours of your life well spent if you can find it.
Was in Spring Break in Daytona Beach when started being played nonstop. Hadn’t heard anything so beautiful as Brad Delp’s voice. Spectacular debut. Still blast first 3 albums frequently. RIP Brad you are legend
I can tell you that when this song came out in 1976, it was easily the best song on the radio! And it was completely different from anything that had come before it. It was groundbreaking you could say. Anytime someone asks "What song do you never get tired of?" More Than A Feeling is always the first song that comes to mind. P.S. I love how the song fades off into space, ty-ing it in with the album cover.
I was 12 years old when this album came out. I saved up my allowances for about a month and the first album I ever bought with my own money was the picture disc of this album. I had no idea what I was buying. I just knew the music was the best I'd ever heard and it had space ships the size of cities shaped like guitars blasting away from Earth and heading for the stars... I had to have it!!!
I've heard many people sing this song, no one can reproduce what Brad did during "I closed my eyes and she slipped away." This is my favorite song of all time. The voice at the end is held with an actual tape loop, drowned into the reverb.
great point about how Brad's voice compliments the guitar - indeed they at times seem to seamlessly blend into each other - as though his voice just becomes the guitar
I was 18 & a senior in high school when this came out. There were several rock bands that either came out at that time or established bands with big hits...Fleetwood Mac, Kansas, Super Tramp, Journey and the like. It was a great time to be a teenager! This song will always be a favorite & I marvel at the voice, the guitar, the drums - it all came together to make a masterpiece!
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU!!! I feel SOOO fortunate to have grown up at that time!! My big brother had a huge collection of vinyls, & when he was gone I'd sneak them into my room & had to be sure I didn't get caught! We had the massive love of the Beatles, and other 60's groups....as well as Ozzy, Aerosmith, KISS, Journey, REO Speedwagon, the Cars, Thin Lizzie, Lynyrd Skynrd, & many more!!
Class of 78. Got to see live performances of Kansas, Queen, Linda Ronstadt, and Rod Stewart and all were full throttle. Would have loved to seen Boston.
This album was way ahead of its time. It blew me away when I first heard it. Luckily I got to see them in concert way back then. Brad's vocals were incredible. He is one of my favorite rock vocalists of all time
I'm 62, and this song was an anthem for my generation. I also use this song (and this whole album) as a basis to turn 20-somethings onto '70s and '80s rock. Thank you for the breakdown, your passion shows!
I was a professional drummer. I retired in 2018 at age 53. I was 10 years old when this album was released. Most of my musical heros were guitar players or vocalists. I do want to thank you. This has been the most comprehensive video I have ever seen to explain why this song sparks so much emotion in me. Amazing
I'm from Boston MA. Brad Delp had a band called Beetlejuice. Did nothing but Beatles tunes in clubs all over New England. He could sound like Lennon and MCarteny Long after the 70s Really an amazing singer.
Oh Yes😍I'm from RI and had the pleasure of attending one of these performances. He and his band were Extraordinary. Sounded just like the Beatles. Could not believe it. Aaaand I approached him during a break, spoke with him and got his autograph. What a sweetheart- such a nice guy.
I understand that Brad was upset about Sib wasn’t invited back to the band, and Brad advocated for him. And no one listened, and so what happened, happened. Barry Goudreaux is a excellent guitarist! RIP Brad and Sib ❤️ They’re jamming already.
First show I ever saw. Bradley Delp is missed more than ever. This was the theme music to America's bicentennial. The whole world came to Boston in order to see the Tall Ships parade. The hatch shell became, forevermore, home base for the 4th of July, fireworks and the Overture from Wm Tell. We were young once, all of us, and it was grand. Godspeed to Sib and Brad.
What a band. When they first came out, I was like "Wow"! What great era the 70's were for music, with the likes of Boston, Kansas, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John and so on.
Well, no wonder this is such a driveway song for me! If it's on the car radio, I just sit there til the last note, even if I have reached my destination, even if I'm late.
I remember this song being on the radio when I was about 10 years old, and whenever the line, "I closed my eyes and she slipped away" played, I would feel tears welling up. I was only ten, but I could viscerally feel that bittersweet nostalgia of Maryanne walking away. I still feel it today. This video has helped me to understand how the various musical choices, not just the lyrics, contribute to that feeling. :)
Yes with all amazing writing, arranging, performing skill and tech it is still viscerally astounding and moving. And what an amazing line that is. Such a beautiful creation. Being from the UK I took a working holiday in LA for 2 years, became redundant and took to cleaning houses for a year. I had this album on cassette and often working in empty homes, played the cassette on the owners' (often huge stereo gear) every morning. It never gets old.
This has never aged. Tom Scholz was a multi-skilled genius. For Brad Delp to end his own life was tragic. I remember the first time I heard this track on the radio when it first came out. It just blew me away. It still does. I probably appreciate it more now than I did at the time when I knew nothing about the technical side. I still don't know much but recent discovery of both your videos and those of Rick Beato (who has also reviewed this track) have opened my eyes even further and added an even greater appreciation of music and musicians especially as I have two acoustic guitars, one electric, a mandolin and a ukulele and I struggle with all of them! Oh, and while I'm here, thanks for the Rory Gallagher reviews. Saw him live many times and news of his death really shook me. I have an extensive collection of his stuff. First time I saw him was at the Isle Of Wight with Taste, in 1970 just before they split up. Even in his day, many hadn't heard of him as he shunned the limelight, preferring the smaller venues which were always packed. He was just mesmerising. Totally committed. A man of total integrity and as you have noted, a style and sound all of his own.
For years I thought the guitar took over his voice and raised it higher. That is until Rick Beato showed it was Brad's voice going higher than I thought humanly possible for a man. Wow!!
Who didn’t have this album? I was in HS when this album came out. Who wasn’t sad when Brad Delp died? His voice was a one of a kind. Great analysis & I feel your absolute admiration for the musicians & Brad in this masterpiece!
I used to listen to the Boston album on tape in my car for years in the mid 80s and often wondered then if anyone else was still listening. All these years later people still are listening
I've seen you analyze so many artists with polite grace and insight. You have totally geeked out on this one. And that just makes me smile. Boston was amazing.
Phil this is one of those songs that act like a time machine for me. And transport me back to a different time. When my only concerns were, my bell bottoms, my Aquanet-assisted Afro and was my ride cool enough. That was fun thanks, Phil.
Best song of all time? Not sure ....but I'll tell you what...it's WAY up there (in the top 5) for me! Edit: This whole ALBUM was damn great..... "More Than a Feeling" "Peace of Mind" "Foreplay/Long Time" "Rock & Roll Band" "Smokin'" "Hitch a Ride" "Something About You" "Let Me Take You Home Tonight" Every song was a masterpiece.....
I could be brain dead and if you played this song to me, I would still tap my foot to keep time to the song. Most people who love Boston could name this song with just one note or less.
It could very well be the best song of all time. It is right up there with the very best songs for sure. I remember being a teenager in Massachusetts when this came out. It was on the radio all of the time. I still listen to this song on a regular basis after all these years and not only do I love the song, it also is like time travelling, I feel like I am back living my life in the 70s when I hear it.
I was 12 when this came out. In 47 years, I've never tired of hearing it. Other vocal coaches reviewing this song missed the fact that Brad did all the vocals. He is in death what he was in life, one of the greatest male vocalists in Rock history. And Tom is a genius, literally. He invented equipment in order to get their sound. :-D
My Aunt & Uncle were music junkies. They had an incredible record collection. When they played this album it took my little 8 year old soul to a different place in the universe. Thanks Fil✌💜
I'm 72, have heard this song probably a thousand times, and it still makes me feel good (almost) every time. Thanks for giving me even more appreciation for it.
Great song choice, I was 21 when this came out in 1976. I have always liked this style of song, Boston, Chicago etc and I still do. Thanks Fil for the analysis very informative and no interference with pitch correction, great stuff and very life-like with all the flats and sharps which helps make the song great.
I LOVE TO SEE YOUR ENTHUSIASM IN DOING THESE VIDEOS. YOUR SMILE IS THE REAL DEAL. I LOVE IT WHEN YOU SMILE & YOUR TEETH SHOW. MUSIC IS SUCH A GREAT EXPRESSION OF JOY. WE ARE MADE UP OF VIBRATIONS. I WOULD NOT WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD WITHOUT MUSIC. THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY LIFE EXPERIENCE EVEN BETTER. GOOD MUSIC ELEVATES OUR VIBRATION. THE HIGHEST VIBE=LOVE. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
For a band to create (in advance) such an amazing album, without a record deal...and then for EVERY SINGLE SONG to eventually wind up being played on Classic Rock Radio (the 'real' classic rockers, anyway)...ICONIC. I had the great joy of spending time with Brad and the guys (during my radio career) with his local project BeatleJuice (late 90s-early 2000s). One of the nicest, most humble people ever. It was such a joy to observe him having conversations with fans, long into the night after those shows. And that voice...
The best song of all time? If not, it’s definitely in the conversation, a rock masterpiece, in my personal top 5, never get tired of hearing and I’ve been listening since it came out.
I graduated high school in '76, age 18. This concert was so much FUN! Knew every word, anticipated every part of every song, and extatically sung my heart out!! The next school day, I proudly wore my new Boston concert shirt! 😃 Fil, thank you for taking me away to a much happier, care-free world of harmony, never boring. 😀 Jennifer San Francisco Bay area USA
"This whole song is melodic". Your enthusiasm for this song is obviously 100% genuine! You make some great observation in analyzing it. I consider this probably THE single greatest song in rock history. There are so many appealing elements in More Than A Feeling. When I first heard it, the rock power & amazing dynamics coupled with unprecedented melodicism was just undeniable.
This was a phenomenal album, and Boston was such a great band. Hard to believe they lost the Grammy for best new group to Starland Vocal Band, with their One Hit Wonder status!
Boston was a great studio band, but they were not great live. I can’t even count how many rock bands I have seen in concert and Boston ranks at the bottom. Really bad.
@@sassyt1545 Saw them live on the Third Stage tour and they sounded great. I'll agree they weren't flashy but I'd much rather see a band who sounds great than all the theatrics ala Motley Crue. Now they were bad!
I hated "Afternoon Delight" from day one and at nearly 68 years of age, I still hate it. If I had to name lamest song for that year, it would be that song.
I feel so incredibly lucky that we got to see them live on their Third Stage tour. Our seats were hilarious - almost behind the stage and behind a huge pillar, but we were so happy to be there. I wish Brad could have stuck around to grow old with the rest of us.💙
Brad got his impeccable musical ability by joining every single choir he could from the moment he hit grade school and church. So many of the 70s-80s singers had something extra from performing multiple musical disciplines.
I’m 58 years old…the first time I heard this song was when the album came out. I was 12 years old and wasn’t a musician yet but there was something magical about it and it made me want to learn how to play guitar. I’ve been obsessed with the music of Boston ever since, and More Than A Feeling is my favorite song to this day. My opinion is that it’s an absolutely perfect song. The vocal melodies are beautiful, the guitar tones are amazing, the guitar solo is a song in and of itself, the drums are solid and the bass, as in all Boston songs, is melodic but still keeps a solid bottom. Sorry for babbling on…I can talk about this song all day.
The inspiration for this song was the song "Walk Away Renee" by the Left Banke, according to T Scholz. The chords that transition back to the intro after "walking away" are the same in the Renee song. I was there when this album came out and what a breath of fresh air, after years of disco.
Your memory of the first time you heard, and were drawn into a song at age 7 or 8 reminds me of the first time I saw a garden plat full of every color of tulip. It took my breath away. Almost 60 years ago. I was walking home from elementary school, 6 or 7. I’ve never forgotten. A soul recognized beauty. That said, I think I played this song about 30 times (at least) last year and it took me forever to stop “hearing” it in my mind. It has everything. I hope your health has been restored completely.
I am 52 years old i remember my dad buying this album when it was released in August of 1976.I had just turn 6 years old, one of my favorite albums of all time.❤❤
The most amazing thing of his voice and the instruments is at you put it, their “relevancy”. That point where you can no longer differentiate between the vocal and the instrument where they are so closely aligned. That bit has always been my favorite parts to this song.
I'm from the area that produced Tom Scholz, Bob Seger, Grand Funk Railroad, and so many others. As a young guitarist, I was thrilled these people wrote songs that the average person could play in some manner. Phil touched on this. The basic song is simple, and it allows for a connection that is special. I could play these songs AND, my car stereo loved them. When I play Boston now, I close my eyes and I'm a 17 years old again. Music is random sounds organized in a way that make 3 1/2 minutes last a lifetime. How cool is that. Thanks Fil.
@@Cotronixco unfortunately, this life on earth is the only life we ever have. Make the most of it because there is no afterlife. When you die, you're gone forever. ALL gods are the creation of men.
@@Cotronixco no... I never knew this imaginary sky-daddy. Why would I... I don't do imaginary friends... not their supporters who are so keen to murder, enjoy slavery, commit rape and genocide etc.
The guitar solo in this is one of my favorites ever, so simple yet so tuneful. This plus Peace of Mind is one of the best one-two punches to begin an album
My very fav song of all time! Brad’s voice….omg, the whole thing, all parts of it! Every time I hear it I’m reminded of being 13 and sitting between my best friends knees on the steps of his front bridge, all our friends around us, late summer sun, everything bathed in yellow sunlight, all of us singing and my best friend Dave (who was a drummer, still is)air drumming. That was more than 40 yrs ago. We’re still best friends at 55 and 56❤️⭐️. Thanks 😊
This is one of those songs that I do not tire of. That opening verse is exactly the way many of us start our day, getting lost in music. Such good imagery.
Growing up listening to Boston meant that I was hearing something and recognizing how unique it was, so it took time to recognize just how great it was. Ya know? Their music was so well crafted, I remember thinking "of course it all fits together. It's Boston." It was a weird time to try and appreciate music because there had been so much amazing stuff going on, it was easy to take some of it for granted. At the time. I was spoiled to death.😅
@ 18:47, I agree. There is so much cool stuff going on in this song. My memories of this song are so precious. I remember when Doug, my boyfriend, Dale, his best friend, or, one of his best friends, used to hang out driving around listening to this song - probably on 8-track.
@@gbsailing9436 We are blessed , born in the sixties and growing up in the Seventies !!!! My kids still listen to ALL the classic rock songs that I introduced them to. In fact, I am taking my youngest son 30 and my daughter who's almost 40 to see Stevie Nicks for their first time !!!! I can't wait to see their reaction ! Such amazing music 🎵🎶 we were blessed with !!!
