Group leader Tom Scholz wrote this song, which is about a guy who wakes up with the blahs, turns on some music, and gets lost in reverie dreaming of his days with Marianne. "It was written about a fantasy event," he told Entertainment Weekly of the song. "But it's one that almost everybody can identify with, of somebody losing somebody that was important to them, and music taking them back there."
According to Rolling Stone magazine, Scholz was inspired by the "heart-tugging mood" of the Left Banke's 1967 song "Walk Away Renee." He worked on the song for five years in his basement studio before it was released on this album. >>
Suggestion credit:
Scott - Chicago, IL
Tom Scholz recorded most of Boston's first album, including "More Than a Feeling," in his Watertown, Massachusetts basement studio, which was stocked with equipment he bought with earnings from his job at Polaroid. When Boston finally got a record deal with Epic, they had to abide by union rules and complete it in a proper studio, which Scholz felt was a hindrance. To get around this restriction, he re-recorded his demos pretty much note-for-note in that same basement studio and had his vocalist, Brad Delp, record his vocals in the Los Angeles studio Epic arranged. Boston drummer Sib Hashian played on "More Than a Feeling," but Scholz played all the other instruments on the track.
This was Boston's first single, and a surprising hit. The group's rise was sudden and unexpected; when "More Than a Feeling" was released, their managers spent a lot of time pitching it to radio stations, which is a very tough sell for an unknown band, but the song is so polished and radio-friendly that many stations put it on the air. It took off, and very soon this unknown band with an album recorded mostly in a basement was a major player on the rock scene.
The album Boston is one of the best selling of all time. It sold very well in the '80s and '90s due to catalog sales, which were these offers record companies made to the public where you could get something like "25 CDs for a penny" as long as you chose from their selection and agreed to buy a certain number of albums in the future.
Tom Scholz took a leave of absence from his job at Polaroid to complete the album, but went back to work after it was released - disco was big, so he wasn't sure his rock record would find an audience. He got very excited when co-workers would summon him to let him know "More Than A Feeling" was playing on the radio. After that happened a few times, he was confident enough to quit his day job.
The single was edited down to 3:25 from the album version, which runs 4:44.
Nirvana sometimes played the beginning of this as an intro to "Smells Like Teen Spirit." When asked about Nirvana's confession of semi-nicking the song's chord progression, Scholz told Best Classic Bands: "They didn't do a great job on the chorus. I heard the story about people thinking that part of that song sounds like it was a swipe from 'More Than a Feeling.' I don't hear it. If it were, I would consider it a compliment."
When Rolling Stone magazine released a special issue in 2004 devoted to the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time, "More Than a Feeling" came in at #500. When the list was updated in 2010, the song got bumped.
The dream girl in this song, Marianne, was based on a real person. "She was my older first cousin, who I had a crush on when I was 10," Scholz explained. "I ran into her many many years later and she was very annoyed at me for mentioning that she was my older cousin."
Boston played very few live shows before releasing the album, and when it took off so quickly, they found themselves playing large venues on short notice. An under-rehearsed band playing songs that were meticulously crafted in the studio sounds like a concert disaster, but fans and critics were thrilled to find out they were really good. The live interpretations of the songs worked very well and the band had years of experience playing in other outfits, giving them the chops to pull it off.
Boston wasn't a very visual band. They don't appear on the covers of their studio albums, but they did make music videos for "More Than A Feeling," "Long Time" and "Don't Look Back" that show them performing on a sound stage. The group was never big on MTV, but could have been if they did a video for "Amanda," which was a #1 hit in 1986, five years after the network launched.
For many years Boston was the best selling debut album in the US with 17 million sales. However their record was broken on September 23, 2008 when the Recording Industry Association of America certified Guns N' Roses' debut set Appetite for Destruction for 18 million sales.
The song returned to the UK singles chart in 2010 as a result of its use in a TV commercial for Barclaycard. The ad was a follow-up campaign to the one that soundtracked the Bellamy Brothers track "Let Your Love Flow," which helped the song back to #21 in November 2008.
When Mike Huckabee ran for US president in 2008, he used this song at some of his campaign rallies. Huckabee plays the bass, and at some events, former Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau joined him on stage to perform this song. This didn't go over well with Tom Scholz, who wrote Huckabee a letter that was printed in Rolling Stone magazine. Scholz wrote: "While I'm flattered that you are fond of my song, I'm shocked that you would use it and the name Boston to promote yourself without my consent. Your campaign's use of 'More Than a Feeling,' coupled with the representation of one of your supporters as a member 'of Boston' clearly implies that the band Boston, and specifically one of its members, has endorsed your candidacy, neither of which is true. Your claim that this was 'the guy who originally did it' is a bit mystifying, since he never played on that recording, nor has he been 'of Boston' since he left my band over a quarter century ago, after performing with us for only three years."
Scholz went on to say that his band has never endorsed a political candidate, "and with all due respect, would not start by endorsing a candidate who is the polar opposite of most everything Boston stands for. In fact, although I'm impressed you learned my bass guitar part on 'More Than a Feeling,' I am an Obama supporter. While this may seem like a little thing to you, Boston has been my life's work." The response from Huckabee's campaign: "Governor Huckabee plays 'Sweet Home Alabama.' Does that mean Lynyrd Skynyrd is endorsing him? He plays 'Louie Louie.' Does that mean The Kingsmen are endorsing him?"
An instantly identifiable, high-energy song, "More Than A Feeling" serves as a sugar rush in many TV shows and movies. TV shows to use the song include:
Mindhunter ("Episode #2.4" - 2019)
City on a Hill ("The Night Flynn Sent the Cops on the Ice" - 2019)
The Walking Dead ("The Next World" - 2016)
The Middle ("The Waiting Game" - 2015)
The Mindy Project ("We're a Couple Now, Haters!" - 2014)
Glee ("City of Angels" - 2014)
Eastbound & Down ("Chapter 2" - 2009)
The Wire ("Unconfirmed Reports" - 2008)
Criminal Minds ("Open Season" - 2007)
Scrubs ("My Half-Acre" - 2006)
The Sopranos ("House Arrest" - 2000)
That '70s Show ("The Keg," "Eric's Burger Job" - 1998)
And in these movies:
Tag (2017)
The Heat (2013)
Zookeeper (2011)
Burlesque (2010)
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
Herbie Fully Loaded (2005)
What the #$*! Do We (K)now!? (2004)
Krippendorf's Tribe (1998)
She's Having a Baby (1988)
Foxes (1980)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
FAQs
What was More Than a Feeling written about? ›
"More than a Feeling" took Tom Scholz five years to complete. Scholz wrote the lyrics based on the idea of losing someone close, and on the way in which music can connect a person to memories of the past. Though not based on any specific event in Scholz's life, he did take the name Marianne from a cousin of his.
What guitar did Boston use on More Than a Feeling? ›Among historic Gibsons, Tom Scholz's 1968 Les Paul “Goldtop”—the first of two that he purchased in the Seventies—certainly ranks high. It's the guitar heard on every massive Boston hit and all six of the group's albums to date.
Who originally sang More Than a Feeling? ›Forty years ago, the band Boston released its debut single, “More Than a Feeling.” The song was a big hit, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard chart — but that was just the start of the story.
Did Brad Delp sing More Than a Feeling? ›Delp's vocals, overdubbed into group harmonies and grand chorales for songs like “More Than a Feeling,” were a vital ingredient in the sound of Boston, a band whose multilayered tracks were created in the studio by its guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, Tom Scholz.
Is Tom Scholz a nice guy? ›But once you get to know a little about him, it's hard to think of him as anything but a nice guy, with a huge heart, who is passionately committed to compassion. When writing songs for legendary rock band Boston, Scholz focuses on positive messages and music that moves.
What genre is More Than a Feeling? › How do you get a Tom Scholz guitar sound? ›Boston's Guitar Sound in 3 Minutes (Tom Scholz) - YouTube
How do I make my guitar sound like a Boston? ›Hit the Tone | More than a Feeling by Boston (Tom Scholz) | Ep. 53
What pedal did Boston use? ›Scholz Hyperspace Pedal
This unique effects pedal can be heard on every Boston album. It was homemade by Tom from a heavily modified Echoplex.
- 'A Man I'll Never Be' From: 'Don't Look Back' (1978) ...
- 'Something About You' From: 'Boston' (1976) ...
- 'Feelin' Satisfied' From: 'Don't Look Back' (1978) ...
- 'Smokin'' From: 'Boston' (1976) ...
- 'Rock & Roll Band' From: 'Boston' (1976) ...
- 'Peace of Mind' From: 'Boston' (1976) ...
- 'Don't Look Back' ...
- 'Long Time'
What was the band Boston's biggest hit? ›
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Had a Good Time" | 4:16 |
| 2. | "Higher Power" (Sikes) | 5:05 |
| 3. | "More Than a Feeling" | 4:45 |
| 4. | "Peace of Mind" | 5:01 |
I actually have a two-and-a-half-octave range. Unfortunately, it starts at low D, which is off the neck of a guitar at the low end and doesn't go up that high on the other end, so it's of questionable use a lot of the time.
What happened to the lead singer of Boston? ›It was 13 years ago today (March 9th, 2007) that Boston lead singer Brad Delp committed suicide at his home in Atkinson, New Hampshire, at the age of 55.
Who was the original lead singer for Boston? ›Bradley Edward Delp (June 12, 1951 – March 9, 2007) was an American musician, best known as the original lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Boston. He joined Boston in 1970, in which he played and sang on the band's first three albums.
What key is More Than a Feeling in? ›More Than a Feeling
Why does Tom Scholz wear a knee brace? ›While there's no denying Scholz's remarkable musical capabilities as he hobbled from keyboard to pipe organ to guitarist stance, his left knee tightly strapped in a massive brace from a ligament injury, even his techno-craftiness quickly grew wearisome.
Why did Boston break up? ›By spring 1990, Scholz was back in the studio working on the band's fourth studio album. Later that year, Delp told Scholz he wanted to concentrate on other projects, and might not be available for some time. With Delp's departure, Scholz was then the last remaining original member.
Is Tom Scholz still alive? ›...
| Tom Scholz | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Hard rock, classic rock, arena rock, progressive rock, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, engineer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar bass keyboards drums |
| Years active | 1969–present |
The arrangement of "More Than A Feeling" is pretty classic in that it breathes with intensity pretty much where you expect it to, except for one place. The intro is just doubled 12 string guitars, followed by another acoustic guitar doubling the bass when the vocals enter, and the drums playing a sidestick snare.
How do you play More Than a Feeling Boston? ›Guitar Lesson for "More Than a Feeling" by Boston - YouTube
Whats song is this? ›
To identify songs, open Control Center, then tap the Shazam button . Shazam can identify songs playing on your device even when you're using headphones. To find songs you've identified, touch and hold the Shazam button in Control Center to open your History View. Tap a song to open it in Shazam.
What amp did Boston use? ›The Rockman is a headphone guitar amplifier. The original Rockman was developed and built by Scholz Research & Development, Inc., a company founded by Tom Scholz, who is also the founder and a key member of the rock band Boston.
What amps does Tom Scholz use? ›The basic guitar sound was meant to replicate the distortion Scholz got from cranking a non-master volume amplifier (a 100-watt Marshall Super Lead Plexi) to the absolute maximum and then bringing the level down with a power attenuator.
What guitar does Boston use? ›The sound of the guitar parts in the music of Boston (that's all Tom Scholz) is all done on a Gibson Les Paul.
What Bass did Boston use? ›In the "videos" both produced and live, he played Fender Jazz Basses with his fingers.
What is Tom Schultz worth? ›| Net Worth: | $100 Million |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth: | Mar 10, 1947 (75 years old) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Profession: | Guitarist, Organist, Songwriter, Record producer, Engineer, Musician, Philanthropist, Inventor |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
More Than a Feeling
What is Tom Schultz worth? ›| Net Worth: | $100 Million |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth: | Mar 10, 1947 (75 years old) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Profession: | Guitarist, Organist, Songwriter, Record producer, Engineer, Musician, Philanthropist, Inventor |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Had a Good Time" | 4:16 |
| 2. | "Higher Power" (Sikes) | 5:05 |
| 3. | "More Than a Feeling" | 4:45 |
| 4. | "Peace of Mind" | 5:01 |
The arrangement of "More Than A Feeling" is pretty classic in that it breathes with intensity pretty much where you expect it to, except for one place. The intro is just doubled 12 string guitars, followed by another acoustic guitar doubling the bass when the vocals enter, and the drums playing a sidestick snare.
What key is More Than A Feeling by Boston? ›
More Than a Feeling
What scale is more than a feeling in? ›More Than a Feeling is written in the key of G.
Open Key notation: 2d.
More Than a Feeling is a moody song by Boston with a tempo of 109 BPM. It can also be used half-time at 55 BPM or double-time at 218 BPM. The track runs 4 minutes and 45 seconds long with a G key and a major mode. It has high energy and is not very danceable with a time signature of 4 beats per bar.
How much is Mick Jagger worth right now? ›Mick Jagger's net worth in 2022 is estimated to be $500 million. This is agreed upon by multiple reputable sources such as Celebrity Net Worth. Let us now learn more about the upbringing of the historic rock and roll figure and how his journey led him to be one of the most well-known names in the music industry.
How many original members of Boston are left? ›Scholz and Delp are the only original members of Boston who are still with the band until March 2007. Delp passes at the age of 55. Furthermore, Brad Delp, along with Tom Scholz, are the only ones signed to Epic Records as “Boston”. The band resumes touring in 2008 with new vocalists Michael Sweet and Tommy DeCarlo.
How do you get a Tom Scholz guitar sound? ›Boston's Guitar Sound in 3 Minutes (Tom Scholz) - YouTube
Did Boston ever have a number one hit? ›That honor goes to Boston's only No. 1 on the Hot 100, “Amanda,” which entered the Billboard Hot 100 on September 27, 1986. The band became well-known not just for their multi-million-selling albums, but the long gaps between them.
Did Boston have a number one song? ›“Amanda,” Boston's only chart-topping single, came out late in 1986, but it was so perfectly '70s that the song didn't even have a music video.
What song is Boston was known for? ›Boston's best-known songs include: "More Than a Feeling", "Peace of Mind", "Foreplay/Long Time", "Rock and Roll Band", "Smokin'", "Don't Look Back", "A Man I'll Never Be", "Hitch a Ride", "Party" and "Amanda".
When did more than a woman come out? ›