The group first formed in the mind of Tom Scholz, who had long expressed interest in melodic rock and the fine particulars of recording technology. Even as a child, he tinkered with just about anything mechanical or electronic that he could get his hands on. Prior to his musical career, Scholz received both a bachelor's degree, in 1969, and a master's degree, in 1970, in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then began working for the Polaroid Corporation as a senior product design engineer. Scholz would then reside in Boston.
Creating demos in his own home, inspired by contemporary 70s progressive rock and what came to be known as "album oriented rock" ("aor"), Scholz attracted the interest of Epic Records, who signed Scholz to a recording contract. Vocalist Brad Delp, who was born in Peabody, Massachusetts in 1951 (Scholz is about four years older) to French-Canadian immigrants and was inspired to sing after seeing The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, served as a sort of not-so secret weapon for Scholz's project. Delp's "golden voice" has inspired numerous later rock artists to take up the microphone.
Scholz believed that his demos were good enough to be the released album but Epic told him to rerecord them. Most of the guitar, bass, and keyboards were performed by Scholz, although other players were involved sporadically throughout the recording of the album. Epic did not want the album recorded entirely in Scholz's home as Scholz intended (they suggested using a recording studio), but most of what ended up on the album was ultimately recorded by Scholz in his basement.
'Boston' was first released by Epic Records on August 25, 1976. Few industry insiders thought a guitar-heavy rock record could make much of a dent in the charts as disco ruled the airwaves at the time. The album broke out of Cleveland first, and the following week it had been added at 392 stations. Scholz, then 29, still worked at Polaroid during the first few weeks of the record's success and felt wary, changing his mind when the album quickly sold 200,000 copies. Critical praise also came to the band; for example, Rolling Stone wrote that Boston's "affinity for heavy rock & roll provides a sense of dynamics that coheres magnetically with sophisticated progressive structures."
The album was certified gold just two months after its release, and it sold another 500,000 copies within 30 days, going platinum for the first time in November 1976. With songs that became rock anthems such as the evergreen "More Than a Feeling", 'Boston' is the second best-selling debut album of all time in the United States, falling just short of Guns N' Roses' 'Appetite for Destruction'. Many critics have named it as one of the best American albums of all time. Its popularity was not only huge, but also durable: into the 2000s it was believed to be the only 1970s album that still had every single track in regular rotation on classic rock radio.
With a touring unit coming together around the line-up of Barry Goudreau, Tom Scholz, Sib Hashian, Brad Delp, and Fran Sheehan, the band played to a wide variety of crowds big and small, receiving strong fan support. Feeling an essentially unbearable amount of pressure to come up with another commercial mega-hit, Scholz still desired to experiment with his sound and had a growing sense of perfectionism. 'Don't Look Back' came out on August 2, 1978, viewed by Scholz as a hurried effort but picking up widespread success. It's been certified as multi-platinum, and its title track has become a classic rock staple.
Acrimonious fighting with label Epic Records, which soon became a long, drawn-out legal fight, left the future of the band stalled. Their next work, 'Third Stage' , came out in September 23, 1986, quite a while after their sophomore work. Bad luck and ill-will seemed to trail the group, with floods and power failures halting many studio sessions. Still, the album went to #1 on the Billboard 200, where it stayed for four weeks.
In addition, 'Third Stage' was only the second album to ever be certified triple-platinum in its first month of release, in November of 1986. As stated before, the first was Lionel Richie's 'Dancing On The Ceiling', which did it one month earlier. Nonetheless, Boston seemed to have gotten stuck.
On March 9th, 2007, Brad Delp (vocals) committed suicide at his home in Atkinson, New Hampshire. He was 55. Delp sang all the lead and harmony vocals on Boston's first three albums. Though well known for his "golden" voice with soaring vocals and range, Delp was also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, harmonica and keyboards. Additionally he wrote or co-wrote several songs for Boston and many other artists.
More than 10 years in the making, Boston came out with a new studio album, "Life, Love & Hope" in 2013. Founding member, Tom Scholz stated, "These are songs from the heart, each of them taking many months of effort to write, arrange, perform and record, always up to the demands of Boston's harshest critic, me. They have all been meticulously recorded to analog tape on the same machines and equipment used for Boston's hits for the past 35 years."
The band, with Scholz and a new lineup, toured extensively in 2016-2017.
Boston's web site is at www.bandboston.com
Can
Boston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're my strength and weakness
I give it all for you
I would climb any mountain
How can I make you see?
Though the stars may fall, it will always be you and me
There's so much you can give
Your smile is my reason to live
Just take my hand, we'll make a stand
I know that we can make it
(Hey) It's you and me. The world will see
I know that we can make it, you and me
I see you, full of sadness
Wondering 'bout this world we've made
There's a space between us all
Love has seen some better days
Oh we can make it
Oh we can make it
The love in your eyes is all I need to know
I'm never letting go
I'm here for you heart and soul
Just take my hand, we'll make a stand
I know that we can make it
(Hey) It's you and me, the world will see
I know that we can make it
I know that we can make it (Hey, yeah)
Just take my hand, we'll make a stand
I know that we can make it
(Hey) It's you and me. The world will see
I know that we can make it
I know that we can make it
You and me
The lyrics to Boston's song "Can" speak to the enduring nature of love and dedication. The singer of the song is deeply committed to their partner, stating that they would do anything a man can do for them. The love between the two is not just a source of strength, but also the singer's weakness, indicating that their partner has the ability to affect them deeply. The lyrics are filled with metaphors of strength ("I would climb any mountain") and survival ("Though the stars may fall") to illustrate the dedication the singer has to their relationship.
Further, the song speaks to the power of love in the face of hardship. The world may not be kind to the lovers, but they can withstand anything together. The "light in [their] eyes" is a symbol of hope for both the singer and their partner, and the lyrics suggest that love will be enough to carry them through the difficulties of life. The chorus ("Just take my hand, we'll make a stand") speaks to the idea that the lovers are not just surviving, they are actively fighting for their relationship.
Overall, the lyrics of "Can" demonstrate a deep sense of commitment and the power of love to endure any obstacle. Through metaphors of strength, survival, and hope, the song reminds the listener that love can be a source of strength and dedication even in the hardest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
I would do anything, anything a man can do
I am willing to go to the ends of the earth to please you, to show you how much I care for you
You're my strength and weakness
You are my driving force to keep striving for better, but also my vulnerability as you hold my heart in your hands
I give it all for you
I am willing to sacrifice everything I have for you, to make sure you are always happy
I would climb any mountain
I am willing to overcome any obstacle, face any challenge, or climb any mountain for you
How can I make you see?
I am desperate for you to understand the depths of my love for you, and I will do whatever it takes to show you
Though the stars may fall, it will always be you and me
No matter what happens, no matter what obstacles come our way, nothing will change the fact that it will always be you and me together
The light in your eyes is all the hope I need
The hope of your love, your happiness and your contentment, fuels me and gives me life
There's so much you can give
You are a well of untapped potential waiting to be explored, waiting to be shared with the world, and I am lucky enough to be a part of that journey with you
Your smile is my reason to live
The sight of your smile, the sound of your laughter, the joy that you exude, is what makes life worth living for me
Just take my hand, we'll make a stand
Let's take on the world together, hand in hand, and show everyone what true love and commitment looks like
I know that we can make it
I have faith in us, I believe in our love, I know that together we can conquer anything
(Hey) It's you and me. The world will see
Together we are an unstoppable force, and the rest of the world will see it and know it
I see you, full of sadness
I am attuned to your emotions, your feelings, your deepest thoughts, and I recognize the sadness that sometimes overcomes you
Wondering 'bout this world we've made
You and I both are questioning the ways of the world and trying to make sense of it all, together
There's a space between us all
We are all disconnected, all alone in our own little worlds, but together we can bridge those gaps and connect in ways we never thought possible
Love has seen some better days
The world has lost sight of what love really means, what it can do, and what it represents, but our love is different, strong, and unbreakable
The love in your eyes is all I need to know
I don't need to hear the words, I can see the love you have for me in your eyes, and that's enough for me
I'm never letting go
I'm holding onto our love, our connection, our bond, and I will never let go, no matter what happens
I'm here for you heart and soul
Every part of me, every fiber of my being, is devoted to you, to ensuring your happiness, and to being by your side for eternity
I know that we can make it (Hey, yeah)
We will face challenges, ups and downs, but we will overcome them all, because nothing can break the unbreakable bond between us
You and me
Together, forever, united, whole, in love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID ARTHUR SIKES, ROBERT CEDRO, TOM SCHOLZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Johnny Eckel
My all time favorite Boston song. Love this band, here's my list
10). Feelin Satisfied
9). Something About You
8). A Man I'll Never Be
7). Let Me Take You Home Tonight
6). Amanda
5). Foreplay/Longtime
4). More Than a Feeling
3). Peace of Mind
2). Don't Look Back
1). Cantcha Say
Jeff Waibel
One of the most underrated songs ever. It is a masterpiece of two songs merging into one . Gives me chills each time that I hear it .
Hope Lines
The most melodic, heart-based rock of roll of all time. Ladies and I gentlemen, I give you: Boston.
Cum Expender
Hope Lines this fucking song is incredible
Anne Baskerville
Thank you. All their songs are angelic to my ears. But this one is my favorite.
Dragonsfire6664
You had to be there,
Debbie Norris
Hope curtsling 💘 lol. Jk how is it that I have not remember hearing this ??!!! Let me listen again. Wow 😲
Robert Gately
This whole album helped me through some really difficult times. Thank you, Boston.
Kal
This is an amazing song ...extremely underrated and underplayed
Cum Expender
Kal Ab it's not under played by me 😀👍🏻
tony friend
At Kal...It wasn't back in 1987..