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
Feelin' Satisfied
Boston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All you people
The time has come to get together
You gotta have a little rock 'n' roll music
To get you through the stormy weather
And do whatever you feel
when you let go
Nothin's gonna help you more than rock 'n' roll
So come on, put you hands together
You know it's now or never
Take a chance on rock 'n' roll
[Chorus]
Oh are you feelin' satisfied
Come on let us give your mind a ride
Oh are you ready tonight
Come on let us give your mind a ride
You can do what you like
Come on let us give your mind a ride
Oh that funky feelin'
Is what you need to get you through
You oughta know
I'll tell you somethin'
Don't let your troubles get to you
'Cause win or lose it's alright
Well take control
And nothin's gonna help you more than rock 'n' roll
So come on
Put you hands together
You know it's now or never
Take a chance on rock 'n' roll
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Boston's song "Feelin' Satisfied" urge listeners to come together and let go of their troubles through the power of rock 'n' roll. The song motivates people to enjoy life and take risks through the engaging sound of the music. The chorus repeats the idea of "letting your mind ride" and "feeling satisfied" through the use of music. It encourages listeners to have a positive outlook through the ups and downs of life, emphasizing the importance of taking control and enjoying the present moment.
The lyrics are a reflection of the time period in which the song was released, in the late 1970s when rock 'n' roll was often seen as a way to unify and empower people. Boston's use of catchy melodies and upbeat rhythms embodies the spirit of the genre, making "Feelin' Satisfied" an iconic song that still resonates with people today. The song's emphasis on joy and freedom through rock 'n' roll has helped it become a staple at sporting events and on classic rock radio stations.
Line by Line Meaning
Well come on
Let's get started
All you people
Everyone, listen up
The time has come to get together
It's time for us to unite
You gotta have a little rock 'n' roll music
Music is necessary for our well-being
To get you through the stormy weather
Especially during tough times
And do whatever you feel when you let go
Express yourself freely
Nothin's gonna help you more than rock 'n' roll
Nothing is more beneficial than music
So come on, put you hands together
Let's show our appreciation
You know it's now or never
The time to act is now
Take a chance on rock 'n' roll
Give music a try
Oh are you feelin' satisfied
Are you happy with the way things are?
Come on let us give your mind a ride
Let us take you on a musical journey
Oh are you ready tonight
Are you prepared for what's to come?
You can do what you like
You have the freedom to express yourself
Oh that funky feelin'
The euphoric feeling of good music
Is what you need to get you through
Music is a source of comfort
You oughta know
You should be aware
I'll tell you somethin'
I have some advice
Don't let your troubles get to you
Don't let your problems overwhelm you
'Cause win or lose it's alright
It's okay to experience success or failure
Well take control
Empower yourself
And nothin's gonna help you more than rock 'n' roll
Music is a powerful tool
So come on
Let's go
Put you hands together
Clap with excitement
You know it's now or never
There's no better time than now
Take a chance on rock 'n' roll
Experience the magic of music
Oh are you feelin' satisfied
Are you content?
Come on let us give your mind a ride
Let us take you on an unforgettable musical journey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONALD T. SCHOLZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DoubleAction2
The chorus on this song is incredible. I’m rediscovering Boston, I can’t get this one out of my head. What an amazing sound.
DEVASTATING JERK
Heavenly chorus
Tony II
@DEVASTATING JERK Brad did all his own backups. Unnatural talent gone too soon.
Paul Hopkins
As a 1st tenor in high school choir i developed the ability to harmonize by ear.
Being able to hear all of it too.
Thats when Boston blew my mind.
Tasteful harmonic
creations all around!
Kelly Hall
Come on you people put your hands together
Brad Ellis
My 18 year old daughter informed me today that this is her new favorite song I almost cried from joy lol
Cass Conner
Unless you were alive (and a teen) at the time, you have no idea what an impact the sound of Boston brought to life.
donald lindsey
This band should be in the rock and roll hall of fame! Probably better than 95 % of the ones in there.
James D.
Yes
ROCK and ROLLER
agree