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
Foreplay / Longtime
Boston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think I should be goin', yeah
And time doesn't wait for me, it keeps on rollin'
Sail on, on a distant highway
I've got to keep on chasin' a dream, yeah
I've gotta be on my way
Wish there was something I could say
You'll forget about me after I've been gone
And I take what I find, I don't want no more
It's just outside of your front door
Ah yeah, it's been such a long time. it's been such a long time
Well, I get so lonely when I am without you
But in my mind, deep in my mind
I can't forget about you
Good times, and faces that remind me, yeah
I'm tryin' to forget your name and leave it all behind me
You're comin' back to find me
Well I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' on
You'll forget about me after I've been gone
And I take what I find, I don't want no more
It's just outside of why our front door, yeah, yeah, yeah
It's been such a long time. it's been such a long time
Yeah
It's been such a long time, I think I should be goin', yeah
And time dosnt wait for me, it keeps on rollin'
There's a long road, I've gotta stay in time with, yeah
I've got to keep on chasin' that dream, though I may never find it
I'm always just behind it
Well I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' along
(Takin' my time) oh, just movin' along
(Takin' my time) ah, just takin' my time
(Takin' my time) oh, yeah
(Takin' my time) oh, oh
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
The song Foreplay/Long Time by Boston is a poetic journey of a man chasing his dreams. In the beginning, he talks about how time waits for no one and how he has to keep moving forward to keep his dreams alive. The line "Sail on, on a distant highway" shows how he's ready to take on any challenge that comes his way as he embarks on an unknown path. He's longing to find something that he can hold on to and make his own.
As the song progresses, he talks about his loneliness and how he's trying to forget the memories of someone who had been very important to him. However, the memories keep coming back, and it's hard for him to move on. He knows that he has to keep moving forward and not look back, but he can't seem to shake off the memories that keep haunting him.
The chorus of the song talks about how it's been such a long time, and how he's taking his time to move on. He's not rushing into things; he's taking his time and moving along at his own pace. The last verse of the song talks about how he's going to keep chasing his dreams even though he might never find them. He's always going to be just behind them.
Overall, the song Foreplay/Long Time is about chasing one's dreams and never giving up. It's about persevering through hardships and letting go of the past to move forward. The lyrics are written in a beautiful and poetic language that makes the song a classic.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been such a long time
The singer has been away for a while and feels that it's time to leave.
I think I should be goin', yeah
The singer feels that it's time for them to leave.
And time doesn't wait for me, it keeps on rollin'
Time does not stop for anyone so the singer has to make the most of it.
Sail on, on a distant highway
The artist has a long journey ahead of them in search of their dreams.
I've got to keep on chasin' a dream, yeah
The artist is determined to pursue their dream no matter how difficult it may seem.
I've gotta be on my way
The singer knows they have to leave and continue their journey alone.
Wish there was something I could say
The singer wishes that they could express their feelings to someone they are leaving behind.
Well, I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' on
The artist is taking their time to move on from the past and continue chasing their dreams.
You'll forget about me after I've been gone
The artist believes that they will eventually be forgotten once they are gone.
And I take what I find, I don't want no more
The artist is satisfied with what they have found so far and does not want anything more.
It's just outside of your front door
The singer believes that what they want is just beyond reach, possibly referring to their dream.
Well, I get so lonely when I am without you
The artist misses someone they have left behind.
But in my mind, deep in my mind
The singer still thinks about this person even though they are gone.
I can't forget about you
The singer is unable to forget the person they left behind.
Good times, and faces that remind me, yeah
The singer remembers good memories and faces associated with the person they left behind.
I'm tryin' to forget your name and leave it all behind me
The artist is trying to move on from the past and forget the person they left behind.
You're comin' back to find me
The artist believes the person they left behind will try to find them again.
There's a long road, I've gotta stay in time with, yeah
The singer has a long journey ahead of them and must keep a steady pace to achieve their dream.
I've got to keep on chasin' that dream, though I may never find it
The singer is determined to chase their dream, even though there is a chance they may never achieve it.
I'm always just behind it
The artist feels that their dream is just out of reach.
Oh, just movin' along
The artist is moving along with their journey.
Ah, just takin' my time
The artist is taking their time to achieve their dreams.
Oh, yeah
An expression of agreement.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONALD T. SCHOLZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@charles09361
Be glad you didn't.. Saw them at Cobo hall in Detroit .. Amazing songs, amazing talent, amazing ( for the time era) sound.. Unfortunately, basically nada for stage presence. Seriously.. the quietest concert ( for crowd response) that I'd ever attended, and I've seen most of the big name 70s' and 80s' acts. I can vividly remember going from Windsor Ontario, over to Detroit, to buy the Album, because it was available there first. Everyone came over to my place, and we played it repeatedly on my stereo. Knew I had to see them in concert. Living in Windsor. Ontario... Pre 911.. It was just a couple of bucks and a ten minute walk from the tunnel bus to Cobo Hall.
There's a class of musicians called "studio musicians". Basically, these are musicians who can play anything! And, make it sound amazing!! Boston was like that. They were tight, sounded great, but with the hottest album of the time... They couldn't get Cobo hall off it's collective asses.. I've seem way less talented musicians just 'effin rock the venue, with balls, chutzpah, stage presence.... whatever you wanna call it.. Boston couldn't pull it off.. Not by a long shot.
Don't get me wrong.. In an era before "auto tune", and lip syncing, and recorded bits.. They proved that they could cut it live.. They just couldn't get the place off it's collective ass. Not to take away from their musical talent... not at all.. Just... They failed to engage the audience.
On the side of my Marshall, there's a sign that only I can see on stage.. It says .." Technical perfection isn't important, passion is.. I need to make you believe"
Boston.. in concert, couldn't make anyone "believe".. Maybe they got better at it as the tour went on. But, that was my first hand take on it at Cobo Hall.
Underrated playing? For sure.. The double leads on "Hitch a Ride", send chills down my spine to this day.
@toddshrum1525
When I listen to this song, so do my neighbors.
@mamabear6710
Todd 🤣😆
@gregmiletti2948
LOL....well said
@gregmiletti2948
@@mamabear6710 : so I see you're a classic rock fan....
@mamabear6710
Greg I am.. I watched the Beatles debut on Ed Sullivan .. I was a old lady of 12 lol..but my picture is current
@gregmiletti2948
I crank this one way up to where
the house shakes.
Forget those tech speakers you hold in your hand today.
There's no substitute for those huge 3-way speakers that bring the rafters down on your head and cause a minor earthquake.
@mortarsmashing7358
Absolutely loved this when I was 17. Now that I am 62, I STILL LOVE IT!
@zoompatrol
Takes me back to that time in my life. :)
@nonyabuidness5798
Two words: Jenson Triaxial’s!
@matthewfinlay5583
I'm 55 and I've had this album since I was 17