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
Hitch' A Ride
Boston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Smoke, like water, runs inside
Steel idle trees to pity
Every living thing that's died
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
Oh yeah
Life is like the coldest winter
People freeze the tears I cry
Words of hail their minds are into
I've got to crack this ice and fly
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Never change my mind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Never change my mind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
The song “Hitch’ A Ride” by Boston is a combination of melancholy and hopefulness. The lyrics start with a comparison between day and night in New York City, indicating the darkness in the environment. The smoke is compared to water that runs inside, and the steel trees are idle and pitiful. These images could be interpreted as Boston's commentary on the effects of industrialization on the environment and the living things that have died as a result of it.
The chorus “Gonna hitch a ride, head for the other side, leave it all behind” speaks to the idea of escaping and starting fresh. The winter season and the coldness it brings are used as metaphors for the challenges and difficult emotions that people go through. The tears are frozen, and the words are like hail that has penetrated the minds of people. However, the singer of the song vows to break the ice and fly, which means to shed the negativity and rise above hurdles.
Overall, the song "Hitch' A Ride" can be interpreted as a call for change, freedom, and hope. The dark images of the urban jungle are balanced by the message of possibility and new beginnings. It is a song that speaks to anyone who feels stuck or trapped in their surroundings and needs the inspiration to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Day is night in New York City
New York City is a place where day and night blur together.
Smoke, like water, runs inside
The atmosphere in the city is thick with smoke and air pollution.
Steel idle trees to pity
The prevalence of man-made structures gives the impression of a lifeless environment.
Every living thing that's died
The urbanization of the area has had a negative impact on the natural world.
Gonna hitch a ride
The artist expresses a desire to leave their current situation behind and move on.
Head for the other side
The direction of the singer's journey is away from their current location.
Leave it all behind
The singer is eager to break free from their current circumstances and move on to something new.
Never change my mind
The artist is determined in their decision to leave and not look back.
Gonna sail away
The mode of transportation implies a desire to be free and unrestricted in their journey.
Sun lights another day
The reference to the sun highlights the potential for new beginnings and the start of something fresh.
Freedom on my mind
The singer is enthralled by the idea of freedom and breaking free from their current constraints.
Carry me away for the last time
The journey represents a final break from their old life and the start of something new.
Life is like the coldest winter
The singer sees the world around them as harsh and unforgiving, like a winter that never ends.
People freeze the tears I cry
The singer feels that others are unsympathetic to their emotions and struggles.
Words of hail their minds are into
The people around the singer are cold and unfeeling, like hailstones.
I've got to crack this ice and fly
The artist is determined to break through the emotional barriers that are holding them back and move on to something better.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: T. SCHOLZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@garygleeson4683
I'm 63 yes old, had a heart attack last Monday. And had 2 stints put into my ❤. Was released from hosp last Thursday and readmitted last Friday. Went into ❤ failure Monday morning. To make a long story short, when I was feeling close to the end, I pulled up this song and played it as loud as I could because I was ready to head for the other side. I could vision myself swiftly moving through the clouds towards my final destination on the purest of sunlight beyond belief. My daughter has strict orders to play this song at my funeral and for nobody to cry for me. But be happy for me that I'm on my way home. JAMMIN!!! BOSTON ROCKS
@hsyb2286
Hope you’re well. I would like a version of this played at mine too. ❤
@dallisb1047
Nice story my guy. I am 56. Triple bypass in August 23. Lots of complications afterwards. I am doing better now. I am so thankful for the Internet and earbuds. Music soothes my soul. May peace and good health be apon you.
@John-zp9mw
Hope your all ok!
@cjo2007camhyb
The other side?? You need to know Jesus.....otherwise the other side may be your worst nightmare that will last for eternity ❤
@86luisex
May god bless u and ur family and keep u around longer!!! Just by reading this i can tell ur a down to earth guy and i have faith ull get through it 👍🏻💪🏽
@mikefiorentini3050
My father just passed away and listening to this song gives me the strength to carry on....Love you always dad.
@Peanutfarmer
I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my hero as well, and miss him everyday!
@anthonybelliveau6572
MUCH love BROTHER
@mikeshaffer4912
My condolences and much love to you at your father's passing.