Back in August 1976, I was strolling down the main aisle of my favorite record store in Madison, Wisconsin when I saw this really cool Science Fiction cover on a new album. I had never heard of the band Boston, hadn’t read any reviews of their first album, Boston, but I bought the album, took it home, and listened to it. It was a bit uneven, but the album had some hit songs on it like “More Than a Feeling.”
“Boston” reached No. 3 on the Billboard album chart, and by October 1976 the record had sold a half million copies, with another half million added by November. It remained in the Top 10 for 30 weeks, powered by the hit single “More Than a Feeling,” which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a hard-rock anthem. (Mike Meyers, Wall Street Journal, August 17, 2026)
Over the years, I bought. all the Boston albums with their signature SF cover artwork. In 1997, Boston brought out their Greatest Hits album. Some people like Boston, some people can’t stand the band and their songs. Are you a Boston fan? GRADE: B+ (for both)
TRACK LIST:
| More Than A Feeling | 4:44 | ||
| Peace Of Mind | 4:55 | ||
| Foreplay/Long Time | 7:56 | ||
| Rock & Roll Band | 2:59 | ||
| Smokin’ | 4:44 | ||
| Hitch A Ride | 3:18 | ||
| Something About You | 4:19 | ||
| Let Me Take You Home Tonight | 4:12 |
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | Tell Me Edited By – Gary PihlLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums – Tom ScholzMastered By – Larry ClawsonProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzVocals – David SikesWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 4:05 | |
| 2 | Higher Power Edited By – Gary PihlHarmonica – Curly SmithLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums – Tom ScholzMastered By – Larry Clawson, Ted JensenProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzRead By [Serenity Prayer] – Kimberly JorgensenVocals – Brad Delp, Fran Cosmo, Tom ScholzWritten-By – D. Sikes*, T. Scholz*Written-By [Serenity Prayer] – Reinhold Niebuhr | 5:07 | |
| 3 | More Than A Feeling Bass – Fran SheehanDrums, Percussion – Sib HashianLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Barry GoudreauLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Effects [Special Effects], Bass, Organ, Clavinet, Percussion – Tom ScholzLead Vocals, Harmony Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic 12-String Guitar], Rhythm Guitar, Percussion – Brad DelpProducer – John Boylan, Tom ScholzWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 4:46 | |
| 4 | Peace Of Mind Bass – Fran SheehanDrums, Percussion – Sib HashianLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Barry GoudreauLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Effects [Special Effects], Bass, Organ, Clavinet, Percussion – Tom ScholzLead Vocals, Harmony Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic 12-String Guitar], Rhythm Guitar, Percussion – Brad DelpProducer – John Boylan, Tom ScholzWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 5:04 | |
| 5 | Don’t Look Back Bass, Percussion – Fran SheehanDrums, Percussion – Sib HashianEngineer [Piano] – Dave Butler*Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar [Acoustic And Electric], Twelve-String Guitar, Bass, Piano, Organ, Effects [Special Effects] – Tom ScholzLead Guitar, Slide Guitar – Barry GoudreauProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzVocals – Brad DelpWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 6:00 | |
| 6 | Cool The Engines Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Grand Piano, Electric Piano, Bass – Tom ScholzLead Vocals, Harmony Vocals – Brad DelpProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzWritten-By – B. Delp*, F. Sheehan*, T. Scholz* | 4:38 | |
| 7 | Livin’ For You Guitar, Bass, Organ, Piano, Keyboards [Keyboard Strings], Drums – Tom ScholzProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzVocals – David Sikes, Fran CosmoWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 4:55 | |
| 8 | Feelin’ Satisfied Bass, Percussion – Fran SheehanDrums, Percussion – Sib HashianEngineer [Piano] – Dave Butler*Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar – Barry GoudreauLead Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar, Bass, Piano, Organ, Effects [Special Effects] – Tom ScholzProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzVocals – Brad DelpWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 4:10 | |
| 9 | Party Bass, Percussion – Fran SheehanDrums, Percussion – Sib HashianEngineer [Piano] – Dave Butler*Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar [Acoustic And Electric], Twelve-String Guitar, Bass, Piano, Organ, Effects [Special Effects] – Tom ScholzLead Guitar, Slide Guitar – Barry GoudreauProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzVocals – Brad DelpWritten-By – B. Delp*, T. Scholz* | 4:07 | |
| 10 | Foreplay/Long Time Bass – Fran SheehanDrums, Percussion – Sib HashianLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Barry GoudreauLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Effects [Special Effects], Bass, Organ, Clavinet, Percussion – Tom ScholzLead Vocals, Harmony Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic 12-String Guitar], Rhythm Guitar, Percussion – Brad DelpProducer – John Boylan, Tom ScholzWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 7:50 | |
| 11 | Amanda Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Grand Piano, Electric Piano, Bass – Tom ScholzLead Vocals, Harmony Vocals – Brad DelpProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 4:16 | |
| 12 | Rock & Roll Band Bass – Fran SheehanDrums – Jim MasdeaLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Barry GoudreauLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Effects [Special Effects], Bass, Organ, Clavinet, Percussion – Tom ScholzLead Vocals, Harmony Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic 12-String Guitar], Rhythm Guitar, Percussion – Brad DelpPercussion – Sib HashianProducer – John Boylan, Tom ScholzWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 3:00 | |
| 13 | Smokin’ Bass – Fran SheehanDrums, Percussion – Sib HashianLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Barry GoudreauLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Effects [Special Effects], Bass, Organ, Clavinet, Percussion – Tom ScholzLead Vocals, Harmony Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic 12-String Guitar], Rhythm Guitar, Percussion – Brad DelpProducer – John Boylan, Tom ScholzWritten-By – B. Delp*, T. Scholz* | 4:20 | |
| 14 | A Man I’ll Never Be Bass, Percussion – Fran SheehanDrums, Percussion – Sib HashianEngineer [Piano] – Dave Butler*Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar [Acoustic And Electric], Twelve-String Guitar, Bass, Piano, Organ, Effects [Special Effects] – Tom ScholzLead Guitar, Slide Guitar – Barry GoudreauProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzVocals – Brad DelpWritten-By – T. Scholz* | 6:41 | |
| 15 | The Star Spangled Banner / 4th Of July Reprise Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums – Tom ScholzProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzWritten-By [4th Of July Reprise] – T. Scholz*Written-By [The Star Spangled Banner] – F.S. Key*, J.S. Smith* | 2:44 | |
| 16 | Higher Power (Kalodner Edit) Edited By – Gary PihlHarmonica – Curly SmithLead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums – Tom ScholzMastered By – Larry Clawson, Ted JensenProducer, Engineer, Arranged By – Tom ScholzRead By [Serenity Prayer] – Kimberly JorgensenVocals – Brad Delp, Fran Cosmo, Tom ScholzWritten-By – D. Sikes*, T. Scholz*Written-By [Serenity Prayer] – Reinhold Niebuhr |
To be honest, the only songs of theirs I really remember are “More Than A Feeling” and “Foreplay/Long Time”—but they’re both good songs, and when I hear them, I transported back to my late teens (I was 19 in 1976) and a musical world tottering on the verge of disco.