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Rating: In 1975, Tom Scholz was still an engineer at Polaroid in Boston who, in his spare time, cultivated his major passions: basketball and especially music. When he's not working or shooting and dunking (he's 1.98 meters tall) on the basketball court, he retreats to his basement where he keeps mixers, a 12-track recorder, instruments, and a series of electronic devices he designed and assembled to modify sound as he wants.
Meticulous and obsessively perfectionist, he developed and refined a handful of songs beyond any human limit, delegating only the vocals to his friend Brad Delp. After years of bombarding every record label and producer in America with demos, he finally found in John Boylan of CBS the sponsor he was looking for. Boylan, ecstatic with the incredible sound quality of Tom's home recordings, did something unheard of: he took the demos to Los Angeles, had Delp re-record all the vocal parts, found a drummer to replicate Tom's exact rhythmic arrangements, strike for strike, hired a second guitarist and a bassist to complete the band, and, risking his reputation, "pretended" to produce the album, deceiving his bosses, who would have never tolerated a record produced by an unknown in his home on amateur equipment!
In the spring of 1976, the album "Boston" was released: 19,000,000 (19 million) copies sold, the best-selling debut record in history, the best-selling U.S. album of the '70s (fourth overall, preceded by "The Wall," "Led Zepp IV," and "Rumours"). Not bad for a "basement" product! A couple of years later, CBS was all nervous because the meticulous Scholz still hadn't delivered the tapes for the second album (he's now the official producer, of course). They almost snatch them from him as he continues to polish them (at his home, now everyone knows, and everyone is okay with it), unsatisfied with this or that. It's 1978, and "Don't Look Back" is released, which couldn't repeat the first album's performance: to date, almost 8 million copies sold (gulp!).
After another two years, those at CBS, always greedy, are eagerly waiting again, but this time nothing is ready. The fellow musicians on this adventure also get frustrated, wanting a normal career with albums + tours at a suitable pace, their leader doesn't care about success and money; he insists on perfecting his music, which to them amounts to "sabotaging" the band. Lawsuits and complaints fly, but Scholz wins them all, even against CBS! He is obviously left alone again, with Delp, without a band and without a contract, as years pass and the memory of Boston fades incredibly and inevitably.
Eight years after the second album, however, "Third Stage" is released under a new record label. This time 6 million copies sold, the opportunity is seized also thanks to the excellent single "Amanda," and Boston is back in the spotlight, with hopes for a more consistent presence in the market from Boston... good evening! Scholz surprises everyone by founding a company (the "Rockman") for the mass production of electronic gadgets he invented to manipulate sound and starts a business. Result: no new Boston records but a significant number of guitarists around the world (including Italy) enjoying the rich sounds crafted by Rockman preamps; for some time, every recording studio, every music store is adorned with machines conceived and produced by Tom Scholz. This phase too eventually ends, Tom sells the entire business to Dunlop, and in 1994, once again eight years after the previous one, he releases the fourth album "Walk On." However, this time, things are shaky; Brad Delp is not on vocals, questionable choices are made such as the use of electronic drums, a heresy for classic rock... sales are insufficient, and not just because the times have changed.
In 2004 (eight years later, can you believe it!), when no one is thinking about Boston anymore, this fifth album is released: huge disappointment! Scholz, already eccentric as I've tried to explain, this time appears to have lost his mind: eight whole years to put together nine insignificant tracks plus a self-cover from the previous album (???... and the previous version was better). And he, once the supreme and combative leader of his music, composes maybe half of it, adds a swarm of people so you no longer know who's singing or playing what: And then the legendary Brad Delp returns but without his voice! He sings (a little, two or three pieces) an octave and a half lower than he once did, where his magical timbre has no way to shine... And why are there four guitars? (Scholz, Gary Phil, Anthony Cosmo, the brother of the other singer Fran Cosmo (already the official singer in "Walk On") and some Kimberley Dahme... Oh! it must be this Kimberley's fault; Scholz must clearly be in second marriage with her. She plays acoustic guitar, bass, and sings, but with the monumental sound of Boston, it doesn't fit at all. Help!
Don't look for this album but go listen to, if you don't know or have listened to them inattentively, the first three by Boston. Their music isn't exactly what attracts the taste of the average Italian enthusiast: very American, a bit superficial... but there is a structural, "architectural" strength in their most successful tracks, real tenets of how to arrange rock, making an ordinary melody immortal... and then the bombastic electric guitars of Scholz, enormous, resonate; his remarkable Hammond flourishes (originally a keyboardist, he switched to guitar later in life), and Brad Delp's celestial voice, pure and melodic...
They (used to) always make the same song, but it was a great song! Who knows if Tom might reconsider for the next album (which will be released, calculating, in 2012... right, engineer Scholz?).
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Stare Out Your Window (03:19)
She's downright into herself, it's so untrue
She's dolled right in so well, this can't be you
So come down, so come see
You don't want to wake and believe
You don't know, you don't dream
But somehow you make me so dizzy
I wanna stare out your window
You don't want to let me in
Let me in
I wanna stare out your window
You don't want to let me in
Let me in
She's calling out to her friends, just give me two
She words right under her breath, they don't want you
So come down, so come please
You don't want to make me believe
You don't know, do not tease
Somehow you make me so free
I wanna stare out your window
You don't want to let me in
Let me in
I wanna stare out your window
You don't want to let me in
Let me in
So come down, so come please
You don't want to make me believe
You don't know, do not tease
Somehow you make me so free
I wanna stare out your window
You don't want to let me in
Let me in
I wanna stare out your window
You don't want to let me in
Let me in
03 Corporate America (04:37)
Who can stop de-evolution of the human race?
Look at you, Corporate America, you're in disgrace
Globalize; cigarettes, business jets, you love it
Maximize; but you can take your bottom line and shove it
Gotta get away (gotta get away)
Gotta get away, but I need a little help tonight
What 'ya gonna say (what 'ya gonna say)
What 'ya gonna say when you never even seen the light
See the light
Corporate America, look out, look out
Corporate America, who's gonna save us, who's gonna save us now?
You and I; DVDs, SUVs and cyberspace
Flying blind, virtual reality is in our face
This Earth desecrated by the human race
Now what's it worth? When do we evacuate to outer space?
Corporate America, look out, look out
Corporate America, who's gonna save us, who's gonna save us now?
I see the future in the past
Just took the corner way too fast, the reckless ride of modern man
Flattened everything that stands
Fooled by the sales pitch for progress at a dizzy pace
We idolize the filthy rich for giving us synthetic taste
Computer calls, urban sprawl
Is the world a better place, is the world a better place?
Fare thee well, global extinction's forever
So what the hell, order your Mercedes in leather
Veal crates, ozone holes, and toxic waste
And don't count out religious hate
Who can survive this manmade fate?
Gotta get away
Gotta get away, and I need a little help tonight
What 'ya gonna say
Wha 'ya gonna say when you couldn't even see the light
See the light
Yeah
(Tom Scholz)
05 Someone (04:10)
I hear you won't even say my name
I know things could never be the same
But whenever I call your number
You're not at home, don't hear the phone
Whenever I start to wonder
Are you alone, are you alone
Someone won't go to sleep tonight
Someone is gonna hurt inside
They say you receive the love you give
Someday you'll believe it's how I live
But when ever I call your number
I'm all alone and on my own
Whenever I start to wonder
The things you said, the words I read
Someone won't go to sleep tonight
Someone is gonna hurt inside
Someone like me, someone like me, like me
Someone won't go to sleep tonight
Someone is gonna hurt inside
Someone won't go to sleep tonight
Someone is gonna hurt inside
(Tom Scholz)
07 Cryin' (05:19)
Different eyes with the same old screen
We laugh, we love, we cry from what we've seen
It's crazy, it's how we feel
We're staring at the walls and living out of magazines
Ooh, ooh, cryin' outside the line
There's people with disease
If you took a chance, would you like to dance
'Cause my heart is cryin'
What it would mean to me
It's like make-believe
And my heart is cryin', cryin'
Can't you see my heart is cryin'
Different minds with the same old dreams
We live a life of imaginary means
It's crazy, it's how we feel
A pilot always tries to fly without a winning pace
A runner can never decide to end a given race
Staring outside, a child's made a big mistake
If you took a chance, would you like to dance
'Cause my heart is cryin'
What it would mean to me
It's like make-believe
And my heart is cryin', my heart is cryin'
My heart is cryin'
Can't you see my heart is cryin'
Different minds with the same old dreams
We live a life of imaginary means
Ooh, ooh, cryin' outside the line
There's people with disease
If you took a chance, would you like to dance
'Cause my heart is cryin'
What it would mean to me
It's like make-believe
And my heart is cryin', my heart is cryin'
My heart is cryin'
09 You Gave Up on Love (04:22)
(Tom Scholz)
You say love is all you need
So the story goes
There's no changin' what you believe
But you're the one who knows
You gave on love
You gave up so easily
Guess you're not so tough
You gave up on on everything love could be
Saw the way so long ago
Guess it was beyond us
And you won't say but you still know
You just broke your promise
You gave on love
You gave up so easily
Guess you 're not so tough
You gave up on on everything love could be
Hey, you run to me but it's just not enough
Hey, you couldn't see that you had to be
You had to be in love
You gave up on love
You gave up on everything
You gave up on love
You gave up on everything
You gave up on love, Hey
You gave up on love
And you gave up on everything love could be
11 Peace of Mind (05:02)
Now, if you're feeling kinda low 'bout the dues you've been paying
Future's coming much too slow
And you wanna run but somehow you just keep on staying
Can't decide on which way to go
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I understand about indecision
But I don't care if I get behind
People living in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind
Yeah
O-o-oo
Now you're climbing to the top of the company ladder
Hope it doesn't take too long
Can't you see there'll come a day when it won't matter
Come a day when you'll be gone
I understand about indecision
But I don't care if I get behind
People living in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind
Yeah
O-o-oo
Take a look ahead
Take a look ahead
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Woo
Now everybody's got advice they just keep on giving.
Doesn't mean too much to me
Lots of people have to make-believe they're living
Can't decide who they should be
I understand about indecision
But I don't care if I get behind
People living in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind
Yeah
O-o-oo
Take a look ahead
Take a look ahead
Look ahead...
13 Amanda (04:16)
Babe, tomorrow's so far away.
There's somethin' I just have to say.
I don't think I could hide
What I feel inside
Another day.
Knowin' I love you.
And I -- I'm getting' too close again.
I don't wanna see it end.
If I tell you tonight
Will you turn out the light.
And walk away
Knowin' I love you?
I'm gonna take you by surprise
And make you realize.
Amanda
I'm gonna tell you right away
I can't wait another day.
Amanda
I'm gonna say it like a man
And make you understand, Amanda
I love you.
And, I feel like today's the day.
I'm lookin' for the words to say.
Do you wanna be free,
Are you ready for me
To feel this way?
I don't wanna lose ya.
So it may be too soon I know.
The feelin' takes so long to grow.
If I tell you today
Will you turn me away
And let me go?
I don't wanna lose you.
I'm gonna take you by surprise
And make you realize.
Amanda
I'm gonna tell you right away
I can't wait another day.
Amanda
I'm gonna say it like a man
And make you understand, Amanda
I love you.
You and I -- I know that we can't wait.
And I swear -- I swear it's not a lie girl,
Tomorrow may be too late.
You -- you and I girl -- we can share a life together. It's now or never And tomorrow may be too late.
And, feelin' the way I do, I don't wanna wait my whole life through To say I'm in love with you.
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