Saturday May 7, 2022 “More Than a Feeling” Boston (Brad Delp) Vocals

I saved the most important choice for last.

Again there are so many voices to choose from for our rock & roll heaven band but for me this was one of the easiest choices.  Boston lead singer Brad Delp had one of the most amazing, overlooked and underrated voices in rock music with a range that was just short of operatic.

Brad Delp developed his vocal style by singing regularly at various Boston-area clubs during the early '70s while working at a factory during the day, making heating coils for Mr. Coffee machines.  He was introduced to Boston band founder Tom Scholz who was looking for a vocalist for a demo he was putting together and as the cliche goes, the rest is history.

“More Than a Feeling” was a top five single that came out of Boston’s debut album recorded by a band that essentially didn’t even exist when the album was being created.  Boston was the musical brainchild of songwriter/guitarist/producer Tom Scholz who along with a drummer and today’s vocalist/guitarist Brad Delp played all the instruments and did all of the vocals.

You may not think of Brad Delp immediately as the amazing vocalist that he was but please  don’t just take my word for it.  Every once in a while I check out a FaceBook channel hosted by musician/producer/music professor Rick Beato who breaks down songs under the title “What Makes This Song Great” and I always come away with a new appreciation for the work and creativity that went into songs that I may have been listening to, and taking for granted, for years.

Beato did an episode on Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” during which he extols Brad Delp’s ‘superhuman’ vocals. Check it out if you are interested.

Stay safe and well…and that rounds out our rock & roll heaven band personnel, now we just need a name for our rock & roll heaven band, and you know how I feel about band names.

I looked out this morning and the sun was gone

Turned on some music to start my day

I lost myself in a familiar song

I closed my eyes and I slipped away

 It's more than a feeling (more than a feeling)

When I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feeling)

And I begin dreaming (more than a feeling)

'Til I see Marianne walk away

I see my Marianne walkin' away

 So many people have come and gone

Their faces fade as the years go by

Yet I still recall as I wander on

As clear as the sun in the summer sky

 It's more than a feeling (more than a feeling)

When I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feeling)

And I begin dreaming (more than a feeling)

'Til I see Marianne walk away

I see my Marianne walkin' away

 When I'm tired and thinking cold

I hide in my music, forget the day

And dream of a girl I used to know

I closed my eyes and she slipped away

 She slipped away

 It's more than a feeling (more than a feeling)

When I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feeling)

And I begin dreaming (more than a feeling)

'Til I see Marianne walk away