Not Simply an Emotion

Song 501: This week on the playlist you’ll find More Than a Feeling by Boston, written by Tom Scholz, and you can find a YouTube video of it by clicking on the title. As the 1970s unfolded, I grew more and more disappointed with the current state of RnR as the excitement generated by 1960s artists seemed to gradually sink below a rising tide of bland commercialism. However, some bright lights did appear in the haze, including Boston. That band got a lot of attention just as the summer of 1976 turned into fall, with this cut leading the charge as their opening single. The tune actually took Tom 5 years to write, but I would say the result certainly justified all the effort. When I hear that old song they used to play, and I begin dreaming, I feel grateful for the way it brightened my days and nights 4 decades ago, and how it can still enliven the modern moment - it's more than a feeling.