About The Song
“More Than a Feeling” is a song by the American rock band Boston, released as the lead single from their self-titled debut album on September 18, 1976, through Epic Records, with “Smokin'” as the B-side. Written by Tom Scholz, the track was produced by Scholz, John Boylan, and Rodney C. Thompson. Recording took place between October 1975 and April 1976 at Foxglove Studios in Watertown, Massachusetts, where Scholz, an MIT graduate, utilized his home-built studio equipment. The song was one of six tracks Scholz developed in his basement from 1968 to 1975 before securing a record deal, as noted in a 1997 Maximum Guitar interview.
The single achieved significant chart success. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on September 18, 1976, peaking at No. 5 on December 4, 1976, and charted for 18 weeks. In the UK, it debuted on January 29, 1977, reaching No. 22 and staying for eight weeks, with re-entries in 2010 at No. 50 on the Official Singles Downloads Chart and No. 95 on the Singles Chart. Internationally, it hit No. 4 in Canada (RPM Top Singles), No. 11 in Australia (Kent Music Report), No. 13 in the Netherlands (Single Top 100), No. 14 in Belgium (VRT Top 30), No. 15 in West Germany (GfK), No. 16 in Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders), and No. 68 in Japan (Oricon). Certifications include Gold in Denmark (45,000 units), Gold in Germany (250,000 units), Platinum in Italy (50,000 units), Platinum in Spain (60,000 units), 2× Platinum in the UK (1,200,000 units), and Gold in the US (500,000 units). The Boston album sold 17 million copies, making it one of the best-selling debut albums ever, though it never reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, per a 1976 Record World ad.
The song’s creation spanned five years, with Scholz crafting it in his basement. The drum parts were initially developed by Jim Masdea, but Sib Hashian performed on the final recording, as confirmed in a 2012 thirdstage.ca interview. Scholz drew inspiration from The Left Banke’s “Walk Away Renee,” particularly for the guitar chord progression (G-D/F♯-Em7-D) following the line “I see my Marianne walking away,” as noted by Andy Aledort in Maximum Guitar. The chorus riff bears similarities to Joe Walsh’s “Tend My Garden” from the James Gang’s 1970 album, a connection Scholz acknowledged in a 2020 San Diego Union-Tribune interview. The name “Marianne” came from Scholz’s cousin, though the lyrics were not tied to a specific event, per a 2021 EW interview.
Production details highlight Scholz’s innovative approach. No synthesizers or computers were used; the futuristic sound came from his guitar and piano techniques, as stated in a 2025 Top40weekly article. The guitar solo, featuring mordents and inverted mordents, was unusual for rock, drawing from baroque music, per Aledort. The track was recorded using Scholz’s custom equipment, with overdubbed guitars and hand-clap backups enhancing its commercial appeal, as Billboard noted in 1976. The song was covered by WaveGroup Sound for Guitar Hero (2005) and featured in Glee’s 2014 episode “City of Angels.” In 2008, Mike Huckabee’s unauthorized use of the song for his presidential campaign prompted a cease-and-desist from Scholz, as reported by Rolling Stone. Nirvana referenced its riff in their 1992 Reading Festival performance of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Video
Lyric
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 awayIt’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’ awaySo 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 skyIt’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’ awayWhen 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 awayIt’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