For the love of rock

Vol II, Issue 17 – Amanda (01 Oct 2017)

Name of song- Amanda
Band- Boston
Album- Third Stage
Writer- Tom Scholz
Release year- 1986
Similar artists- Styx, Foreigner, Reo Speedwagon, Journey, Asia, Wishbone Ash, Bad Company
Peak chart positions-
# 1 – US Billboard Hot 100
# 1 – US Album Rock Tracks
# 1 – Canadian Adult Contemporary
# 1 – Canadian Top Singles
# 10 – Norway
# 12 – Switzerland
# 13 – US Adult Contemporary
# 22 – Netherlands
# 12 – Switzerland
# 25 – Australian Singles Chart
# 32 – New Zealand

Amanda

Reviewers- Bikash Shrestha/Nirab Kayastha

“Boston” is a prototype classic rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed by sound wizard Tom Scholz in 1976. Tom Scholz was a graduate from MIT, Massachusetts, who was a guitar prodigy. He set up his own recording studio in his basement where he developed Boston’s signature guitar sound. The unique sound was a combination of multiple lead and blended harmonies of both electric and acoustic guitars. Along with the unique guitar sound, the underrated Brad Delp had signature vocals perfectly blended for Boston’s classic rock feel. With numerous hit singles during the seventies and eighties, they are the band with one of the best selling debut albums in US history, with 1976 album “Boston” selling over 17 million copies. They were also nominated for Grammy awards as “Best New Artist” in 1976.

“Amanda” is the first single from their third album “Third Stage”, produced in 1986. This album was the first CD formatted album to be certified gold by RIAA. It was also certified gold in LP format too. Thus, this is the first album by any band to have been certified gold in CD as well as LP formats. The album had followed a hiatus of 8 years after “Don’t Look Back” in 1978 and it reached the top of Billboards Hot 200. Although the album did not live up to the expectations from their first and second ones, it is still a gem for classic and hard rock fan.

“Amanda” was originally written and recorded in 1980. This is the only Boston single to have reached the top of Billboard Hot 100. This is a rare song which topped billboard chart in the eighties without having any official video. A typical power ballad, the song starts with a nice, mellow 12-string guitar rhythm by Scholz and then Brad Delp puts in his emotional hard rock vocals into it to take the song into a different dimension. A plain and simple ballad, the song goes slowly heavy into the main chorus. Immediately after the chorus, the silent slow drum-roll comes into play which is another highlight of the song. The second stanza goes a little heavy on the same format and then, in between, Scholz’s amazingly characteristic blended solo guitar comes into play. The second part of the solo is more acoustic and slow, and with the ultimate pinnacle of Brad’s vocals, the song comes to an end. All in all, a relatively short power ballad, which does not follow the conventional formula of rock ballads, the song definitely deserves a #1 spot and undoubtedly, is the most famous song of “Boston”.

Prototype seventies classic rock band, Boston does have many notable singles like “More Than a Feeling”, “Don’t Look Back”, “Foreplay/Long Time” but when it comes to ballad, of course, no one can doubt “Amanda” cuts above all the rest! Babe, tomorrow’s so far away, please cherish “Amanda” now and now only!!

Happy listening!!

Resources- Wikipedia.org, Allmusic.com

Amanda

Babe, tomorrow's so far away
There's something I just have to say
I don't think I can hide what I'm feelin' inside
Another day, knowin' I love you
And I, I'm getting too close again
I don't want to 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 want to be free, are you ready for me
To feel this way
I don't want to lose you
So, it may be too soon, I know
The feeling takes so long to grow
If I tell you today will you turn me away
And let me go?
I don't want to 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

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 want to wait my whole life through
To say I'm in love with you

Lyrics link-
https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/15579853/Boston/Amanda

Youtube video link-https://youtu.be/-qc8vO7pnw4