Rock & Roll Band

Boston

About Rock & Roll Band

"Rock & Roll Band" is a song written by Tom Scholz and first released by the rock band Boston on the band's eponymous debut album. It is one of six songs Scholz worked on in his basement in 1974 and 1975 before Boston got its record contract, five of which eventually appeared on the Boston album. The "Rock and Roll Band" demo was finished in 1974, along with three of the six. However, Scholz had begun writing the song years earlier, in the early 1970s. The drum parts of this and other early Boston songs were developed by Jim Masdea, but this is the only song on the Boston album on which Masdea plays drums. Scholz plays clavinet and all the guitar parts, including bass guitar, and Brad Delp sings the vocals. Boston consistently open with "Rock and Roll Band" while playing at live concerts. 


Year:
2011
3:00
59 
#1

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

Well, we were just another band out of Boston
On the road and tryin' to make ends meet
Playin' all the bars, sleepin' in our cars
And we practiced right on out in the street
No, we didn't have much money
We barely made enough to survive
But when we got up on stage and got ready to play, people came alive

Rock and roll band, everybody's waitin'
Getting' crazy, anticipatin'
Love and music, play, play, play, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Dancin' in the streets of Hyannis
We were getting pretty good at the game
People stood in line and didn't seem to mind
You know everybody knew our name
Livin' on rock and roll music
Never worried 'bout things we were missin'
When we got up on stage and got ready to play everybody'd listen

Rock and roll band, everybody's waitin'
Getting' crazy, anticipatin'
Love and music, play, play, play, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Playin' for week in Rhode Island
A man came to the stage one night
He smoked a big cigar, drove a Cadillac car
And said boys, I think this band's outta sight
Oh, sign a record company contract
You know I've got great expectations
When I hear you on the car radio you're gonna be a sensation

Rock and roll band, everybody's waitin'
Getting' crazy, anticipatin'
Love and music, play, play, play, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Boston

Boston (pronounced /ˈbɒstən/ or locally /ˈbɔstən/ ( listen)) is the capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its largest city, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. It was named Boston by early settlers from Boston, Lincolnshire in England. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper, covering 48.43 square miles (125.43 square km), had an estimated population of 625,087 in 2011 according to the U.S. Census, making it the 21st largest in the country. Boston is also the anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area called Greater Boston, home to 4.5 million people and the tenth-largest metropolita… more »

4 fans

Written by: Tom Scholz

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Creation
"Rock & Roll Band" is a popular track from Boston's eponymous debut studio album, released in August 1976.
Songwriter
The song was written and produced by Tom Scholz, the founder of the band Boston.
Fictional Narrative
Despite its lyrics detailing the band's rise to fame, "Rock & Roll Band" is not a true story. Instead, it portrays a romanticized version of a rock and roll band's journey.
Chart Performance
The song was not released as a single; nevertheless, it became one of the band's most played and recognized songs and it helped the album to achieve significant commercial success.
Commercial Achievement
The "Boston" album has been certified 17x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as of 2019, making it one of the best-selling albums in the U.S.
Tom Scholz's Multi-Talent
Not only did Tom Scholz write and produce the song, but he also played almost all the instruments for the recording of "Rock & Roll Band".
Studio Recording
Contrary to the live performance image of the song, it was recorded in Scholz's basement studio.
Critical Acclaim
The song was well-received by critics, as it is often noted for its driving rhythm guitar, soaring guitar solos, and strong harmonized vocals.
Cultural Impact
"Rock & Roll Band" remains a staple of classic rock radio stations and it is often used in movies, commercials, and television shows to symbolize the rock & roll lifestyle.
Live Performance
Despite the fictional narrative, the band often opened their concerts with this song due to its high-energy intro and popularity among fans.
Thriving Band Members
As of 2021, despite numerous lineup changes over the years, the band Boston still exists and continues to perform "Rock & Roll Band" at their live performances.

Discuss the Rock & Roll Band Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Rock & Roll Band Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/23901376/Boston/Rock+%26+Roll+Band>.

    Missing lyrics by Boston?

    Know any other songs by Boston? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Rock & Roll Band

    390
    3     0

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    LP are the initials of the American signer _________?
    A Linda Pellegrini
    B Lynn Pugliesi
    C Lara Paccioretti
    D Laura Pergolizzi

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Don't miss Boston's

    Upcoming Events

    »
    Boston tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!