Don't Look Back (Boston song)
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Don't Look Back
| cover = BostonDLBSingle.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Boston
| album = Don't Look Back
| B-side = The Journey
| released = August 2, 1978
| recorded = 1978
| studio = {{ubl|Tom Scholz's Hideaway Studio|Northern Studio (Maynard, Massachusetts)}}
| venue =
| genre =
- Hard rock
- arena rock{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2021/02/billboard-charts-are-you-experienced-the-stranger-back-in-black-the-fame|title= The AC/DC Rule Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=Slate|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date= February 12, 2021|access-date= February 3, 2024}}
| length = 5:58 (Album Version);
4:05 (Radio Edit)
| label = Epic
| writer = Tom Scholz
| producer = Tom Scholz
| prev_title = Peace of Mind
| prev_year = 1977
| next_title = A Man I'll Never Be
| next_year = 1978
|misc={{External music video|
{{YouTube|2HuiH-0R6a0|"Don't Look Back" (Radio edit)}}}}}}
"Don't Look Back" is a song by American rock band Boston, written by main songwriter, guitarist and bandleader Tom Scholz. It was released as the title track and first single from their second studio album, Don't Look Back (1978). It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the band's biggest hits.{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=76}}{{cite web|title=Boston Chart History: Hot 100|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/boston/chart-history|publisher=Billboard Magazine|accessdate=October 16, 2019}}
Writing and recording
Although the first song on the album, "Don't Look Back" was its final song to be written and recorded.{{cite book|title=The Billboard Book of Number One Albums|page=230|author=Rosen, Craig|year=1996|publisher=Billboard Books|isbn=0823075869}} According to Scholz "It was one of those things where everything clicked. I didn't even record a demo for that song. I came up with chord changes, melody, and the arrangement and put it right on the master tape." Brad Delp sang all the vocals, both lead and backing. According to Scholz, Fran Sheehan only played a few bass notes on the song and Barry Goudreau played the solo guitar parts in the intro and outro.{{cite web|title=A letter from Tom Scholz to all who have supported BOSTON|author=Scholz, Tom|author-link=Tom Scholz|url=http://www.boston.org/officialletter.html|publisher=boston.org|accessdate=May 3, 2017|date=October 29, 2002}}{{cite web|title=Liner notes to 2006 re-release of Don't Look Back|url=http://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/liner-notes/remastered-albums/92-dont-look-back-tom-scholz-remaster|publisher=thirdstage.ca|year=2006|accessdate=May 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024101045/http://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/liner-notes/remastered-albums/92-dont-look-back-tom-scholz-remaster|archive-date=October 24, 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=A Normal Life|author=Stix, John|newspaper=Guitar Magazine|url=http://www.gonnahitcharide.com/media-library/musician-magazines/271-a-normal-life|accessdate=May 17, 2017|date=July 1987}} Scholz praised Goudreau's lead guitar playing at the end of the song. Scholz also stated that he made more than 60 edits to Sib Hashian's drum track in order to get the performance he wanted.
Lyrics and music
Paul Grein of Billboard cited "Don't Look Back" as an example of Boston's skill at changing tempos, stating that it "actually stops midway through and then rebuilds gradually to its peak of intensity."{{cite news|title=Closeup|author=Grein, Paul|newspaper=Billboard|page=80|date=September 2, 1978|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tCQEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22boston%22+%22don%27t+look+back%22+billboard&pg=PT27|accessdate=May 2, 2017}} Rolling Stone critic Tim Emerson described the lyrics as "optimistic about the road that lies ahead."{{cite magazine|title=Don't Look Back|author=Emerson, Ken|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=October 5, 1978}} But Emerson also states that some of the optimism in the lyrics is contradicted in other songs, specifically comparing the use of the line "I'm much too strong not to compromise" in this song with the much more pessimistic line "I can't get any stronger" in its follow up single "A Man I'll Never Be." In the liner notes to the 2006 reissue of Don't Look Back, David Wild described the title song as a "beautiful barnburner in the proud tradition of Boston's classic "More Than a Feeling."{{cite web|title=Look Back in Grandeur|author=Wild, David|url=http://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/liner-notes/remastered-albums/92-dont-look-back-tom-scholz-remaster|accessdate=2017-05-02|year=2006|publisher=thirdstage.ca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024101045/http://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/liner-notes/remastered-albums/92-dont-look-back-tom-scholz-remaster|archive-date=2017-10-24|url-status=dead}} AXS contributor Bill Craig stated that it contained all the components people expected from Boston: "buzzing guitars, towering vocals, and lyrics that connected with young listeners."
Reception
Billboard rated the song one of the best cuts on Don't Look Back,{{cite news|title=Top Album Picks: Spotlight|newspaper=Billboard Magazine|date=August 26, 1978|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22don%27t+look+back%22+boston+billboard&pg=PT2|page=100|accessdate=May 2, 2017}} and stated that the song "resounds with a thunderous rock beat underlined by a highly rich and melodic bass and a powerful vocal."{{cite news|title=Top Single Picks|newspaper=Billboard Magazine|date=August 19, 1978|accessdate=June 12, 2020|page=70|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1978/Billboard%201978-08-19.pdf}} It describes the instrumentals as "high powered" with "searing" guitar playing. Cash Box said that "Scholtz and Goudreau open with blazing guitar riffs" and that the "hard rock edge" is tempered by the "soaring vocals, melodic passages and a break at the 3:00 minute mark."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=August 19, 1978|page=20|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=January 1, 2022|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-19.pdf}} Record World said that "The sound is much the same as Boston debut album with the strong bass/guitar line sweetened by Brad Delp's stellar vocals."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=August 19, 1978|accessdate=2023-02-13|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/78/Record-World-1978-08-19.pdf}} Greil Marcus rated the song as one of three masterpieces on Don't Look Back, along with "A Man I'll Never Be" and "Used to Bad News."{{cite book|title=New West|author=Marcus, Greil|author-link=Greil Marcus|year=1979|volume=4|issue=8–13|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TzocAQAAIAAJ&q=BOSTON+%22a+man+I'll+never+be%22|accessdate=June 6, 2012}}{{cite web|title=Real Life Rock 06/04/1979|author=Marcus, Greil|date=August 22, 2014|author-link=Greil Marcus|url=https://greilmarcus.net/2014/08/22/real-life-rock-060479/|publisher=greilmarcus.net|accessdate=April 30, 2017}} Allmusic critic Tim Sendra described its riff as "killer," saying that it was similar to that in "More Than a Feeling."{{cite web|title=Don't Look Back|author=Sendra, T.|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-look-back-mw0000193053|website=Allmusic|accessdate=June 6, 2012}}{{cite book|title=All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul|author=Sendra, Tim|page=132|year=2002|publisher=Hal Leonard|isbn=9780879306533|editor1=Bogdanov, Vladimir|editor2=Woodstra, Chris|editor3=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|editor3-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}} The New Rolling Stone Album Guide critic Paul Evans felt that "Don't Look Back" was the one song on its album that could "hold its own" on Boston's first album.{{cite book|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|author=Evans, Paul|year=2004|page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/96 96]|editor1=Brackett, Nathan|editor2=Hoard, Christian|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=9780743201698}}
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Eduardo Rivadavia similarly stated that it "met every expectation set by Boston’s nearly perfect debut."{{cite web|title=Revisiting Boston's Rushed Second Album, 'Don't Look Back'|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/boston-dont-look-back/?trackback=tsmclip|author= Rivadavia, Eduardo|accessdate=May 3, 2017|date=August 2, 2015|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock}} Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it the band's 4th all time best song.{{cite web|title=Top 10 Boston songs|author=Gallucci, Michael|date=March 10, 2013 |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/boston-songs/|accessdate=May 2, 2017|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock}} AXS contributor Bill Craig similarly rated it Boston's 3rd greatest song, describing it as an "arena rock style sonic blast."{{cite web|title=Top 10 best Boston songs|author=Craig, Bill|url=https://www.axs.com/top-10-best-boston-songs-114847|publisher=AXS|accessdate=May 3, 2017|date=February 18, 2017}} Classic Rock critic Paul Elliott described it as a "glorious, revving rock anthem."{{cite web|title=The Boston albums you should definitely own|author=Elliott, Paul|publisher=Louder Sound|work=Classic Rock|accessdate=June 28, 2022|date=March 9, 2022|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/best-boston-albums}} Philip Booth of the Lakeland Ledger called it one "of the most-played-by-garage-band rockers of the '70s."{{cite news|title=Boston Proves a Point|author=Booth, P.|newspaper=Lakeland Ledger|date=October 2, 1987|page=5C|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19871002&id=KLlNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3151,682319|accessdate=May 3, 2017}} Pete Prown and Harvey P. Newquist praised the "layers of guitar harmonies" as well as Barry Goudreau's slide guitar playing and rideout guitar solo.{{cite book|title=Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists|author1=Prown, Pete|author2=Newquist, Harvey P.|page=108|year=1997|publisher=Hal Leonard|isbn= 9780793540426}} Ottawa Journal critic Mike Voslin rated the song as a live performance highlight.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|title=Boston: No special effects needed, hard-driving music did it all|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10726220/the_ottawa_journal/|newspaper=The Ottawa Journal|accessdate=May 3, 2017|date=August 26, 1979|page=38|author=Voslin, Mike}}
CBS Records reported that the "Don't Look Back" single sold more than a million copies in the first two weeks or so following its release.{{cite news|title=Epic Muscle Pushes Boston's 2nd Album|page=2|newspaper=Billboard Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22don%27t+look+back%22+boston+billboard&pg=PT2|accessdate=May 4, 2017|date=August 26, 1978}} The single peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1978.{{cite magazine|title=Boston Chart History|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/297005/boston/chart|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=May 4, 2017}} It also reached the Top 10 in Canada, peaking at #6.{{cite web|title=RPM 100 Singles|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=55&|accessdate=May 4, 2017|date=October 14, 1978|volume=30|issue=3|publisher=Library and Archives Canada}} It reached #14 in the Netherlands but only reached #43 in the UK.{{cite web|title=Boston: Dutch Charts|url=http://www.dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Boston|publisher=dutchcharts.con|accessdate=May 4, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Boston singles|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16014/boston/|publisher=The Official Charts Company|accessdate=May 4, 2017}} "Don't Look Back" was included on Boston's Greatest Hits album in 1997.{{cite web|title=Greatest Hits|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/greatest-hits-mw0000594323|author=Erlewine, S.T.|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|website=Allmusic|accessdate=May 4, 2017}} "Don't Look Back" is the band's second biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100, after 1986's "Amanda," which hit No. 1.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| Chart (1978)
! Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| Australian Singles (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
| 51 |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|6|chartid=0014a|rowheader=true|access-date=17 December 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|8|song=Don't Look Back|rowheader=true|access-date=17 December 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|14|artist=Boston|song=Don't Look Back|rowheader=true|access-date=17 December 2022}} |
| {{single chart|UK|43|date=19781008|rowheader=true|access-date=17 December 2022|refname="uk"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|4|artist=Boston|rowheader=true|access-date=17 December 2022|refname=BILLBOARD2}} |
| scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{Cite web |url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19781230.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles, 30, 1978 |access-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214082047/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19781230.html |archive-date=February 14, 2015 |url-status=dead }}
|align="center"|7 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
In popular culture
- "Don't Look Back" was used in the pilot episode of the ABC drama series October Road, which aired on March 15, 2007, six days after the death of Boston's original lead singer, Brad Delp.{{cite web|title=October Road Pilot Soundtracks|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0769365/soundtrack|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=May 3, 2017}}{{cite web|title=October Road S1 · E1 · Pilot|url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/october-road/season-1/2449|publisher=TuneFind|accessdate=May 3, 2017}}
- The song was featured in "Bailey's Show", the sixth episode of the first season of the CBS sitcom WKRP In Cincinnati.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2307562/|title=Boston - IMDb|website=IMDb.com, Inc.|accessdate=October 12, 2019}}
- The song was used in episode 6 of the comedic web series Cobra Kai.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/cobra-kai/season-1/63606|title=Music from Cobra Kai S1E06|website=Tunefind|language=en-us|access-date=February 1, 2019}}
- "Don't Look Back" was featured in the final episode of season 1 of the comedy web series Future Man.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/future-man/season-1/54633|title=Music from Future Man S1E13|website=Tunefind|language=en-us|access-date=February 1, 2019}}
- The song made an appearance in episode 22 of season 2 of The WB/The CW dark fantasy series Supernatural.{{Cite web|url=https://www.what-song.com/Tvshow/110/Supernatural/e/5876|title=Supernatural - S2E22 "All Hell Breaks Loose (Part 2)" Music and List of Songs|website=What-song|language=en-us|access-date=February 1, 2019}}
- It was also used in original airings of episode 7 of season 5 of the Fox sitcom That '70s Show. It, along with other songs used in the episode, were removed from the DVD version.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/that-70s-show/season-5/24249|title=Music from That '70s Show S5E07|website=Tunefind|language=en-us|access-date=February 1, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://sitcomsonline.com/that70sshowseason5millcreekdvdreview.html|title=That '70s Show - Season Five (Mill Creek) DVD Review - Sitcoms Online|website=sitcomsonline.com|access-date=February 1, 2019}}
- The song was performed by the remaining original members of Boston on August 19, 2007, at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, Mass. for the tribute concert to Delp. It was the last song of the concert.{{cite web|title=Brad Delp-Boston Tribute Take Two|date=July 2, 2007|author=Rodman, Sarah|url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2007/07/brad_delpboston.html|publisher=boston.com|accessdate=May 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212201503/http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2007/07/brad_delpboston.html|archive-date=February 12, 2018|url-status=dead}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Boston (band)}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Song recordings produced by Tom Scholz