Foreplay/Long Time

{{Short description|1977 single by Boston}}

{{about||other songs|Long Time (disambiguation)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Foreplay"/"Long Time

| cover =

| alt =

| type = Suite

| artist = Boston

| album = Boston

| written = 1969

| released = 1976

| recorded = 1975–1976

| studio =

| genre = Hard rock
arena rock
heavy metal

| length = 7:47 (2:25 "Foreplay" intro alone)

| label = Epic

| writer = Tom Scholz

| producer = John Boylan and Tom Scholz

| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|

{{YouTube|TnwqUEelQjE|"Foreplay/Long Time"}}

|type=song}}

}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Long Time

| cover = Boston_Long_Time.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Boston

| album = Boston

| B-side = Let Me Take You Home Tonight

| written = 1969

| released = January 7, 1977

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Hard rock
arena rock
heavy metal

| length = 3:05

| label = Epic

| writer = Tom Scholz

| producer = John Boylan & Tom Scholz

| prev_title = More Than a Feeling

| prev_year = 1976

| next_title = Peace of Mind

| next_year = 1977

| misc = {{Audio sample

| type = single

| header = Audio clip: "Long Time"

| file = Long Time by Boston.ogg

}}

}}

"Foreplay"/"Long Time" is a suite by American rock band Boston, written by Tom Scholz. It appears on their 1976 self-titled debut album and "Long Time" is their second single for Epic Records. The song combines an instrumental introduction, "Foreplay", with the main song "Long Time", generally played as one on the radio and listed as one track on the album. "Long Time" peaked at No. 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 the week ending March 5, 1977.Rock Movers & Shakers by Dafydd Rees & Luke Crampton, 1991 Billboard Books. It reached the Top 10 in Canada, peaking at No. 9.{{cite web |url=http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5274a&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=hc8sku924chcd9se0jteeo4iv3 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=October 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305000951/http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5274a&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=hc8sku924chcd9se0jteeo4iv3 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=dead}} The standalone "Foreplay" was released as the B-side of Boston's next single "Peace of Mind", which was released in April.{{cite web|title=Peace of Mind|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Boston&titel=Peace+Of+Mind&cat=s|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=June 4, 2012}}

In an interview for the Best of Boston CD, Scholz said that "Foreplay" was the first song he ever recorded, and he did this on a two-track machine in his basement.{{cite web |title=Boston History |url=http://www.bandboston.com/html/history_html.html |publisher=Boston |access-date=June 15, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601000627/http://www.bandboston.com/html/history_html.html |archive-date=June 1, 2012}} Scholz also stated that it was the first piece of music he ever wrote, and that he wrote it as far back as 1969.{{cite web|title=Boston Musicians: Tom Scholz|url=http://bandboston.com/?page_id=310|publisher=Boston|access-date=May 16, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Boston: Of Basements, Beer and Bread|author=Koziowski, J.|url=http://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/articles/newspaper-and-magazine-articles/354-boston-of-basements-beer-and-bread|date=January 1, 1977|access-date=June 13, 2012}}{{cite news|title=Boston: The Band from the Platinum Basement|author=Crowe, C.|author-link=Cameron Crowe|pages=37–42|date=August 10, 1978|newspaper=Rolling Stone}}

An alternate mix of the song is available on the Epic Records Promo LP It's a Knockout. It was a sampler LP of artists that had releases coming up in 1976. This version has various differences in the mix and effects and also includes extra lyrics towards the end of the song. This version has never been available officially anywhere else.

Scholz originally sang all the vocal parts to "Long Time" in his basement during the making of the demo album, but his friend Brad Delp was invited to sing, and proved to be superior. Delp's voice is the only one heard on the 1976 studio recording. Scholz played several guitars, including lead electric guitar on "Foreplay", processed through a space pedal effect, and acoustic rhythm guitars on "Long Time". The three electric guitar solos on "Long Time" are played by Barry Goudreau.