More Than Words
{{Short description|1991 single by Extreme}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name = More Than Words
| cover = More than words.jpg
| type = single
| artist = Extreme
| album = Pornograffitti
| B-side =
- "Nice Place to Visit"
- "Kid Ego"
| released = {{Start date|1991|3|12}}
| recorded =
| genre =
- Soft rock{{cite web|url=http://www.stereogum.com/5507/40_most_softsational_softrock_songs/franchises/list/|title=VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs|date=May 31, 2007|website=Stereogum|publisher=SpinMedia|access-date=July 31, 2016}}
- acoustic rock{{cite web |url= http://www.guitarworld.com/acoustic-nation-barsoat-best-acoustic-rock-song-all-time-more-than-words-vs-layla-unplugged|title= Best Acoustic Rock Song of All Time Poll: "More Than Words" Vs. "Layla (Unplugged)" |date=July 18, 2015 |website=Guitar World |publisher=NewBay Media |access-date=September 8, 2016}}
| length =
- 5:33 (album version)
- 4:09 (radio edit)
| label = A&M
| writer =
| producer = Michael Wagener
| prev_title = Get the Funk Out
| prev_year = 1991
| next_title = Hole Hearted
| next_year = 1991
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|UrIiLvg58SY|"More Than Words"}}}}
}}
"More Than Words" is a song by American rock band Extreme. It is an acoustic rock ballad featuring guitar work by Nuno Bettencourt and the vocals of Gary Cherone (with harmony vocals from Bettencourt). They both wrote the song, which was produced by Michael Wagener and represented a departure from the band's usual funk metal style.{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/extreme-more-than-words-reaction/|title=How Extreme Finally Moved Past the Stigma of 'More Than Words'|last=Wardlaw|first=Matt|date=June 14, 2023|website=Ultimate Classic Rock}}
"More Than Words" was released as the third single from Extreme's second album, Pornograffitti (1990), on March 12, 1991, by A&M Records. In the United States, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It additionally topped the charts of Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, and it entered the top 10 in 10 other countries. The music video for the song was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.
Content
The song is an acoustic ballad in which the singer wants his lover to do more than simply saying "I love you" to demonstrate her love for him. Bettencourt described it as a warning that the phrase was becoming meaningless: "People use it so easily and so lightly that they think you can say that and fix everything, or you can say that and everything's OK. Sometimes you have to do more and you have to show it—there's other ways to say 'I love you'".{{cite web |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DjBDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2983,3179561&dq=extreme+pornographitti&hl=en |title=Extreme: Boston Group Riding the Funk-O-Metal Machine|first= Kira L.|last= Billik|work= Albany Herald|date=June 20, 1991 |access-date=June 27, 2011}}
Release
The band fought with their record company to get "More Than Words" released as a single. At one point, Bettencourt even quit the band over the issue. In 2016, Bettencourt told Billboard: "'Our label at the time [A&M Records] didn't want to release "More Than Words" as a single because there was nothing on the radio like that at the time. The label said, "Who's going to play it?" Everybody was doing big power ballads at the time, and this was more like an Everly Brothers or Beatles track. But we fought for it'".{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/extreme-more-than-words-25-years-nuno-bettencourt-7517921/|title='More Than Words' at 25: Nuno Bettencourt Recalls Battle to Release Extreme's No. 1 Hit|magazine=Billboard|first=Katy|last=Kroll|date=September 21, 2016}}
{{Quote box|width=23%|align=right|quote="It became a monster. It took a life of its own and we couldn't kill it. ... I think it'll pass the test of time."|source=—Gary Cherone talking about the song.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jSRCAAAAIBAJ|title=The tree sides of Extreme's own story|magazine=The Daily News|date=October 10, 1992|page=15|access-date=March 13, 2020}}
}}
"That song gave us the freedom to make the record we really wanted to make when we started recording our third disc," Cherone told KNAC. "It got us doing huge tours all over the states and around the world... As the nineties went on, however, we really started to resent the song. We were tagged 'the More Than Words guys'. We didn't like the perception the song created about the band. I remember being on tour with Aerosmith in Poland... it was on that tour we decided we would not play the song. We just didn't do it. A couple nights into the tour, Steven Tyler writes in big letters on our dressing room door, 'Play the fucking song!' His attitude was almost father-like. He was like, 'Look, this is your first time in Poland. When do you think you will be back? They want to hear it, so play it!'"Carr, David; KNAC.com; July 16, 2009
Critical reception
AllMusic editor William Ruhlmann noted that on the song, the band pursued "acoustic balladry".{{cite web|first=William|last=Ruhlmann|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/20th-century-masters-the-millennium-collection-best-of-extreme-mw0000658568|title=Extreme - 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best of Extreme|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=March 23, 2020}} Kira L. Billik from Associated Press described "More Than Words" as a "sweet, pure acoustic ballad", "whose message is that the words 'I love you' are becoming meaningless".{{cite magazine|first=Kira L.|last=Billik|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D1MvAAAAIBAJ|title='Funk-o-metal' band hits it big with acoustic ballad|magazine=Rome News-Tribune|date=July 12, 1991|page=11|access-date=March 13, 2020}} The song was also labeled as a "nontraditional love song". Larry Flick from Billboard felt that this "tender, sparsely produced rock/love ballad proves that sometimes less really is more. The spotlight here is on the band's striking vocal harmonies, as well as its shimmering acoustic guitar work".{{cite magazine|first=Larry|last=Flick|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-03-23.pdf|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|date=March 23, 1991|page=75|access-date=January 25, 2018|author-link=Larry Flick}} The Daily Vault's Sean McCarthy called it a "beautiful, minimal acoustic number [that] made the band huge" and concluded that "for the band, 'More Than Words' is the song that will still get airplay."{{cite web|first=Sean|last=McCarthy|url=http://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=203|title=Extreme - Extreme II: Pornograffitti|website=The Daily Vault|date=August 8, 1997|access-date=February 25, 2020}} Diane Cardwell from Entertainment Weekly called it "a simple, almost folkie ballad using just two voices and a single acoustic guitar."{{cite magazine|first= Diane |last= Cardwell |title= Extreme: More than metal |magazine= Entertainment Weekly |date= August 2, 1991 |access-date= November 11, 2020 |url= https://ew.com/article/1991/08/02/extreme-more-metal/ |author-link= Diane Cardwell}} Kirsten Frickle from El Paisano described it as an "all-acoustic ballad that is so beautiful it will make your hair stand on end".{{cite magazine|first= Kirsten |last= Frickle |title= 'Pornograffiti' takes rock music to all extremes |magazine= El Paisano |date= November 9, 1990 |page= 10 |access-date= April 24, 2020 |url= https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=ELP19901109.2.2}}
Pan-European magazine Music & Media labeled the song as "folky"{{cite magazine|title= Previews: Albums - Album Of The Week |magazine= Music & Media |date= November 3, 1990 |page= 19 |access-date= November 3, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-11-03.pdf}} and "a calming piece of music, aptly produced by Michael Wagener." They added, "It shows the band from a totally different angle. And it must be said, they handle this ballad extremely well."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-04-27.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music & Media|date=April 27, 1991|page=11|access-date=February 22, 2018}} Alan Jones from Music Week named it Pick of the Week, remarking that it is "a subdued, lilting acoustic workout that suggests nothing more than Simon & Garfunkel in its more angelic passages."{{cite magazine|first=Alan|last=Jones|url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-07-20.pdf |title= Mainstream: Singles - Pick of the Week |magazine= Music Week |date= July 20, 1991 |page= 10 |access-date= October 3, 2020}} Carrie Borzillo from Record-Journal called it an "Everly Brothers-style" song.{{cite magazine|first=Carrie|last=Borzillo|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ilIAAAAIBAJ|title='More Than Words' small part of what Extreme is all about|magazine=Record-Journal|date=June 28, 1991|access-date=March 13, 2020}} A reviewer from Sandwell Evening Mail wrote, "If ever a song could be unrepresentative of a band's output, Extreme's worldwide smash hit ballad 'More Than Words' is it."Sandwell Evening Mail. November 18, 1991. p. 22. Marc Andrews from Smash Hits found it "eye-moistening".{{cite magazine|first=Marc|last=Andrews|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/smashhits90s/34501437810/in/album-72157681394953612/|title=Reviews: LPs|magazine=Smash Hits|issue=330|page=46|date=July 24, 1991|access-date=March 8, 2020}} Tom Nordlie from Spin viewed it as "a love ballad that sounds like the Everly Brothers or early Beatles." He added, "Singer Gary Cherone harmonizes with himself as guitar-friend Nuno Bettencourt strums clean, jazzy chord accompaniment, and that's it. No sudden escalation to bombast in the middle, no reneging on the song's original promise."{{cite magazine|first=Tom|last=Nordlie|title=Spins|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yVNtVrHdIasC|magazine=Spin|date=November 1990|page=79|access-date=February 27, 2020}} Chad Bowar writing for LiveAbout placed the song on his list of the "Best 20 Hair Metal Ballads of the '80s and '90s".{{Cite web|last=Bowar|first=Chad|title=Best 20 Hair Metal Ballads of the '80s and '90s|url=https://www.liveabout.com/best-hair-metal-ballads-1752387|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=LiveAbout|language=en}}
Chart performance
On March 23, 1991, "More Than Words" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 81 and soon after reached number one. It also reached number two in the United Kingdom and reached number one in four other countries.
Music video
The song's music video{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrIiLvg58SY |title=More Than Words |website=YouTube |date=November 22, 2009 |access-date=July 9, 2023}} was filmed in black and white and was produced and directed by American film and music video directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. It starts with Pat Badger turning off his amplifier and putting down his bass, and Paul Geary putting down his drumsticks. Nuno and Gary are then seen performing the song, while the other band members are shown in front of them, holding up their lighters. In the video's music rendition, the song ends abruptly before Nuno's final solo and coda.
Track listings
- CD maxi
- "More Than Words" — 5:33
- "Kid Ego" — 4:04
- "Nice Place to Visit" — 3:16
- 7-inch single
- "More Than Words" (Remix) — 3:43
- "Nice Place to Visit" — 3:16
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for "More Than Words" !Chart (1991) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|2|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Austria|13|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders|1|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"|Canada (The Record){{cite magazine|title=Hits of the World: Canada|magazine=Billboard|volume=103|issue=24|page=60|date=June 15, 1991}}
|1 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|chartid=1540|rowheader=true|access-date=April 28, 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|2|chartid=1553|rowheader=true|access-date=April 28, 2020}} |
| scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-08-24.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=8|issue=34|page=24|date=August 24, 1991|access-date=March 19, 2018}}
|3 |
| scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|first=Timo|last=Pennanen|year=2006|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972|language=fi|edition=1st|publisher=Tammi|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5|location=Helsinki}}
|6 |
| {{single chart|France|8|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|8|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|songid=2292|rowheader=true|access-date=April 28, 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|2|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true|access-date=April 28, 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|1|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|1|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|1|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Norway|4|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"|Portugal (AFP){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-11-30.pdf|title=Top 10 Sales in Europe|magazine=Music & Media|volume=8|issue=48|page=22|date=November 30, 1991|access-date=March 19, 2018}}
|3 |
| {{single chart|Sweden|4|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|3|artist=Extreme|song=More Than Words|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|UK|2|date=19910803|rowheader=true|access-date=April 28, 2020}} |
| scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1991-06-08/|title=Billboard Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|date=June 8, 1991|access-date=June 17, 2023}}
|1 |
| scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary/1991-06-29/|title=Adult Contemporary|magazine=Billboard|date=June 29, 1991|url-access=subscription|access-date=June 17, 2023}}
|2 |
| scope="row"|US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks/1991-06-01/|title=Mainstream Rock Airplay|magazine=Billboard|date=June 1, 1991|url-access=subscription|access-date=June 17, 2023}}
|12 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
=Decade-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Decade-end chart performance for "More Than Words" !Chart (1990–1999) !Position |
| scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan){{cite web|last=Lwin|first=Nanda|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000829070927/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_1990.html|archivedate=August 29, 2000|url=http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_1990.html|title=Top 100 singles of the 1990s|website=Jam!|accessdate=March 26, 2022}}
|68 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "More Than Words"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=1991|certref=|access-date=April 28, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|artist=Extreme|title=More Than Words|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=2024|access-date=June 16, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Extreme|title=More Than Words|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=1991|access-date=April 28, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|artist=Extreme|title=More Than Words|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1991|certyear=2020|id=9199|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Extreme|title=More Than Words|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1991|certyear=2021|id=8165|access-date=September 13, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|type=single|artist=Extreme|title=More Than Words|award=Gold|relyear=1991|certyear=1991|access-date=April 28, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=single|artist=Extreme|title=More Than Words|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=2024|access-date=June 16, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1991|certyear=1991|access-date=April 28, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Extreme|title=More Than Words|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=2024|id=4365-994-1|access-date=January 5, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Extreme II|title=More Than Words|award=Gold|relyear=1991|certyear=1991|access-date=April 28, 2020|refname="riaa"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Release dates and formats for "More Than Words" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"|United States
|March 12, 1991 |Cassette |rowspan="3"|A&M |
|---|
| scope="row"|Japan
|June 5, 1991 |Mini-CD |align="center"|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/46497/products/179828/1/|title=モア・ザン・ワーズ {{!}} エクストリーム|trans-title=More Than Words {{!}} Extreme|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=September 10, 2023}} |
| scope="row"|United Kingdom
|July 15, 1991 |{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}} |align="center"|{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=19|date=July 13, 1991}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{Cite magazine |last=Johnston |first=Maura |author-link=Maura Johnston |date=February 6, 2015 |title=Extreme's 'More Than Words': The Oral History |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/extremes-more-than-words-the-oral-history-of-1991s-iconic-ballad-90106/ |access-date=October 1, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}
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Category:American soft rock songs
Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Category:Black-and-white music videos
Category:Cashbox number-one singles
Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
Category:Music videos directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:Songs written by Gary Cherone