More Than Words Can Say#Charts
{{Short description|1990 single by Alias}}
{{About||the similarly titled song by Extreme|More Than Words|the album by Stevie Holland|More Than Words Can Say (album)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name = More Than Words Can Say
| cover = CanSAAAAYY.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Alias
| album = Alias
| released = September 8, 1990
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Hair metal{{Cite web|url=https://www.myweddingsongs.com/wedding-song-lists/best-hair-band-ballads/|title=Hair Band Ballads|first=Matthew|last=Campbell|website=My Wedding Songs|date=April 26, 2024 }}
| length = 3:54
| label = EMI
| writer = Freddy Curci, Steve DeMarchi
| producer = Rick Neigher
| prev_title = Haunted Heart
| prev_year = 1990
| next_title = Waiting for Love
| next_year = 1991
}}
"More Than Words Can Say" (also known as "(I Need You Now) More Than Words Can Say" for promotional purposes) is a song by Canadian rock band Alias. It was released in September 1990 as the second single from their debut eponymous album. The power ballad{{cite web|url=http://popdose.com/death-by-power-ballad-alias-more-than-words-can-say/|title=Death by Power Ballad: Alias, "More Than Words Can Say"|date=January 4, 2010}} became a {{abbr|No.|Number}} 2 hit in the United States and reached No. 1 in Canada for four weeks.
BMI presented Alias lead vocalist and songwriter Freddy Curci with the "Million-airs award" for "More Than Words Can Say". According to BMI's web site, only 1,500 songs have achieved Million-air status (one million air plays) among the 4.5 million songs by 300,000 BMI represented artists. One million performances is the equivalent of approximately 50,000 broadcast hours, or more than 5.7 years of continuous airplay.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bmi.com/|title=Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)|website=BMI.com}}
Composition and inspiration
"More Than Words Can Say" was written, arranged, and co-produced by former Sheriff vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi. DeMarchi's younger brother Denny played the keyboard and sang the backing vocals. Curci recorded the vocals in Denny DeMarchi's bedroom at DeMarchi's family home.{{cite web|url=https://www.myspace.com/rockizoid_fans|title=RockizoidFans Page (rockizoid_fans) on Myspace|website=Myspace}}
At the time, their dissolved band had hit number one with "When I'm with You" the previous year, and the other band members had refused to reunite. Sensing the need to follow up the hit, Curci and DeMarchi joined ex-Heart members guitarist Roger Fisher, bassist Steve Fossen, and drummer Mike Derosier to form Alias. This tune, bearing striking similarities to "When I'm with You" (including a sustained last note), was the result.{{cite web|publisher=Music Legends|url=http://musiclegends.ca/interviews/roger-fisher-interview/|title=Roger Fisher Interview|access-date=May 7, 2013|date=March 15, 2012|last=Saulnier|first=Jason}}
Chart performance
"More Than Words Can Say" was released as the second single of Alias' self-titled debut album. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 84 and reached the top 40 four weeks later. On November 24, 1990, it peaked at No. 2. It also peaked at No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In the band's native Canada, the song reached No. 1 on November 24 and stayed there for four weeks, ending 1990 as the country's second-highest-selling single. It also topped Canada's Adult Contemporary chart for a week. Outside North America, "More Than Words Can Say" only managed to chart in Australia and New Zealand, peaking at No. 30 and No. 37 respectively.
Charts
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=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1990–1991) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|30|artist=Alias|song=More Than Words Can Say|rowheader=true|access-date=June 30, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|chartid=9183|rowheader=true|refname=CAN1|access-date=June 30, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|1|chartid=1414|rowheader=true|refname=CANA1|access-date=June 30, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|37|artist=Alias|song=More Than Words Can Say|rowheader=true|access-date=June 30, 2024}} |
| scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1990-11-24/|title=Billboard Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|date=November 24, 1990|access-date=June 25, 2023}}
|2 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary/1990-12-15/|title=Adult Contemporary|magazine=Billboard|date=December 15, 1990|url-access=subscription|access-date=June 25, 2023}}
|2 |
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=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1990) !Position |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|2|chartid=9139|rowheader=true|refname=CAN2|access-date=June 30, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|68|chartid=9175|rowheader=true|refname=CANA2|access-date=June 30, 2024}} |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1991) !Position |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|74|chartid=1706|rowheader=true|refname=CAN3|access-date=June 30, 2024}} |
| scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-12-21.pdf|title=1991 The Year in Music|magazine=Billboard|volume=103|issue=51|page=YE-36|date=December 21, 1991|access-date=August 10, 2021}}
|28 |
|---|
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References
{{reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
- Feldman, Christopher (2000). The Billboard Book of Number Two Hits. {{ISBN|0-8230-7695-4}}.
- [http://billboard.com "Billboard"]. Billboard Hot 100 airplay and sales charts. Retrieved 2006-06-11.
{{refend}}
External links
- [https://www.myspace.com/theofficialalias Official Alias Myspace]
- [http://www.freddycurci.com Freddy Curci (lead singer) website]
{{Alias (band)}}
{{Authority control}}