The people that gave this version a thumbs down are obviously not Boston fans. This is probably my favorite version of my favorite song. You hear Brad’s passion and amazing voice, as well as Tom’s amazing guitar that brings chills to me each time I hear the song. Thanks for posting this amazing song!
Jim, you stated it perfectly! I heard a live version of this song in 1977 on the Kingbiscuit Flower Hour from a concert in Long Beach. Brad said at that concert that their second album(yet to be named back then) was about to be released. As we all know, it was another year until Don't Look Back was released and while I like the studio version, I was always a bit underwhelmed by it. I've found the '77 Long Beach version online as well, but then I found this version a year ago and was BLOWN AWAY!!! And yes I also get chills every time I hear Brad's vocals and Tom's guitar work on this version!!! Thanks Jim!!! Rock on buddy!!! 🎸
I never heard this version before. I love it! Pure emotion coming out of Brad! This song brings back much memories both happy and sad. TIMELESS! I cranked this song in my car stereo and came up next to a beat-booming car at a red light. The long guitar solo came on and i went full blast. The other guy lowered his radio and gave me a puzzled look. I yelled, "Boston!!!" He obvioualy did not know what i was talking about but the car behind me was yelling, "YEAH!!! Boston!!!" Good moment.
There's a bit of sadness in me each time i'm hearing this song.. but it's a great song with beautiful vocals. No one can replace him..wish you were still here and sing for us forever Brad!
Very nice find. I love that this song took Tom 10 years to write, and like most of the greats (MTAF) it started out as 2 songs! The final cut is stunning, while this, a demo, is also amazing.
This version shows how great of a singer he actually was. It's easy to be a good singer in the studio because you can alter your voice so it sounds right.
Also, you can just sing over the course of hours or days. Belting like that for a whole 5 minutes straight like this is impossible for mere mortals. Only supernaturals like brad can pull it off.
@wilson743 The King Biscuit Flower Hour set is from Long Beach, 1977. This was a local broadcast on Cleveland station WMMS - 101 FM. It was Boston's second show on their first national tour, barely 6 weeks after their first album was released. It was 34 years ago today and tickets were $3.50.
WOW! This version takes me back to a wonderful time to be growing up. This song brings tears to my eyes when I think back look at what I could have done better. I has a true rowdy young adult and loved drinkin and fightin. I loved to cruise the streets and tear the rubber off the tires doing burn outs. Living for the moment and getting as many girls as I could. What a simple time in life.
It humors me to read the "critques" here and telling us all why this version is not as good as the studio version. Quite simply, this brings tears of joy to my eyes and I'm thankful for the posting of this masterpiece.
Just discovered this gem! I had NO idea that they played this song in concert 2 full years before it was released on the Don't Look Back album. It's very interesting to hear it raw like this on guitar instead of piano. Also interesting to me is that it's a full step higher in the key of D, where the album version is in C. What a great voice and what a great band. Would have loved to have seen them back then.
Settle down haters.. CONTEXT is EVERYTHING!!! If the date listed for this audio is correct (1976) then this was from one of their first shows as a live band and was probably one of the first times that they ever played the song... It was still evolving!!
Omg I love this version! It's the first time I've heard it and I didn't realize they performed this song back in '76! And I prefer this solo to the studio version, it's so raw and passionate! 🎸Thank you!
Looks like no one has commented here in year, so I shall… I’ll admit, the 1978 version is great, however, this particular version of the song gives me chills. Brad’s vocal range on this version are impeccable. Ngl, I listen to this version nearly everyday. To those of you who did get to see Boston live in the mid-70s or the late 80s - y’all are SO lucky! This band is about 25 years before my time, but I absolutely love them. I’m hoping that band will tour in 2022 - fingers crossed - I’m already saving up money to see them. Rock on!
Boston was such great music I was lost in the harmonys not listening to what message may be in the mix. I understand now what brad was trying to say. Its sad that he had to die for me to go back and relearn what I didn't even know was thier. A true Geinus Brad was, always kinda stretching the envolope of life. I feel more then ever the hurt he must of had on how this world was turning out. He was just more aware then I was at the time. He just couldn't go on anymore. Climbed the highest mountian
I met Brad Delp and Tom Scholz: After I talked to Tom about his new studio Brad was so happy to tell me about his hope for Tom's new studio and he was so happy to try and do what they had done twice already. That is to create a ground breaking record. When Tom hired another singer, it broke my heart. Also it broke Brad's heart as well.... As you can see, A MAN I'LL NEVER BE! Brad I miss the hell out of you, I will always love you...
Amazing to hear this gem unpolished. They must have spent months in the studio to produce the perfection in tone and dynamics that's on the record. Thanks for revealing the raw version!
Yes! I would definitely imagine this is an early version prior to Tom's painstaking efforts to complete the song we all know and love for the album "Don't Look Back," originally entitled "The Arrival." This is at least one of two other versions of the song - Long Beach '77 being the other. zero528.wordpress.com/category/eclectic/music/
It's live. What else can I say? Yes, it is in a different key. Brad cannot possibly hit all the high notes live. Big difference doing it live, and doing it in the studio, where they can do it over and over, until it sounds perfect. Still... Boston live? Pretty cool stuff. Brings tears to the eyes. The 1970's were so great, and they are gone...
the begin is already insane... the rest of music ... he went and killed it and them just shoved into the insanity , Brad Delph wasn´t a normal singer but something unreal, Insane crazy vocal´s man ... don´t exist auto tune in world can reply copycat his voice.... he just an god of vocals.... won´t be had any replacement ... and big and humble dude in show business full of stupid allwholes that think is the big shizzle but in real is nothing, and him aways was humble, gentleful whit all fan´s, missed so much dude...
Sometimes, a live version is a refreshing improvement from the original ... this is a classic example. This piano-less version has much more feeling than the vinyl version.
"A Man I'll Never Be" is a song written by Tom Scholz and first released on Boston's 1978 album Don't Look Back. allmusic.com/album/dont-look-back-mw0000193053
I am always surprised when I come here and see posts from just hours ago. Bassmanjoe, there are several songs that never made it to vinyl back then. Not to mention Tom took forever to record and perfect his recordings. He always felt that side two of the Don't Look Back album was of less quality than side one. This song is of course the last song on side one. I can't even imagine the number of hours I have listened to this song. The night he died I listened to this song for two hours.
THIS IS COOL!! I found this interesting once here in San Diego listening to KGB 101 around my high school days (early 80s), on the radio in my Cadillac I think and the announcer at the commercial said..right after 'A Man I'll Never Be'," Your listening to Boston LIVE in Long Beach, California, 1977!! I can't remember if I tripped harder on the fact that the studio version wasn't released yet then...OR...the fact that In 1977, I was 11 living 'next door', in Rancho Palos Verdes!! Oh so close! ;-D
@StephenHardyMusic Yes, please do! Not because I don't believe you, I know you're right, but listening to the rest of Boston at their peak would be great!
this is a masterpiece and any musician thats ever played live and recored would know that! The headphone air guitarist may want to stick to the studio versions! Masterpiece 101~
@Treachery93 Keep yelling Boston my friend, and keep going full blast on any and all guitar solos that you feel you should! Good moment indeed!! Long live rock!!
@ JoeDicks1987 They didn't change it up because it had become too redundant. This was recorded in 1976. Two years before it was released on "Don't Look Back" in 1978. They just had not refined it into the song it became by the time it was recorded. I saw Boston three times after it was released and it was played identically to the album version each time.
@prowlermadmax WRONG. Boston live at the Agora Ballroom, 1976. I have this CD. Right before the song was played, they announced that "this song is going to be on our next album". The crowd was getting a demo of it. I mean I can upload the entire concert if you want to prove that this is Boston.
If this was recorded in 1976 then this song was being played BEFORE it came out on their 2nd album. I'm sure the finished version was tweaked some before being put down. Bostons first album was 1976...2nd I believe, without checking, was 1978
Not sure if this has anything do with the song not already being written/performable, if you will, but this was released on the Don't Look Back album, which was released in 1978. But, apparently this is a performance from 1976...?
@jrock2264 Yep , Lynyrd Skynyrd played "Freebird" 4 years before it was recorded . BOSTON was trying new songs on the road , like this one . Cool , HUH ?
This is the rehearsal song in my opinion of A man Ill never be.I never heard this before in concert before this soo its unheard to me,!! to the debut alblum Dont look bak released in 78.!!Excellent!!
This song is awesome even if it is clearly still evolving when they played this show.Of course the final version was better.But it's like looking at a pretty girl when she was just 14.Pretty but not like she's going to be in a few years.
Brad is so missed by all the Fans of Boston. RIP Brad, you were simply amazing, thanks for the wonderful music.
Today is the first day that I've heard this version, and I can't stop listening to it. Freakin unbelievable!!!!
Yea, its so cool and raw, and the vocal, he just goes off on that solo, guy was the best, r.i.p
Brad, best voice in rock ever, very sadly missed.
Better than Paul Mccartney who was his his idol.
I've never listened to this version. It's great.
The people that gave this version a thumbs down are obviously not Boston fans. This is probably my favorite version of my favorite song. You hear Brad’s passion and amazing voice, as well as Tom’s amazing guitar that brings chills to me each time I hear the song. Thanks for posting this amazing song!
Jim, you stated it perfectly! I heard a live version of this song in 1977 on the Kingbiscuit Flower Hour from a concert in Long Beach. Brad said at that concert that their second album(yet to be named back then) was about to be released. As we all know, it was another year until Don't Look Back was released and while I like the studio version, I was always a bit underwhelmed by it. I've found the '77 Long Beach version online as well, but then I found this version a year ago and was BLOWN AWAY!!! And yes I also get chills every time I hear Brad's vocals and Tom's guitar work on this version!!! Thanks Jim!!! Rock on buddy!!! 🎸
Amazing, wonderful, perfect!! I turned 15 in October of 1970. The best years of my life were the 70s. I absolutely love Boston. None better.
I never heard this version before. I love it! Pure emotion coming out of Brad! This song brings back much memories both happy and sad. TIMELESS!
I cranked this song in my car stereo and came up next to a beat-booming car at a red light. The long guitar solo came on and i went full blast. The other guy lowered his radio and gave me a puzzled look. I yelled, "Boston!!!" He obvioualy did not know what i was talking about but the car behind me was yelling, "YEAH!!! Boston!!!" Good moment.
❤
There's a bit of sadness in me each time i'm hearing this song.. but it's a great song with beautiful vocals. No one can replace him..wish you were still here and sing for us forever Brad!
Gotta agree with ya on this one. It's always nice to hear an early version of the song before it's finished/finalized.
RIP Brad Delp.
❤
These guys were freakin' great....I feel grateful to appreciate all their songs they offered.
Got to finally see them Summer of 79. Awesome performance.
Brings a tear to my eyes to hear his beautiful voice singing after missing him and that band. Omg man.
astonishing vox and incredible dynamics on this version thanks for sharing
Very nice find. I love that this song took Tom 10 years to write, and like most of the greats (MTAF) it started out as 2 songs! The final cut is stunning, while this, a demo, is also amazing.
Long Live Brad Delp there never another front man like him!!!
RIP Brad. We miss you. Losing you will take a little away from each of us
What a voice!
Everyone thinks he should sound just like the record. This is badass. He was so good live. Saw them in 1987 at the LA Forum and they Rocked!
outstanding version! Thank you. RIP Brad
Gosh.....Brad and the boys were beyond words....thank you for posting
This version shows how great of a singer he actually was. It's easy to be a good singer in the studio because you can alter your voice so it sounds right.
Also, you can just sing over the course of hours or days. Belting like that for a whole 5 minutes straight like this is impossible for mere mortals. Only supernaturals like brad can pull it off.
Yes! I love how it's just Brad and no backing vocals unlike the studio version. I prefer live versions of this awesome song!
@wilson743 The King Biscuit Flower Hour set is from Long Beach, 1977. This was a local broadcast on Cleveland station WMMS - 101 FM. It was Boston's second show on their first national tour, barely 6 weeks after their first album was released. It was 34 years ago today and tickets were $3.50.
WOW! This version takes me back to a wonderful time to be growing up. This song brings tears to my eyes when I think back look at what I could have done better.
I has a true rowdy young adult and loved drinkin and fightin. I loved to cruise the streets and tear the rubber off the tires doing burn outs. Living for the moment and getting as many girls as I could.
What a simple time in life.
According to official Boston website, this was only their 10th show ever.
It humors me to read the "critques" here and telling us all why this version is not as good as the studio version. Quite simply, this brings tears of joy to my eyes and I'm thankful for the posting of this masterpiece.
Just discovered this gem! I had NO idea that they played this song in concert 2 full years before it was released on the Don't Look Back album. It's very interesting to hear it raw like this on guitar instead of piano. Also interesting to me is that it's a full step higher in the key of D, where the album version is in C. What a great voice and what a great band. Would have loved to have seen them back then.
Saw them in 1977 at The Cow Palace in So. San Francisco and they were simply awesome....
Yeah, love this version, Brad was an awesome singer
Raw and masterful!! Wow!
Settle down haters.. CONTEXT is EVERYTHING!!! If the date listed for this audio is correct (1976) then this was from one of their first shows as a live band and was probably one of the first times that they ever played the song... It was still evolving!!
You are absolutely correct!
Omg I love this version! It's the first time I've heard it and I didn't realize they performed this song back in '76! And I prefer this solo to the studio version, it's so raw and passionate! 🎸Thank you!
fantastic mix of singin,playin,writing,recoirding...love this band
Thanks, some of the best Boston I ever heard. Just to bad about Brad that he had to go.
Thanks again.. From Switzerland
I was lucky to meet him. He was even nicer than people say.
Looks like no one has commented here in year, so I shall… I’ll admit, the 1978 version is great, however, this particular version of the song gives me chills. Brad’s vocal range on this version are impeccable. Ngl, I listen to this version nearly everyday. To those of you who did get to see Boston live in the mid-70s or the late 80s - y’all are SO lucky! This band is about 25 years before my time, but I absolutely love them. I’m hoping that band will tour in 2022 - fingers crossed - I’m already saving up money to see them.
Rock on!
Boston was such great music I was lost in the harmonys not listening to what message may be in the mix. I understand now what brad was trying to say. Its sad that he had to die for me to go back and relearn what I didn't even know was thier. A true Geinus Brad was, always kinda stretching the envolope of life. I feel more then ever the hurt he must of had on how this world was turning out. He was just more aware then I was at the time. He just couldn't go on anymore. Climbed the highest mountian
Thanks for posting. Great early pre- rewrite version of a great song by a great band.
I met Brad Delp and Tom Scholz: After I talked to Tom about his new studio Brad was so happy to tell me about his hope for Tom's new studio and he was so happy to try and do what they had done twice already. That is to create a ground breaking record. When Tom hired another singer, it broke my heart. Also it broke Brad's heart as well....
As you can see, A MAN I'LL NEVER BE!
Brad I miss the hell out of you, I will always love you...
The singer Tom hired was Fran Cosmo. Brad and Fran were extremely close friends.
" A Man I'll Never Be" are Toms words, not Brads
God Blessed Brad Delp🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Amazing to hear this gem unpolished. They must have spent months in the studio to produce the perfection in tone and dynamics that's on the record. Thanks for revealing the raw version!
AMAZING, VOCAL SOLO IS HARDCORE
Amen to that brother.
Thanks Brad.
The Golden Voice still golden even when he was a young man. God gave him that unmistakable voice. ...ya get it, they fine-tuned it a bit, ha,ha.
Tom is totally cranking this fantastic song!!
Amazing
Brad and mercurhy the best singers of all time!
Ferra Gomez Agreed on both
Wow. This was before they recorded it for the studio album. No piano.
This sounds like a version they were doing before landing on the one that was on the album. Structure is different and the solo is much different.
Yes! I would definitely imagine this is an early version prior to Tom's painstaking efforts to complete the song we all know and love for the album "Don't Look Back," originally entitled "The Arrival." This is at least one of two other versions of the song - Long Beach '77 being the other. zero528.wordpress.com/category/eclectic/music/
correct this was before recording Don't Look Back.
a pure classic!!!
Awesome. Good Post. RIP Brad.
Awesome!
78 in Bloomsburg, what a hoot! Brad Delp, you made me love Boston!
I love this version as well as the radio release. Brad Depp was amazing as well as Boston!!!
It's live. What else can I say? Yes, it is in a different key. Brad cannot possibly hit all the high notes live. Big difference doing it live, and doing it in the studio, where they can do it over and over, until it sounds perfect. Still... Boston live? Pretty cool stuff. Brings tears to the eyes. The 1970's were so great, and they are gone...
if i said was on my mind...you turn and walk away...disappear in way back in your dream...good lyric mr. brad...
Fabulous!
Incredible....
the begin is already insane... the rest of music ... he went and killed it and them just shoved into the insanity , Brad Delph wasn´t a normal singer but something unreal, Insane crazy vocal´s man ... don´t exist auto tune in world can reply copycat his voice.... he just an god of vocals.... won´t be had any replacement ... and big and humble dude in show business full of stupid allwholes that think is the big shizzle but in real is nothing, and him aways was humble, gentleful whit all fan´s, missed so much dude...
Man the absolute best...Thank you
Awesome
Sometimes, a live version is a refreshing improvement from the original ... this is a classic example. This piano-less version has much more feeling than the vinyl version.
"A Man I'll Never Be" is a song written by Tom Scholz and first released on Boston's 1978 album Don't Look Back. allmusic.com/album/dont-look-back-mw0000193053
I was in high school then
what a great fn song thanku for posting
I am always surprised when I come here and see posts from just hours ago. Bassmanjoe, there are several songs that never made it to vinyl back then. Not to mention Tom took forever to record and perfect his recordings. He always felt that side two of the Don't Look Back album was of less quality than side one. This song is of course the last song on side one. I can't even imagine the number of hours I have listened to this song. The night he died I listened to this song for two hours.
THIS IS COOL!! I found this interesting once here in San Diego listening to KGB 101 around my high school days (early 80s), on the radio in my Cadillac I think and the announcer at the commercial said..right after 'A Man I'll Never Be'," Your listening to Boston LIVE in Long Beach, California, 1977!! I can't remember if I tripped harder on the fact that the studio version wasn't released yet then...OR...the fact that In 1977, I was 11 living 'next door', in Rancho Palos Verdes!! Oh so close! ;-D
The rigth shot is always in the middle!! First published in LP " Don't Look Back" 1978
All you need is ... Google
Best da d in the 70s
@prowlermadmax
That IS Delp. I sang his stuff for years..I know his voice like the back of my hand. Its just a demo
Fuckin' awesome...
Brad..........
@StephenHardyMusic Yes, please do! Not because I don't believe you, I know you're right, but listening to the rest of Boston at their peak would be great!
"GOOD MEMERIOE"S " THE BEST TIMES IN MY LIFE !!!
Um, no. Ity was definitely not on Third Stage, but WAS on Don't Look back. No shame. Obviously too much "Smokin'" :)
wish I could find my KBFH cd of Boston. . .thanks for sharing
No it isnt...It was recorded earlier than 78 but was released on Don't Look Back 1978..
I would love a powertab of this rendition.
super super super
this is a masterpiece and any musician thats ever played live and recored would know that! The headphone air guitarist may want to stick to the studio versions! Masterpiece 101~
wow!!! even earlier than the Long Beach live recording ( King Biscuit ) .....where is the rest of the concert...please post
Its the boston cleveland 1976 agora ballroom concert. Uploaded by mrjonesy2112
@Treachery93 Keep yelling Boston my friend, and keep going full blast on any and all guitar solos that you feel you should! Good moment indeed!! Long live rock!!
@ JoeDicks1987 They didn't change it up because it had become too redundant. This was recorded in 1976. Two years before it was released on "Don't Look Back" in 1978. They just had not refined it into the song it became by the time it was recorded. I saw Boston three times after it was released and it was played identically to the album version each time.
@prowlermadmax WRONG. Boston live at the Agora Ballroom, 1976. I have this CD. Right before the song was played, they announced that "this song is going to be on our next album". The crowd was getting a demo of it. I mean I can upload the entire concert if you want to prove that this is Boston.
Didn't this song not come out till 78? Great song anyway. Must have been before it came out.
If this was recorded in 1976 then this song was being played BEFORE it came out on their 2nd album. I'm sure the finished version was tweaked some before being put down. Bostons first album was 1976...2nd I believe, without checking, was 1978
@Treachery93 Oh Yea! I blasted this tune so often the tape screwed up and got suck in my 8-track player - I was in tears.
Hey all Boston is puting a new CD out sometime before the new year!!!!!!!!!!!!
It must've been recently written here and the later refined many times over before going on the Don't Look Back album.
Interesting....this song wasn't released until Don't Look Back, 1978, but this is 2 years before?
Not sure if this has anything do with the song not already being written/performable, if you will, but this was released on the Don't Look Back album, which was released in 1978. But, apparently this is a performance from 1976...?
@jrock2264 Yep , Lynyrd Skynyrd played "Freebird" 4 years before it was recorded . BOSTON was trying new songs on the road , like this one . Cool , HUH ?
What media did this tune come from? I would like someone to provide some history behind this great recording. Awesome. Thanks for the reply!
This is the rehearsal song in my opinion of A man Ill never be.I never heard this before in concert before this soo its unheard to me,!! to the debut alblum Dont look bak released in 78.!!Excellent!!
That's not Brad? If as the OP claims this was done in 1976, it was two years before it was released.
Here comes the Sun son. Rhythm sec. got jet lag
Brad.. *weeps* .. . . .
@StephenHardyMusic Deal - and what with your other videos being about The Who (best damn band ever - arguably), can't go wrong.
No they aren't. Tom Scholz is putting out a CD called Boston.
i believe it's from 76 because it's way difrent than the version on the 78 version
KBFH Long Beach is the best one ever. 1977 i believe...
I agree
This song is awesome even if it is clearly still evolving when they played this show.Of course the final version was better.But it's like looking at a pretty girl when she was just 14.Pretty but not like she's going to be in a few years.
Brad. :(