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Song Stories

“That's When I Reach for My Revolver”

Mission of Burma | 1980

A popular track from the landmark Signals, Calls and Marches EP, this Clint Conley song highlighted the Boston postpunk band's poppier side. The song's title alludes to an essay by author Henry Miller, which in turn makes reference to an infamous line from the pro-Hitler 1933 play Schlageter, by playwright Hanns Johst, a member of the Nazi Party. "I wasn’t too happy to hear about that because I don't want to be linked to that sort of thing," Conley later said of the Nazi reference. "But it was a phrase, it had power, I had this riff." The song also features a rare example of bass solo in a studio-recorded rock song.

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Song Stories

“More Than a Feeling”

Boston | 1976

Boston mastermind Tom Scholz was as surprised by anyone when he sent his unsolicited demo to record labels and got back a positive response. Scholz said, “I couldn’t believe it. Nobody knew who we were, so I wouldn’t even say we were struggling. It was groveling.” Part of the credit for the interest must go to the anthemic rock number "More Than a Feeling." Inspired by the Left Banke's 1966 hit "Walk Away Renee," Scholz worked on the song for five years in his basement studio before it was released on this album.

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