# Foreplay/Long Time

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Foreplay/Long_Time
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Foreplay/Long_Time.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreplay%2FLong_Time
> Source revision: 1356280066
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

For other songs, see [Long Time (disambiguation)](/source/Long_Time_(disambiguation)).

"**Foreplay**"/"**Long Time**" is a [suite](/source/Suite_(music)) by the American [rock](/source/Rock_music) band [Boston](/source/Boston_(band)), written by [Tom Scholz](/source/Tom_Scholz). It appears on their 1976 debut album [*Boston*](/source/Boston_(album)), and "Long Time" is their second [single](/source/Single_(music)) for [Epic Records](/source/Epic_Records). The song combines an [instrumental](/source/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](/source/Billboard_Hot_100) the week ending March 5, 1977.[1] It reached the Top 10 in Canada, peaking at No. 9.[2] The standalone "Foreplay" was released as the B-side of Boston's next single "[Peace of Mind](/source/Peace_of_Mind_(Boston_song))", which was released in April.[3]

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](/source/Multitrack_recording) in his basement.[4] Scholz also stated that it was the first piece of music he ever wrote, and that he wrote it as far back as 1969.[5][6][7]

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](/source/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](/source/Electric_guitar) on "Foreplay", processed through a [space pedal effect](/source/Effects_unit), and acoustic [rhythm guitars](/source/Rhythm_guitar) on "Long Time".[8] The three electric guitar solos on "Long Time" are played by [Barry Goudreau](/source/Barry_Goudreau).[7]

## Reception

*[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)* described "Foreplay"/"Long Time" as "a perfect marriage of [Led Zeppelin](/source/Led_Zeppelin) and [Yes](/source/Yes_(band)) that plays musical chairs with electric and acoustic sounds."[9] *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)* critic [Robert Hilburn](/source/Robert_Hilburn) said that "Foreplay" is an effective "Yes/[ELP](/source/Emerson,_Lake_%26_Palmer) keyboard exploration."[10] *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* said it had similar catchiness to its predecessor Boston single "[More Than a Feeling](/source/More_Than_a_Feeling)" due to its "spacey electronic fills and soaring, full bodied vocal [harmonies](/source/Harmony)."[11] *[Cash Box](/source/Cash_Box)* said the single "cuts out the long keyboard instrumental while leaving the meat of the song intact" and "builds through a series of hand-clapping interludes, first on acoustic, then on electric guitar."[12] *Classic Rock* critic Paul Elliott rated it as Boston's 6th greatest song and noted that another critic had described the song as "a perfect marriage of [Yes](/source/Yes_(band)) and [Led Zeppelin](/source/Led_Zeppelin)."[13] *Classic Rock History* critic Brian Kachejian rated it as Boston's 3rd best song.[14]

## Personnel

### "Foreplay"

- [Tom Scholz](/source/Tom_Scholz) – organ, clavinet, lead guitar including "top secret space pedal effects"[8]
- [Sib Hashian](/source/Sib_Hashian) – drums
- [Barry Goudreau](/source/Barry_Goudreau) – rhythm guitar
- [Fran Sheehan](/source/Fran_Sheehan) – bass guitar

### "Long Time"

- [Tom Scholz](/source/Tom_Scholz) – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, organ, clavinet
- [Brad Delp](/source/Brad_Delp) – vocals
- [Sib Hashian](/source/Sib_Hashian) – drums
- [Barry Goudreau](/source/Barry_Goudreau) – lead and rhythm guitars

## Cover versions

- [Rascal Flatts](/source/Rascal_Flatts) played a cover version of "Foreplay/Long Time" in concert, which was released on the album *Rascal Flatts LIVE*.[15][16]
- [Phish](/source/Phish) celebrated their concert July 12, 1999 at [Great Woods](/source/Great_Woods) in [Mansfield](/source/Mansfield,_Massachusetts), [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts), by opening with "Foreplay/Long Time". They had covered a bluegrass arrangement earlier in their careers, but this was the first time they played the full electric version that is heard on the album.[16][17]

## Charts

### Weekly charts

Chart (1977) Peak position US Cash Box Top 100[18] 4

### Year-end charts

Chart (1977) Position Canada[19] 95 US Cash Box Top 100[20] 99

## References

1. Rock Movers & Shakers by Dafydd Rees & Luke Crampton, 1991 Billboard Books.

1. ["Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada"](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). *Collectionscanada.gc.ca*. Archived from [the original](http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5274a&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=hc8sku924chcd9se0jteeo4iv3) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.

1. ["Peace of Mind"](http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Boston&titel=Peace+Of+Mind&cat=s). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2012.

1. ["Boston History"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120601000627/http://www.bandboston.com/html/history_html.html). Boston. Archived from [the original](http://www.bandboston.com/html/history_html.html) on June 1, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2012.

1. ["Boston Musicians: Tom Scholz"](http://bandboston.com/?page_id=310). Boston. Retrieved May 16, 2017.

1. Koziowski, J. (January 1, 1977). ["Boston: Of Basements, Beer and Bread"](http://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/articles/newspaper-and-magazine-articles/354-boston-of-basements-beer-and-bread). Retrieved June 13, 2012.

1. Crowe, C. (August 10, 1978). "Boston: The Band from the Platinum Basement". *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)*. pp. 37–42.

1. *Boston* (CD credits). Sony BMG. 2016.

1. Nicholson, K. (October 7, 1976). ["Boston"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070317231314/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/boston/albums/album/300997/review/6068063/boston). *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)*. Archived from [the original](https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/boston/albums/album/300997/review/6068063/boston) on March 17, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2012.

1. Hilburn, Robert (September 28, 1976). ["Debuts: Discs with a Difference"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115786285/the-los-angeles-times/). *Los Angeles Times*. p. 52. Retrieved January 4, 2023. – via newspapers.com.

1. ["Top Single Picks"](https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1977/Billboard%201977-01-22.pdf). *Billboard Magazine*. January 22, 1977. p. 114. Retrieved June 12, 2020.

1. ["CashBox Singles Reviews"](https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-01-22.pdf). *Cash Box*. January 22, 1977. p. 24. Retrieved December 26, 2021.

1. Elliott, Paul (March 10, 2016). ["The 10 Greatest Boston Songs Ever"](https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-10-greatest-boston-songs-ever). *Classic Rock*. Louder Sound. Retrieved June 17, 2022.

1. Kachejian, Brian (May 23, 2018). ["Top 10 Boston Songs"](https://www.classicrockhistory.com/top-10-boston-songs/). Classic Rock History. Retrieved January 20, 2023.

1. [\[1\]](http://www.rascalflatts.com/site.php?em1324=54021_-1__0_~0_-1_9_2008_0_0&content=music)[dead link]

1. Craig, Bill (February 18, 2017). ["Top 10 best Boston songs"](https://www.axs.com/top-10-best-boston-songs-114847). AXS. Retrieved May 3, 2017.

1. ["Jul 12, 1999 Setlist - Phish.net"](https://phish.net/setlists/phish-july-12-1999-tweeter-center-mansfield-ma-usa.html). *phish.net*. Retrieved 2024-10-22.

1. ["Top 100 1976-12-04"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130305120226/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19761204.html). *[Cashbox Magazine](/source/Cashbox_(magazine))*. Archived from [the original](http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19761204.html) on March 5, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2015.

1. ["Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305034921/http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?file_num=nlc008388.5502a&brws_s=&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=hc8sku924chcd9se0jteeo4iv3). *Collectionscanada.gc.ca*. Archived from [the original](http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?file_num=nlc008388.5502a&brws_s=&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=hc8sku924chcd9se0jteeo4iv3) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.

1. ["Top 100 Year End Charts: 1977"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101213214301/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/1977YESP.html). *[Cashbox Magazine](/source/Cashbox_(magazine))*. Archived from [the original](http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/1977YESP.html) on December 13, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2016.

## External links

- ["Foreplay"/"Long Time"](https://www.youtube.com/TnwqUEelQjE) on YouTube

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Foreplay/Long Time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreplay%2FLong_Time) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreplay%2FLong_Time?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.