The Way You Look Tonight

Album: Life, Love & Hope (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Following the death of vocalist Brad Delp in March 2007, Boston leader Tom Scholz was forced to use several different singers for Life, Love & Hope. He told Ultimate Classic Rock: "Sometimes I'll have an idea of a voice I think might work and then it doesn't! The last cut on the album, 'The Way You Look Tonight,' I tried four different singers — I mean, complete recordings [that were] edited — the whole thing, before I found the right one, which ended up being Tommy DeCarlo who was the last one I tried."
  • Tommy DeCarlo began making covers of Boston songs when he was a teenage fan. In 2007 he wrote a tribute song to Delp after he committed suicide and posted it on his Myspace page. Scholz got to hear it and approached him to be one of the singers at the Brad Delp Tribute Concert. DeCarlo was later hired as a permanent member and ended up contributing vocals to four Life, Love & Hope tracks. Scholz told Ultimate Classic Rock: "When I write a song and come up with an arrangement and a vocal part, it's always a challenge trying to find a singer who can interpret it sort of the way that I hear it, and it's a very difficult thing to do. I mean, singing is like playing an instrument — everybody does it a little bit different — singing maybe even more so. So it's a challenge, but all of these people that you mentioned are very talented and I've been very, very lucky in that department. Tommy DeCarlo stepped up — he wasn't just an unknown, he'd never even been in a band before. He was a regular guy with a regular job and a family man with kids. He just turned into the ultimate professional singer. He just comes into the studio and he nails the parts in Boston. I'm very lucky."
  • If the song title sounds familiar to you, you're most likely thinking of Fred Astaire's standard of the same name.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jonathan Cain of Journey

Jonathan Cain of JourneySongwriter Interviews

Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."

Jimmy Webb

Jimmy WebbSongwriter Interviews

Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

History Of Rock

History Of RockSong Writing

An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.