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Walk On is the fourth studio album by American hard rock band Boston, released on June 7, 1994 by MCA Records.[1] It is the first album not to feature vocalist Brad Delp, though he did assist in the writing. Vocal duties were handled by Fran Cosmo, making this his first appearance on a Boston album. Delp and Cosmo shared leads during the album's supporting tour and the album’s follow-up Corporate America.

Walk On
Studio album by Boston
Released	June 7, 1994 (1994-06-07)
Recorded	November 1990 – December 1993
Genre	Hard rock
Length	44:24
Label	MCA
Producer	Tom Scholz
Boston chronology
Third Stage (1986) Walk On (1994) Greatest Hits (1997)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	C+[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]

History

After the success of their 1986 album Third Stage, the band began planning a follow-up and writing for Walk On, which began in 1988. However, due to the increased friction and disagreements between guitarist/bandleader Tom Scholz and singer Brad Delp, the latter left the band in 1989 to join original Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau in forming a new band, named RTZ. Soon after, Fran Cosmo was hired and introduced as the new lead singer. Cosmo had previously worked with Goudreau in the band Orion the Hunter, so effectively Scholz and Goudreau swapped lead singers.

Delp returned to Boston to assist in the songwriting, and shared lead vocals on the subsequent Walk On Tour, though he did not sing on the album. Delp and Cosmo also shared leads on Boston's next album Corporate America.

After its release, Walk On peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and yielded the hit "I Need Your Love." It was certified platinum by the RIAA on September 8, 1994.[4][5]

The final eight pages of the album's booklet were titled "Walk On — Against Violence and Cruelty", and dedicated to preventing domestic abuse and animal cruelty, providing contact information of numerous organizations, including the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Humane Society. It was noted that Delp himself was a contributor to these causes.

Classic Rock critic Paul Elliott rated "Livin' for You" as Boston's 3rd greatest song of all time and as Boston's greatest ballad.[6]

Track listing

• Tracks 4, 5, 6 and 7 are all part of one long song ("Walk On Medley"), but were indexed separately on the CD.
• On the LP release, "Get Organ-ized" was split across the two sides of the record, with the portion on Side Two named "Get Reorgan-ized".
• "Magdalene" was originally written by the Pennsylvania band Hybrid Ice.
• A live version of track 3, "Livin for You", was included on the band's next album, Corporate America.

Personnel

Boston

• Fran Cosmo – lead vocals
• Tom Scholz – Yamaha CP-70 electric grand piano, organs, clavinet, keyboard strings, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass (1, 2, 8, 9, 10) drums (1, 8), handclaps, various effects, subsonic bass vocals, narratives
• Gary Pihl – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, handclaps, various effects
• David Sikes – bass (3, 5, 6, 7) backing vocals
• Doug Huffman – drums (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)

Additional Personnel

• Bob Cedro – rhythm guitar (10), handclaps
• Matt Belyea – handclaps
• Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals
• Michael Shotten – harmony vocals (1, 5)

Production

• Tom Scholz – producer, engineer, arrangements
• Gary Pihl – associate producer, assistant engineer
• David Sikes – associate producer, assistant engineer
• Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
• Vartan Kurjian – art direction
• Ron Larson – design, back cover illustrations
• Andy Engel – cover art concept
• Michael Bryan – cover illustrations

Charts

Chart (1986)	Peak position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7]	10
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8]	25
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[9]	40
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[10]	9
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11]	16
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[12]	16
UK Albums (OCC)[13]	56
US Billboard 200[14]	7

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1994	"I Need Your Love"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	4
1994	"I Need Your Love"	The Billboard Hot 100	51
1994	"I Need Your Love"	Top 40 Mainstream	35
1994	"Walk On Medley: Walk On"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	14

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[15]	Platinum	100,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[16]	Gold	100,000^
United States (RIAA)[17]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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