B-side "Foreplay" Format 7-inch vinyl | Released April 1977 Genre Hard rock | |
Recorded October 1975 – April 1976 at Foxglove Studios in Watertown, Massachusetts • Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California • The Record Plant in Los Angeles, California (album version)/
April 1976 (single version) Length 5:02 (album version)
3:38 (single version)
5:31 (full version) | ||
"Peace of Mind" is a song written by Tom Scholz and originally released by Boston on their debut 1976 self-titled album. It was released the next year as the third and final single from the album and peaked at number 38 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1977, as well as number 33 on the Cash Box Top 100.
Contents
The song is about the people Scholz worked with at Polaroid Corporation before getting his recording contract, and about Scholz's lack of interest in climbing the corporate ladder into company management. It is one of six songs Scholz worked on in his basement in 1974 and 1975 before Boston got its record contract, five of which eventually appeared on the Boston album. The demo was specifically finished in 1974. The drum parts were originally developed by Jim Masdea, although Sib Hashian played the drums on the official release. According to Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci, the demo version was "fully formed" and so the album version didn't change much except for "[amping] up the guitars and production."
Rolling Stone Album Guide critic Paul Evans called "Peace of Mind" a "satisfying, if similar, followup" to "More Than a Feeling". Gallucci rated it Boston's 5th greatest song, particularly praising the "fuzzy guitar riff" and noting that it has remained a classic rock radio staple.