More Than Words
Encyclopedia
"More Than Words" is a ballad
written and originally performed by the rock band Extreme
. It is built around acoustic guitar work by Nuno Bettencourt
and the vocals of Gary Cherone
(with harmony vocals from Bettencourt). Released in 1990 on the album Extreme II: Pornograffiti, the song marked a departure from the funk metal
that had permeated the band's style previous to its release. It was said by Zuzzette Quintanilla to be the favorite song of late Tejano superstar Selena
. The song was described by Bettencourt as a song warning that the phrase "I love you" was becoming meaningless: "People use it so easily and so lightly that they think you can say that and fix everything, or you can say that and everything's OK. Sometimes you have to do more and you have to show it - there's other ways to say 'I love you.'"
for his original song, "You Don't Love Me Anymore
". The comedic duo Paul and Storm
produced an original pastiche of the song entitled "More Than Two" on their album Gumbo Pants. Also, Amateur Transplants
wrote a comedic song to the same tune as "More Than Words" entitled "Northern Birds", which was released on their 2006 album "We Are So Bad". The video was also parodied by Jason Segel
and the cast of How I Met Your Mother
in an online tie-in music video on the episode "The Sexless Innkeeper".
at number 81 and soon after reached number one. It also reached number two in the United Kingdom
, where the group had had success before its American breakthrough. Though they had made a few European charts before, this brought the band to their first mainstream success in the United States.
Extreme followed "More Than Words" with another power ballad, "Hole Hearted
", which was slightly faster paced than "More Than Words", but nevertheless topped at number four in the United States and number three in Canada.
s include:
7" single
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
written and originally performed by the rock band Extreme
Extreme (band)
Extreme is an American rock band, headed by frontmen Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt, that reached the height of their popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Among some of Extreme's musical influences are Queen and Van Halen...
. It is built around acoustic guitar work by Nuno Bettencourt
Nuno Bettencourt
Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt is a Portuguese guitarist and singer-songwriter best known for his role as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme whose hits include the acoustic ballads "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted"...
and the vocals of Gary Cherone
Gary Cherone
Gary Francis Caine Cherone is an American rock singer-songwriter. He is best known for his work with the rock group Extreme, as well as his short stint as the lead singer for Van Halen on their 11th album Van Halen III and subsequent tour. In recent years he has released solo recordings. In 2007,...
(with harmony vocals from Bettencourt). Released in 1990 on the album Extreme II: Pornograffiti, the song marked a departure from the funk metal
Funk metal
Funk metal is a subgenre of funk rock that fuses elements of heavy metal and funk. Allmusic has claimed that "funk metal evolved in the mid-'80s when alternative bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Mordred and Fishbone began playing the hybrid with a stronger...
that had permeated the band's style previous to its release. It was said by Zuzzette Quintanilla to be the favorite song of late Tejano superstar Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
. The song was described by Bettencourt as a song warning that the phrase "I love you" was becoming meaningless: "People use it so easily and so lightly that they think you can say that and fix everything, or you can say that and everything's OK. Sometimes you have to do more and you have to show it - there's other ways to say 'I love you.'"
Parodies
The video for "More Than Words" was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
for his original song, "You Don't Love Me Anymore
You Don't Love Me Anymore
-Cassette single:The following tracks are on the commercial cassette single:# "You Don't Love Me Anymore" – 4:01# "I Was Only Kidding" – 3:31The promo CD single only contains "You Don't Love Me Anymore".-Lyrics:...
". The comedic duo Paul and Storm
Paul and Storm
Paul and Storm are an Arlington, Virginia-based comedic musical duo consisting of Paul Sabourin and Greg "Storm" DiCostanzo. They had formerly been members of the a cappella group Da Vinci’s Notebook....
produced an original pastiche of the song entitled "More Than Two" on their album Gumbo Pants. Also, Amateur Transplants
Amateur Transplants
Amateur Transplants are a London based, British parody musical duo consisting of medical professionals, Dr. Adam Kay and Dr. Suman Biswas , who came to prominence in 2005 with a song about the London Underground, parodying the Jam song "Going Underground"...
wrote a comedic song to the same tune as "More Than Words" entitled "Northern Birds", which was released on their 2006 album "We Are So Bad". The video was also parodied by Jason Segel
Jason Segel
Jason Jordan Segel is an American television and film actor, screenwriter, composer, puppeteer and musician, known for his work with producer Judd Apatow on the short-lived television series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, the films Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, I Love You, Man,...
and the cast of How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
in an online tie-in music video on the episode "The Sexless Innkeeper".
Chart performances
On March 23, 1991, "More Than Words" entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at number 81 and soon after reached number one. It also reached number two in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where the group had had success before its American breakthrough. Though they had made a few European charts before, this brought the band to their first mainstream success in the United States.
Extreme followed "More Than Words" with another power ballad, "Hole Hearted
Hole Hearted
"Hole Hearted" is a folk rock song by American group Extreme. The song was released as the 4th single from their successful Pornograffitti album in 1991 and reached #4 on the Billboard Top 100...
", which was slightly faster paced than "More Than Words", but nevertheless topped at number four in the United States and number three in Canada.
Cover versions
Cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s include:
- Flip Da Scrip in 1997 sampled the song in their 1997 single I Never Told You.
- BBMakBBMakBBMak were an English pop group consisting of Mark Barry, Christian Burns and Stephen McNally. Together they sold nearly three million albums and spawned two Top 10 and Top 40 singles worldwide between 1999 when the group was formed and 2003 when they eventually disbanded...
in 1999-2000, on their first debut album, released in Asia in 1999, and as a b-side in 1999 for the UK "Back Here" single. - WestlifeWestlifeWestlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
in 1999, on their first album, WestlifeWestlife (album)Westlife is the Irish boyband Westlife's debut studio album. It was released on 1 November 1999 in the UK, and contains five singles - "Swear It Again", "If I Let You Go", "Flying Without Wings", the double A-side "I Have a Dream" / "Seasons in the Sun" and "Fool Again", all of which peaked at #1...
. - David CassidyDavid CassidyDavid Bruce Cassidy is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as the character of Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family. He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and...
in 2003 for the album A Touch of Blue. - Naturally 7Naturally 7Naturally 7 is an American music group with a distinct a cappella style they call "Vocal Play". They sing primarily R&B with extensive beat-boxing. Band members are Garfield Buckley, Rod Eldridge, Warren Thomas, Napoleon Cummings, Roger "N'glish" Thomas, Dwight Stewart, and Armand "Hops" Hutton....
in 2003 a cappella for the album What is It?. - OwenOwen (band)Owen is a solo project of Mike Kinsella, and part of the Chicago indie scene.Kinsella is one of the dominant and influential figures in the Chicago indie scene, having also led the band American Football, and played in the bands Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc and Owls .Owen is known for its soft melodies,...
in 2004, as a Japanese bonus track on his album I Do PerceiveI Do PerceiveI Do Perceive is the fourth album by the Chicago artist Mike Kinsella under the name Owen. It was released on November 9, 2004 on Polyvinyl Records.-Track listing:#"Who Found Whose Hair In Whose Bed" – 4:39#"Note To Self:" – 6:15...
. - Frankie JFrankie JFrancisco Javier Bautista, Jr. , better known by his stage name Frankie J, is a Mexican singer and former member of the musical group Kumbia Kings....
in 2005, as the third single from his album The OneThe One (Frankie J album)The One is the third studio album by Frankie J. It was released on March 22, 2005 and debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 with over 130,000 copies sold in its first week released and was certified platinum by the RIAA for shipping over a million copies...
. - minkMink (singer)mink is a female Korean pop singer active in Japan. Upon traveling to Japan in her early teens to continue her education, she was discovered after she submitted a demo to Avex Trax, one of Japan’s leading J-pop labels...
, a Japanese-Korean singer, did a bossa nova version on her first album "mink ~prologue~". - Aloha Sex Juice performed in Hawaiian in the 2008 film Forgetting Sarah MarshallForgetting Sarah MarshallForgetting Sarah Marshall is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Russell Brand...
. - "The Gang" from It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaIt's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
sang the last verse in a capella while taking shots in their South Philly bar in the season two episode, "The Gang Goes Jihad" - Ruben StuddardRuben StuddardChristopher Theodore Ruben Studdard , best known as Ruben Studdard, is an American R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol...
covered the song on his 2009 album, Love IsLove Is (Ruben Studdard album)Love Is is the fourth album by R&B-pop artist and American Idol winner Ruben Studdard that was released on May 19, 2009. The album debuted and peaked at #36 in the Billboard 200, with 15,000 copies sold in its first week of release. It featured production from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and...
. - Mike KinsellaMike KinsellaMike Kinsella is one of three musicians in his family involved in many Illinois-based bands . He was first recognized in the music scene in Cap'n Jazz formed by his brother Tim in 1989 while at the age of 12...
of OwenOwen (band)Owen is a solo project of Mike Kinsella, and part of the Chicago indie scene.Kinsella is one of the dominant and influential figures in the Chicago indie scene, having also led the band American Football, and played in the bands Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc and Owls .Owen is known for its soft melodies,...
has performed covers of the song live, with versions appearing on the Japanese import of I do perceiveI Do PerceiveI Do Perceive is the fourth album by the Chicago artist Mike Kinsella under the name Owen. It was released on November 9, 2004 on Polyvinyl Records.-Track listing:#"Who Found Whose Hair In Whose Bed" – 4:39#"Note To Self:" – 6:15...
and on The Seaside EPThe Seaside EPThe Seaside EP is a rarities release by Chicago artist Owen. It was released on July 7, 2009 by Polyvinyl Records digitally and as a CD . The album was said to ship on June 26, 2009, but was sent out a week earlier as Polyvinyl received them. The EP's cover art was designed by UK illustrator David...
in 20092009 in musicThe following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
. - Mike Myers performs the song along with Manu NarayanManu NarayanManu Narayan is an American actor. He has been hailed as a "promising young star...a compelling actor and outstanding singer who can light up a stage with sheer force of personality." Manu has starred on Broadway, and co-stars as Rajneesh alongside Mike Myers in the Paramount Pictures' Film The...
in the film The Love GuruThe Love GuruThe Love Guru is a 2008 comedy film, directed by Marco Schnabel and starring Mike Myers and Jessica Alba along with Romany Malco and Justin Timberlake. In addition to starring in the film, Myers wrote The Love Guru with Graham Gordy and produced it with Gary Barber. The film was released by...
, in a version featuring a sitar. - Amateur TransplantsAmateur TransplantsAmateur Transplants are a London based, British parody musical duo consisting of medical professionals, Dr. Adam Kay and Dr. Suman Biswas , who came to prominence in 2005 with a song about the London Underground, parodying the Jam song "Going Underground"...
recorded a parody of the song, entitled Northern Birds. - Tony LuccaTony LuccaTony Lucca , is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and sometime actor. He is perhaps best known for starting his career on the Mickey Mouse Club. After the Mickey Mouse Club, Lucca went to LA for a brief career as an actor, then became a full-time musician, releasing over seven studio albums...
and JC Chasez in 1991, performed the song on the Mickey Mouse ClubMickey Mouse ClubThe Mickey Mouse Club is an American variety television show that began in 1955, produced by Walt Disney Productions and televised by the ABC, featuring a regular but ever-changing cast of teenage performers. The Mickey Mouse Club was created by Walt Disney...
. - Walters & Kazha performed it in 2005 as a live performance.
- SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n singer and participant of realityReality televisionReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
/talent showTalent showA talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
Operacija trijumfOperacija trijumfOperacija Trijumf is a regional music talent TV reality show filmed in Belgrade, Serbia, aired in the region of former Yugoslavia. It is a local version of Star Academy reality series that was developed and is licensed worldwide by Endemol...
, Vukašin BrajićVukašin BrajicVukašin Brajić is a Bosnian pop-rock singer who rose to fame after participating in the first season of the music show Fame Academy 2008/2009, in which he won the second place...
, has sung this song twice at the show's gala evenings. - Varsity FanclubVarsity FanclubVarsity Fanclub is a boy band from Los Angeles, California. Varsity Fanclub currently consists of David Lei Brandt, Drew Ryan Scott, Jayk Purdy, and T.C. Carter....
posted a cover on their YouTube channel - Brazilian singer Ivete SangaloIvete SangaloIvete Maria Dias de Sangalo is a Latin Grammy Award-winning Brazilian Axé and MPB singer, songwriter, and occasional actress and television show host...
covered the song at her show in Rock in RioRock in RioRock in Rio is a series of music festivals held in three cities: Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Lisbon in Portugal and Madrid in Spain.Four incarnations of the festival were in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, 2001 and 2011, four in Lisbon, in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, and two in Madrid in 2008 and 2010....
IV in September 30, 2011.
Track listings
CD maxi- "More Than Words" — 5:33
- "Kid Ego" — 4:04
- "Nice Place to Visit" — 3:16
7" single
- "More Than Words (Remix)" — 3:43
- "Nice Place to Visit" — 3:16
Peak positions
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 2 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 13 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 8 |
| German Singles Chart | 8 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
2 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
2 |
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Recurrents | 20 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1991) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
3 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 7 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Platinum | December 19, 1991 | 100,000 |
| Sweden | Gold | November 21, 1991 | 10,000 |
| UK | Silver | August 1, 1991 | 200,000 |
| U.S. | Gold | May 17, 1991 | 500,000 |