More Than Words - wikipedia More Than Words For other uses, see More Than Words ( disambiguation ). `` More Than Words '' Single by Extreme from the album Pornograffitti Released March 23, 1991 ( 1991 - 03 - 23 ) Format 7 '' 12 '' CD maxi cassette single Recorded Genre Soft rock acoustic rock Length 5 : 33 ( Album version ) 4 : 09 ( Radio edit ) Label A&M Songwriter ( s ) Gary Cherone, Nuno Bettencourt Producer ( s ) Michael Wagener Extreme singles chronology `` Get the Funk Out '' ( 1991 ) `` More Than Words '' ( 1991 ) `` Hole Hearted '' ( 1991 ) `` Get the Funk Out '' ( 1991 ) `` More Than Words '' ( 1991 ) `` Hole Hearted '' ( 1991 ) Music video `` More Than Words '' on YouTube `` More Than Words '' is the fifth track and third single from Extreme 's 1990 LP Pornograffitti. It is a ballad built around acoustic guitar work by Nuno Bettencourt and the vocals of Gary Cherone ( with harmony vocals from Bettencourt ). The song is a detour from the funk metal style that permeates the band 's records. As such, it has often been described as `` a blessing and a curse '' due to its overwhelming success and recognition worldwide, but the band ultimately embraced it and plays it on every show. Contents 1 Content 2 Critical reception 3 Music video 4 Track listings 5 Charts 5.1 Weekly charts 5.2 Year - end charts 5.3 Certifications 5.4 Chart successions 6 Other versions 6.1 Westlife version 6.1. 1 Track listing 6.1. 2 Charts 6.2 Notable covers 6.3 Parodies 7 References 8 External links Content 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. ' '' `` That song gave us the freedom to make the record we really wanted to make when we started recording our third disc, '' Cherone told KNAC. `` It got us doing huge tours all over the states and around the world... As the nineties went on, however, we really started to resent the song. We were tagged ' the More Than Words guys '. We did n't like the perception the song created about the band. I remember being on tour with Aerosmith in Poland... it was on that tour we decided we would not play the song. We just did n't do it. A couple nights into the tour, Steven Tyler writes in big letters on our dressing room door, ' Play the fucking song ! ' His attitude was almost father - like. He was like, ' Look, this is your first time in Poland. When do you think you will be back ? They want to hear it, so play it ! ' '' Critical reception Billboard wrote about the song : `` Tender, sparsely produced rock / love ballad proves that sometimes less really is more. The spotlight here is on the band 's striking vocal harmonies, as well as its shimmering acoustic guitar work. '' Music & Media wrote : `` The follow - up to the wild funk metal single Get The Funk Out is a calming piece of music, aptly produced by Michael Wagener. It shows the band from a totally different angle. And it must be said, they handle this ballad -- already top 30 in the US -- extremely well. '' Music video The song 's music video was filmed in black and white and was produced and directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. 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 Charts On March 23, 1991, `` More Than Words '' entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 81 and soon after reached number one. It also reached number two in the United Kingdom, where the group 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 acoustic ballad, `` Hole Hearted '', which peaked at number four in the United States and number three in Canada. Weekly charts Chart ( 1991 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 13 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) Europe ( Eurochart Hot 100 ) Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista ) 6 France ( SNEP ) 8 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 8 Ireland ( IRMA ) Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) Norway ( VG - lista ) Portugal ( AFP ) Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) UK Singles ( The Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) 12 Year - end charts Chart ( 1991 ) Position Australian Singles Chart 7 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) Dutch Top 40 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 7 Swiss Singles Chart 12 US 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 US Gold May 17, 1991 500,000 Chart successions Preceded by `` I Do n't Wanna Cry '' by Mariah Carey US Billboard Hot 100 number - one single June 8, 1991 Succeeded by `` Rush Rush '' by Paula Abdul Preceded by `` Rhythm of My Heart '' by Rod Stewart Canada RPM 100 number - one single June 8, 1991 -- June 29, 1991 Preceded by `` Are You Ready '' by AC / DC New Zealand RIANZ number - one single July 5, 1991 Succeeded by `` I Wanna Sex You Up '' by Color Me Badd Preceded by `` Gypsy Woman ( She 's Homeless ) '' by Crystal Waters Dutch Top 40 number - one single July 13, 1991 Succeeded by `` Driver 's Seat '' by Sniff ' n ' the Tears Other versions Westlife version `` More Than Words '' Promotional single by Westlife from the album Grandes Exitos and Westlife Released 1999 ; 2002 ( single ) Format 3 '' CD single ( CD3 ) Genre Pop rock, soft rock Length 3 : 53 Label Sony BMG / Lideres Songwriter ( s ) Nuno Bettencourt Gary Cherone Producer ( s ) Steve Mac Irish boyband Westlife covered the song for their 1999 debut - album Westlife and released as promotional single in their Venezuelan only compilation album Grandes Exitos ( 2002 ), peaking at # 3 on the Venezuelan singles chart. The single featured exclusive remixes of three of the group 's biggest hits. Track listing Venezuela `` More Than Words '' `` I Lay My Love on You '' ( Single Remix ) `` World of Our Own '' ( Single Remix ) `` Uptown Girl '' ( Radio Edit ) Charts Chart ( 2002 ) Peak position Venezuelan Singles Chart Notable covers This article appears to contain trivial, minor, or unrelated references to popular culture. Please reorganize this content to explain the subject 's impact on popular culture rather than simply listing appearances ; add references to reliable sources if possible. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( August 2017 ) Italian singer Mina made a cover in duet with her daughter Benedetta Mazzini in 1995. BBMak in 1999 - 2000, on their first album, released in Asia in 1999, and as a B - side in 1999 for the UK `` Back Here '' single. David Cassidy in 2003 for the album A Touch of Blue. Naturally 7 in 2003 a cappella for the album What is It ?. Frankie J in 2005, as the third single from his album The One. mink, 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 Marshall. Ruben Studdard covered the song on his 2009 album, Love Is. Mike Kinsella of Owen has performed covers of the song live, with versions appearing on the Japanese import of I Do Perceive and on The Seaside EP in 2009. Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo covered the song at her show in Rock in Rio IV in September 30, 2011. Performed by Julianne Hough and combined with Heaven by Warrant in the 2012 film Rock of Ages. Soul singer Algebra Blessett covered the song in a duet version with musician Eric Roberson in 2013. Performed by Josefine Frida Pettersen in the Norwegian teen drama Skam. Parodies The video for `` More Than Words '' was parodied by `` Weird Al '' Yankovic for his original song, `` You Do n'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. 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 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 ''. An Indian styled version of the song and video featuring a sitar was parodied by Mike Myers and Manu Narayan in Mike 's 2008 film The Love Guru. ApologetiX parody of the song asserts the Christian proposition that one can not earn salvation with `` More than Works ''. ZDoggMD has performed a parody - PSA version about HPV and HPV vaccination, entitled `` More Than Warts ''. On May 4, 2015, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon covered the song and video with Fallon and Jack Black. References Jump up ^ `` VH1 's 40 Most Softsational Soft - Rock Songs ''. Stereogum. SpinMedia. May 31, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Best Acoustic Rock Song of All Time Poll : `` More Than Words '' Vs. `` Layla ( Unplugged ) '' ``. Guitar World. NewBay Media. July 18, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Billik, Kira L. ( 1991 - 06 - 20 ). `` Extreme : Boston Group Riding the Funk - O - Metal Machine ''. Albany Herald. Retrieved 27 June 2011. Jump up ^ Carr, David ; KNAC.com ; 16 July 2009 Jump up ^ `` Billboard : Single Reviews '' ( PDF ). Billboard magazine ( 1991 - 03 - 23, page 75 ). Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 25. Jump up ^ `` New Releases : Singles '' ( PDF ). Music & Media ( 1991 - 04 - 27, page 11 ). Retrieved 2018 - 02 - 22. Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Extreme -- More Than Words ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Extreme -- More Than Words '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Extreme -- More Than Words '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ Canadian Singles Chart ( 1 ) ( Retrieved September 28, 2008 ) Jump up ^ `` Eurochart Hot 100 Singles '' ( PDF ). Music & Media. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 19. Jump up ^ Pennanen, Timo ( 2006 ). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 ( in Finnish ) ( 1st ed. ). Helsinki : Tammi. ISBN 978 - 951 - 1 - 21053 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Extreme -- More Than Words '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Jump up ^ `` Musicline.de -- Extreme Single - Chartverfolgung '' ( in German ). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Jump up ^ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie ( Retrieved April 7, 2008 ) Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Extreme '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Extreme -- More Than Words '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Extreme -- More Than Words ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Extreme -- More Than Words ''. VG - lista. Jump up ^ `` Top 10 Portugal '' ( PDF ). Music & Media. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 20. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Extreme -- More Than Words ''. Singles Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Extreme -- More Than Words ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com ( Retrieved April 7, 2008 ) Jump up ^ `` Extreme Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Extreme Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Extreme Chart History ( Mainstream Rock ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ 1991 Australian Singles Chart aria.com ( Retrieved August 29, 2008 ) Jump up ^ `` RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991 ''. RPM. Retrieved November 23, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Single top 100 over 1991 '' ( PDF ) ( in Dutch ). Top40. Retrieved 13 April 2010. Jump up ^ `` End of Year Charts 1991 ''. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017. Jump up ^ 1991 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch ( Retrieved August 29, 2008 ) Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 1991 ''. Retrieved 2009 - 09 - 15. Jump up ^ Canada certifications cria.ca Archived 2010 - 05 - 01 at the Wayback Machine. ( Retrieved August 29, 2008 ) Jump up ^ Swedish certifications Ifpi.se Archived 2012 - 05 - 21 at the Wayback Machine. ( Retrieved September 11, 2008 ) Jump up ^ UK certifications Bpi.co.uk ( Retrieved August 29, 2008 ) Jump up ^ US certifications riaa.com Archived 2007 - 06 - 26 at the Wayback Machine. ( Retrieved August 29, 2008 ) ^ Jump up to : `` Westlife - More than Words ( Single ) ''. Retrieved 2014 - 07 - 12. Jump up ^ Banj ( 2016 - 12 - 04 ), Skam, Noora singing ' More than words ', retrieved 2017 - 11 - 03 Jump up ^ `` Jimmy Fallon & Jack Black Recreate `` More Than Words '' Music Video ``. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2016. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Lyrics and Chords to `` More Than Words '' on YouTab Extreme Gary Cherone Nuno Bettencourt Pat Badger Kevin Figueiredo Paul Geary Michael Mangini Paul Mangone Peter Hunt Hal Lebeaux Carl Restivo Studio albums Extreme Pornograffitti III Sides to Every Story Waiting for the Punchline Saudades de Rock EPs Extreme EP Extragraffitti Running Gag Live albums Take Us Alive Compilations The Best of Extreme : An Accidental Collocation of Atoms ? Extreme - The Collection 20th Century Masters : Millennium Collection : The Best of Extreme Singles `` Play with Me '' `` Kid Ego '' `` Decadence Dance '' `` Get the Funk Out '' `` More Than Words '' `` Hole Hearted '' `` Song for Love '' `` Rest in Peace '' `` Stop the World '' `` Tragic Comic '' `` Cynical '' `` Hip Today '' `` Star '' Videography The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 20th Century Masters : The DVD Collection : The Best of Extreme Universal Masters DVD Collection : Extreme Extreme : Videograffiti Take Us Alive : Boston 2009 Related articles Discography Van Halen DramaGods Tribe of Judah Mourning Widows Satellite Party Hurtsmile Super TransAtlantic Van Halen III Michael Wagener Frankie J Studio albums What 's a Man to Do Frankie J The One Un Nuevo Dia Priceless Faith, Hope y Amor Singles `` Do n't Wanna Try '' `` Ya No Es Igual '' `` We Still '' `` Obsession ( No Es Amor ) '' `` How To Deal '' `` More Than Words '' `` The One '' `` Pensando En Ti '' `` That Girl '' `` Daddy 's Little Girl '' `` If He Ca n't Be '' `` Never Let You Down '' `` Pictures '' `` If You Were My Girlfriend '' `` Crush '' Featured singles `` Suga Suga '' `` Run Away '' `` You Are Still Alone '' `` Be Gone '' `` Demasiado Tarde '' `` Los Infieles ( Remix ) '' `` Tell Me '' `` To The Top '' `` Slow It Down '' `` Eres ( Remix ) '' `` Rebound '' Related articles Discography Kumbia Kings Westlife singles Discography Westlife `` Swear It Again '' `` If I Let You Go '' `` Flying Without Wings '' `` I Have a Dream '' / `` Seasons in the Sun '' `` Fool Again '' Coast to Coast `` Against All Odds '' `` My Love '' `` What Makes a Man '' `` I Lay My Love on You '' `` Uptown Girl '' `` When You 're Looking Like That '' World of Our Own `` Queen of My Heart '' `` Evergreen '' `` World of Our Own '' `` Bop Bop Baby '' Unbreakable `` Unbreakable '' `` Tonight / Miss You Nights '' Turnaround `` Hey Whatever '' `` Mandy '' `` Obvious '' Allow Us to Be Frank `` Ai n't That a Kick in the Head '' `` Fly Me To The Moon '' `` Smile '' Face to Face `` You Raise Me Up '' `` When You Tell Me That You Love Me '' `` Amazing '' The Love Album `` The Rose '' `` Total Eclipse of the Heart '' Back Home `` Home '' `` Us Against the World '' `` Something Right '' Where We Are `` What About Now '' Gravity `` Safe '' Greatest Hits `` Lighthouse '' `` Beautiful World '' Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=More_Than_Words&oldid=835826186 '' Categories : 1990 songs 1991 singles 2002 singles 1990s ballads Extreme ( band ) songs Frankie J songs American soft rock songs Songs written by Nuno Bettencourt Songs written by Gary Cherone Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Dutch Top 40 number - one singles Number - one singles in New Zealand RPM Top Singles number - one singles Music videos directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris Black - and - white music videos A&M Records singles Sony BMG singles Rock ballads Westlife songs Hidden categories : CS1 Finnish - language sources ( fi ) CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) Webarchive template wayback links Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Germany Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Swiss Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Singlechart usages for Billboardmainstreamrock Articles with trivia sections from August 2017 Talk More Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Italiano Kiswahili Português Svenska Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 11 April 2018, at 00 : 44. 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Question: when did the song more than words come out
Answer: 1990