They both wrote the song, which was produced by Michael Wagener and represented a departure from the band's usual funk metal style.

It was a number-one hit in the United States, where it was certified gold, as well as in Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

A couple nights into the tour, Steven Tyler writes in big letters on our dressing room door, 'Play the fucking song!'

'"[8] AllMusic editor William Ruhlmann noted that on the song, the band pursued "acoustic balladry".

"[12] Diane Cardwell from Entertainment Weekly called it "a simple, almost folkie ballad using just two voices and a single acoustic guitar.

"[13] Kirsten Frickle from El Paisano described it as an "all-acoustic ballad that is so beautiful it will make your hair stand on end".

[18] A reviewer from Sandwell Evening Mail wrote, "If ever a song could be unrepresentative of a band's output, Extreme's worldwide smash hit ballad "More Than Words" is it.

[20] Tom Nordlie from Spin viewed it as "a love ballad that sounds like the Everly Brothers or early Beatles."

He added, "Singer Gary Cherone harmonizes with himself as guitar-friend Nuno Bettencourt strums clean, jazzy chord accompaniment, and that's it.

Nuno and Gary are then seen performing the song, while the other band members are shown in front of them, holding up their lighters.

In the video's music rendition, the song ends abruptly before Nuno's final solo and coda.