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| Tom Hamilton-Bass, Brad Whitford-Guitar, Steven Tyler-Vocals, Joe Perry-Guitar, Joey Kramer-Drums in 1973ish |
Over the last month I have started three different articles and have not been able to maintain the motivation to finish any of them. Earlier this week when I was looking for something to play while I gave Max a ride to school I found my Aerosmith playlist and the idea popped loudly in my head ... now is the time to do the Aerosmith write-up!
The first time I heard Dream On by Aerosmith I was probably 14ish, so around 1991. At that point the only Aerosmith I knew was from my Permanent Vacation and Pump casettes, so I initially thought someone other than Steven Tyler sang Dream On. Not only did the vocal sound different but everything else did, also. WHO WAS THIS AEROSMITH?! That discovery started me on a decades-long journey of digging into all of the 70's Aerosmith albums. Once the internet made bands discographies much more available I found many songs that I had never heard before... hidden on these albums. Now I own all five of Aerosmith's first albums in my vinyl collection, and NO, you can't borrow them! Allow me to share some of my favorite 70s Aerosmith songs with you, if you don't mind, good sir. ALLOW ME, I SAID. LET ME LIVE!....ok ok, lets go.
Song: Dream On
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Aerosmith
Year: 1973
Song: Make It
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Aerosmith
Year: 1973
First song from the first album. They were hoping to Make It. 52 years later I think they can safely say they met their goal. Love the ascending chorus on this one, also the instrumental break around the 1:40 mark.
Song: One Way Street
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Aerosmith
Year: 1973
This one has a laid back feel and some chill harmonica playing by Steven Tyler. One thing to notice is how different these first three songs sound from each other. Dream On, Make It, One Way Street. Lots of variety. This one has some piano as well. "You know what I'm talkin about baby!" Yes I do, Steven.... yes I do. And I am glad to hear your brother Spike is on the level. This is also the song with the lyric "don't say I copped a 'tude". I always thought that was 80's slang. Steven Tyler is always one step ahead.
Song: Mama Kin
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Aerosmith
Year: 1973
"You act like a perpetual drag. Sleepin late and smokin' tea. The way I see it, you got to say shit." Another fairly well-known classic Aerosmith song. The first time I heard it was the cover version on Guns N Roses Lies album.
Song: Mama Kin
Artist: Guns N Roses
Album: GnR Lies
Year: 1988
Pretty true to the original except, in true Axl fashion, the song starts with the announcement "This is a song about your fucking mother."
Song: Write Me A Letter
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Aerosmith
Year: 1973
I love the way it starts with just drums and some background chatter and Steven's "UGH", then comes guitar, then bass, then second guitar. This one really embodies the rawness that I love about Aerosmith's debut album.
Song: Movin Out
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Aerosmith
Year: 1973
In the early 2000's during the 'file sharing' period of the internets, I discovered this song and it kinda blew my mind. Being accustomed to the slick and shiny late 80's Aerosmith, this sounded so unpolished and creative. I picture the band sitting around outside their house with their instruments singing about moving out. "We all live on the edge of town, where we all live ain't a soul around, people start comin' all we do is just grin said we gotta move out cause the city's movin in." Still one of my favorite all-time songs from the band.
Song: Walkin The Dog
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Aerosmith
Year: 1973
Is that a FLUTE?! Hey, I'm not complaining... Jethro Tull is one of my favorites. According to the internets Steven Tyler played the flute for the recording. The original Walkin The Dog was done by Rufus Thomas in 1963. I've never heard it and don't think I need to. It can't compare to the Aerosmith version!
Song: Same Ol Song And Dance
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Get Your Wings
Year: 1974
This was one of the songs on the Greatest Hits compact disk that I got in the 90's. My first exposure to many of their 70's hits was from that CD (originally released in 1980). I love the guitar solo on this one. Get Your Wings has a more professional sound than the debut and, to me, is the 'standard' Aerosmith sound.... at least for their 70s work.
Song: Lord Of The Thighs
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Get Your Wings
Year: 1974
"Well well lordie my God what do we got here.... heh heh." This is another song that just gets me into a groove. Not intense but also not boring. Like a trip down the lazy river.
Song: Train Kept A Rollin
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Get Your Wings
Year: 1974
Train Kept A Rollin had been recorded several times before Aerosmith did it for Get Your Wings. (Song History per Wikipedia HERE. ) But it is Aerosmith's version that is most well-known and still played on classic rock stations to this day. "She was purty... from New York City". Feels like the song was just waiting for Steven Tyler and the gang to do it.
Song: Adam's Apple
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Toys In The Attic
Year: 1975
I really dig the 'bendy thing' on the main riff. I read thru the lyrics for the first time ever preparing for this post and it appears to be a straight-up song about Adam and Eve and the apple of temptation. 🤔 visual representation of thoughts being provoked.
Song: Walk This Way
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Toys In The Attic
Year: 1975
This song is one of a kind. Steven Tyler's delivery is like sing-song rap on the verses but please don't miss the guitar work going on underneath... so good. Aerosmith re-recorded this song in 1986 with Run DMC for their Raising Hell album. Many documentaries credit this collaboration for bringing Aerosmith back from the dead after dramatically falling off in popularity in late 70s/early 80s. I was listening to this song just this morning on my way to work and the Amazon music app had the lyrics up. Holy lord! Not for the faint of heart! lol.
Song: Walk This Way
Artist: Run DMC and Aerosmith
Album: Raising Hell
Year: 1986
Song: Sweet Emotion
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Toys In The Attic
Year: 1975
This song was on the Dazed and Confused movie soundtrack in 1993 and sparked a resurgence on FM radio. I remember hearing it on 107.9 back then and thinking I really liked the new Aerosmith song! I eventually got the Aerosmith Greatest Hits compilation and realized it was an 'old' new Aerosmith song ;0). It's one of those songs that I have heard so many times its easy to take it for granted, but it is a great tune. From the opening baseline to Steven's vocals to the delicious distorted guitar on the verses... 100% classic rock and roll.
Song: No More No More
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Toys In The Attic
Year: 1975
Listen to this song a few times and you will wake up randomly singing "no more no moooooooore" in your head from time to time. Or maybe thats just me. This is one of my favorite "deep tracks". One of my favorite things is finding songs like this that I never would have known about without digging into the bands full albums.
Song: Back In The Saddle
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Rocks
Year: 1976
Do the Mount Vernon Mustangs use this as an intro song for the football team? If not, they should. It would be perfect for any team named after a member of the equine family. I still hear this song from time to time on classic rock radio. That likely means they play it quite a bit because I rarely listen to classic rock radio! ;0)
Song: Last Child
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Rocks
Year: 1976
I love the groove on this song. The "Rocks" album is my favorite Aerosmith album, if I had to choose. "Take me back to a south Tallahassee, down cross the bridge to my sweet sassafrassy". Feel the funk, baby!
Song: Combination
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Rocks
Year: 1976
I like the grimy guitar tone on this one. The double vocal is very cool as well. At the 2:42 mark they go into an instrumental section that turns up the heat a bit. Gracias, amigos!
Song: Sick As A Dog
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Rocks
Year: 1976
Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaase. I love all the creative little hooks in these songs. I always look forward to the... pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaase.
Song: Nobody's Fault
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Rocks
Year: 1976
Metallica's James Hetfield names this song as a big influence on him. This is another of those 'album tracks' that I had never heard before diving deep into the Aerosmith catalog. This song has a heavier feel than any other Aerosmith song so I can see how it perked Hetfield's ears. I love the 'sorry, yes I'm sorry' section of the chorus followed by the descending notes and run-on vocal "man has known and now he's blown it upside down and hell's the only sound we did an awful job and now they say it's nobody's fault"
Song: Get The Lead Out
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Rocks
Year: 1976
Three words: young spring chicken. What do the lyrics in this song mean? I have no idea and don't care. Steven Tyler is a goofball. I am ok with this. I really like this song. Gives hints at some of the more up-beat stuff they would do in the late 80s.
Song: Draw The Line
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Draw The Line
Year: 1977
"Check mate honey, beat you at your own damn game." Great opening line. Released December 1st, 1977 (three days before my birth), Aerosmith's Draw The Line album was their 5th in five years and the last in what I consider 'classic' Aerosmith. From documentaries I have read/watched, both Joe Perry and Steven Tyler were deep into their addictions at this point. They could still write some great songs, however!
Song: Critical Mass
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Draw The Line
Year: 1977
Aerosmith doesn't have harmonica in a ton of their songs but I really like it when it shows up. CeleBREAKit.
Song: Get It Up
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Draw The Line
Year: 1977
This starts off with some great slide guitar which continues thru the entire song. "Grab your ankles, everyone". What?! I love how things change drastically for the chorus. One of those memorable hooks I was talking about earlier. Little things to look forward to in songs.
Song: Sight For Sore Eyes
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Draw The Line
Year: 1977
Another funk-groove, my man! DIG IT! The vocal delivery on the verses is unique and rhythmically satisfying/interesting. Don't fight the head bobbing on this one. Just let it happen. Great solo at the 2:05 mark.
I knew if I kept this blog alive I would eventually cover the 'bad boys from Boston' and apparently the reason I haven't been able to finish those other articles was because ... ... well... It was time for some Aerosmith! Thank you so much for reading and if your appreciation for Aerosmith was enhanced a smidge or if you dig any of these songs that you may have not been aware of previously.... well.. the thought of that makes me happy and makes this whole thing worth-while!
✌️❤️🤘
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