Aerosmith
The name Aerosmith, by the way, means nothing in particular; it simply was the only name that no one in the band hated. During the first decade of its career, Aerosmith was one of the most popular hard-rock bands in America, striking a flamboyant middle ground between the cool, bluesy swagger of the Rolling Stones and the more campy, glam-metal approach of the New York Dolls and Mott the Hoople. Later, after a period of drug- and alcohol-induced decline, they made a triumphant return to form in the late '80s and early '90s, winning back their fans and the heart — and checkbook — of Columbia Records, the label where the story of Aerosmith began. Actually, the band's tale starts a few years before signing to Columbia, when drummer Steven Tyler met guitarist Joe Perry at the Anchorage, a Sunapee, N.H., ice cream parlor where Perry worked in 1970. They formed a power trio with Tom Hamilton on bass, and before long, they'd added drummer Joey Kramer and guitarist Brad Whitford, leaving Tyler to fulfill the role he was born for: lead singer. With 1975's Toys in the Attic, considered by most to be Aerosmith's best album, the group achieved a new level of success, both artistically and commercially. The first single, "Sweet Emotion," was a terrific pop-hard rock crossover that led the album up to No. 11 on the Billboard charts (it eventually sold 6 million copies). As a result of this newfound success, "Dream On" was re-released, becoming a Top 40 hit the second time around. The super-funky "Walk This Way" followed it up the charts early in 1976. Operating with two replacement guitarists, Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay, the band released its least successful album ever, Rock in a Hard Place, in 1982. Meanwhile, Perry's and Whitford's solo projects weren't exactly lighting up the charts. Something had to be done. On Valentine's Day of 1984, Perry and Whitford visited their old bandmates backstage after a show at Boston's Orpheum Theatre. Now reconciled, they reunited for the Back in the Saddle tour, and in 1985, having signed to Geffen Records, they put out Done With Mirrors. Though it didn't sell well, it showed that the band was on the comeback trail. After its release, Tyler and Perry completed a drug-rehabilitation program, and then, in an extremely smart publicity move, they joined old-school rappers Run-DMC in the video for their cover of "Walk This Way." In 1987, with producer Bruce Fairbairn at the helm, they recorded the album that would put them back on top, Permanent Vacation. Aerosmith's best and biggest-selling non-greatest hits album since Rocks featured the hits "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," "Rag Doll," and "Angel," and ultimately sold 5 million copies. Pump, released in 1989, did it one better, selling 6 million, driven by the Top 10 hits "Love in an Elevator" and "Janie's Got a Gun."
Fall Together (Released 1997)
Looking through the looking glass
Looking back at me
I got X-Ray rear view vision
But I don't like what I see
Now, I'd should not bitch and moan
But there's not much I can do
When you're hangin' by a thread
And I'm hangin' on to you
Baby we can fall apart
Or we can fall together
It's a long, way down
We can make a new start
Never say never
We can fall apart
Or we can fall together
Now I know you feel compelled
When you're so down in the dumps
Every road can take some turns
And every road has got it's bumps
Now you got to know yourself
Yeah, you got to play it smart
'Cause you'll suffer for your sanity
If you suffer for your art
Baby we can fall apart
Or we can fall together
It's a long way down
We can make a new start
Never say never
We can fall apart
Or we can fall together
Now honey I got this feelin' somethin's funny
But I don't know what it is
My knees are shakin'
And the ground's about to give
Baby we'can fall apart
Or we can fall together
It's a long way down
We can make a new start
Never say never
We can fall apart
Or we can fall together
Baby we can fall apart
Or we can fall together
It's a long way down
We can make a new start
Never say never
We can fall apart
Or we can fall together
Fall together
Fall together
Fall together, right now
You and me
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