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."
Line Up (Released 1993)
If you think that you're strong
Wanna fight well come on
And line up
When the going gets tough
And your talk ain't enough
Line up
We gotta get up, get out before they get us down
Coz livin up against the wall, yeah
Has got us locked up
Come on and line up
So don't be surprised when they pull the wool over yo eyes
You don't get funked up
If you gots all the stuff
And you can't get enough
Then line up
If you're out on a limb
And you wanna come in
Then line up
You're head's down, sittin' round
Pick yo face up off the ground
And get yo self together baby
And learn to st-and tough
Come on and line up
We better get to it instead of just standing around
It's time to get down
If you're playing to win
And you're only way in
Is line up
If we all wanna live
And we all gotta give
Line up
We gotta get up, get out before they get us down
Cause we're livin' up against the wall
Yeah, has got us locked up
Come on and line up
You better get to it instead of just standin' around
Yeah, it's time to get down
If you got all the stuff
And you can't get enough
Line up
Line up
If you think that you're strong
Wanna fight then come on
Line up
Line up
You gotta get yourself together
You gotta stand up and be counted
You gotta love, you gotta love, you gotta love, you gotta love
Uh
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