‘Sweet Emotion’ is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith, released as a single on May 19, 1975 from their third studio album Toys in the Attic. and peaked at No. 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's breakthrough single and their first Top 40 hit. The day it hit No. 36 on the U.S. chart, July 19, 1975, Aerosmith was booked at a gig in New York City's Central Park, called the Schaefer Music Festival. ‘Sweet Emotion’ remains successful in the modern day, having sold over three million digital downloads. The song began a string of hits and large-scale success for the band that would continue for the remainder of the 1970s.
The song was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and bassist Tom Hamilton.
Many Aerosmith fans believe that Steven Tyler wrote all of the lyrics to the song about the tension and hatred between the band members and Joe Perry's first wife. Tyler himself has said that only some of the lyrics were inspired by Perry's wife. It was stated in Aerosmith's tell-all autobiography ‘Walk This Way’ and in an episode of Behind the Music that growing feuds between the band members' wives (including an incident involving "spilt milk" where Elyssa Perry threw milk over Tom Hamilton's wife, Terry) may have helped lead to the band's original lineup dissolving in the early 1980s.
On numerous occasions, Tyler has claimed that the first lines, “Talk about things that nobody cares / wearing out things that nobody wears,” were written about Perry’s first wife, Elyssa, as at the time, there was an incredible amount of tension between the two, exacerbated by drug use.
‘Sweet Emotion’ remains a staple track of both classic rock and Aerosmith's discography, as well as their live performances. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked ‘Sweet Emotion’ No.416 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Label – ColumbiaSongwriters – Steven Tyler, Tom Hamilton
Producer – Jack Douglas
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Sweet emotion
Sweet emotion
Sweet emotion
Sweet emotion (Emotion)
[Chorus]
Sweet emotion
Sweet emotion
[Verse 1]
Talk about things that nobody cares
Wearing other things that nobody wears
You're calling my name but I got to make clear
I can't say baby where I'll be in a year
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 2]
Some sweat hog mama with a face like a gent
Said my get up and go, musta got up and went
Well I got good news, she's a real good liar
‘Cause the backstage boogie set your pants on fire
[Chorus]
Sweet emotion
Sweet emotion
[Verse 3]
I pulled into town in a police car
Your daddy said I took it just a little too far
You're telling me things but your girlfriend lied
You can't catch me because the rabbit done died, yes it did
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 4]
You stand in the front just a shaking your ass
I'll take you backstage you can drink from my glass
I'll talk about something you can sure understand
'Cause a month on the road and I'll be eating from your hand
[Instrumental Outro]