How “Sweet Emotion” helped put Aerosmith on the Mount Rushmore of Rock

They’re not exactly as wholesome as apple pie, but they have been anointed “America’s Greatest Rock Band” for good reason. Aerosmith have sold more hard rock albums than any other American band, and they went from being an opening act to stadium headliners with the release of their third album, Toys In The Attic, released in 1975. The lead single from that album, “Sweet Emotion” marked important firsts: it was their first song to hit the Top 40 chart, and it was the first co-write credit that bassist Tom Hamilton got on the scoreboard. Steven Tyler’s lyrics are full of daggers aimed at Joe Perry’s then-girlfriend, and there is even a hidden message buried in the song. Dig in to the history of this classic tune in the new episode of the Behind The Song podcast.
Music Producer: Christian Lane
Video Director: Eva Empleo
Subscribe to the Behind The Song podcast and leave a 5-star review if you like the episode!
Apple: apple.co/3aXfikP​
Spotify: spoti.fi/3rjHeW1​
Google: bit.ly/3b4huH7​
PodcastOne: bit.ly/2zho2y6​
About Janda:
Behind The Song podcast host and creator Janda Lane is a radio DJ at WDRV-FM in Chicago, the city she calls home with her husband and podcast partner, Christian Lane, and their two cats, Ollie and Liam. She is a transplant from Los Angeles, where she was a video director at Fender, Executive Producer at Yahoo Music, playlist curator for Apple Music,, worked in rock management with artists like the Foo Fighters and Beck, was on the radio at KCRW, and she was a DJ at online radio pioneer site Soundbreak. She has not worked a day in her life.
Follow Behind The Song on TikTok @behindthesongpodcast.
Follow Janda on Facebook and Instagram @jandalaneradio and on Twitter and TikTok @jandalane.

[@JimAllen-Persona]

“Toys” was a great album.. the entire album was listenable.

[@patgalvez4563]

Even bigger as an 8-track tape...

[@stevencurrie1540]

Actually as a player the whole album is a masterpiece as well ROCKS , the only musical Band that has the most amazing deep cuts On every track they layered down Great bunch of guys real people

[@stevencurrie1540]

ROCKS ALBUM Is as Toys in the attic as amazing as most albums from the 70s draw the line is a masterpiece of musical genius This comes from a man of the 70s growing up in the early seventies in Abilene Texas that had a leaning disability or the liberal teacher told me . I’m still running hard because of the lord. Not the democrats or the back stabbing liberals

[@darinjames3313]

Thank you....The Rabbit done died was a question mark for me.....but now I see....😊.....One of my first albums ...Get well Steven❤️🙏💔

[@bigDbigDbigD]

I love your channel. Thank you for what you do!

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Thank you so much!

[@michaeloneill1360]

THANKS for this One; My Favorite Aerosmith Track! It's also the Lead In Track to Dazed & Confused movie also one of my Favorites! The Song Sets the Tone for the Fun times ahead in the movie!

[@rodgerrodger1839]

I listened to all your episodes on Spotify and my wife and became instant fan's. Since you have two cat's with very cool names makes it impossible for us not to support you! You and your husband go! Thanks. Keep rock alive....

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Wow, thank you!

[@michaeldrysch5177]

Awesome as always Janda!!! Thanks Christian!!! I remember when I first bought the LP and played it repeatedly while looking at the bands picture thinking...WOW These guys look "crispy".

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Crispy is a good word hahaha! Thank you as always!

[@HaXaW5150]

Wow, how is it that I am just finding y'all? I'm glad I did. As a Gen X'r myself, I grew up on most of the songs I've seen on your channel. I'll be around and I subbed. Oh yeah, I'll tell others about you too.

[@kijekuyo9494]

This was interesting for me because I've never listened to all the lyric before, which is something common in my life. Rather, I always focused on the music of "Sweet Emotion". I love the mixture of the subtle, but busy bass line and medium-tempo drumming of the intro, layered with the lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng title line vocal during the first chorus, two words which I think cover three measures. Sometimes I only listen to the instrumental intro or the song until the end of the second chorus, never having the same kind of veneration for the verses. I prefer listening to "Sweet Emotion" at night, when my mind can explore the intricacies of that musical passage without other distracting senses.

[@jameskenneally5644]

Just found this channel. Great music information.

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@seanhayes1965]

Nice job, Janda and Christian.

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Thanks so much!

[@itsabeautifulthing2419]

I just found your channel and I instantly became a fan. Have you ever thought of doing a video about Night's and White Satin Moody Blues.?

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Welcome to the channel! That is an excellent suggestion. Thanks!

[@kcash6359]

Janda...accurate choice for the lift off of Aerosmith. Tom Hamilton says they were relaxes and ready for it.

[@100chuckjones]

Christian does a really good job on the music. it's not note for note but it's damn close. It's also very creatively done, reproducing isolation tracks

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Thank you, we think he’s pretty amazing!

[@escapefelicity2913]

please do 'dead flowers'

[@johnbond5653]

Great job one thing I thought he said that the rabbit doesn't bite must have been chronic lyricosus as John Boy and Billy would say haha really great job been enjoying listening to your shit

[@johnbond5653]

Sorry about that sometimes your phone don't say what you say it was supposed to say show

[@behindthesongpodcast]

@@johnbond5653 Hahaha thank you!! I am a victim of autocorrect all the time.

[@mattthomas4570]

Bonafide

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Thanks Matt!