Love in an Elevator

Last updated

"Love in an Elevator"
Aerosmith Elevator.jpg
Original single artwork by Mark Ryden
Single by Aerosmith
from the album Pump
B-side "Young Lust", "Ain't Enough"
ReleasedAugust 15, 1989 (1989-08-15) [1] [2]
RecordedApril–June 1989
Studio Little Mountain Sound (Vancouver) [3]
Genre
Length
  • 5:39 (album version)
  • 3:38 (single version)
Label Geffen
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Bruce Fairbairn [3]
Aerosmith singles chronology
"Rag Doll"
(1988)		"Love in an Elevator"
(1989)		"F.I.N.E.*"
(1989)
Music video
"Love In An Elevator" on YouTube

"Love in an Elevator" is a song performed by American rock band Aerosmith, written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It was released in August 1989 as the lead single from their third album with Geffen Records, Pump , released in September. [1] It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. [8] The RIAA certified it gold. [9]

Contents

Background

According to Tyler, the song was based on an actual experience where he was making out with a woman in an elevator and the doors opened. [10] Tyler said that "It felt like a lifetime waiting for those doors to close." [10]

Recording

"Love in an Elevator", like the other tracks on Pump, was recorded some time in April to June 1989 at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver. The song was produced by Bruce Fairbairn and was engineered by Mike Fraser with Ken Lomas as second engineer, and in addition to Aerosmith – Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (guitars, backing vocals), Brad Whitford (guitars, backing vocals), Tom Hamilton (bass, backing vocals), and Joey Kramer (drums) – were Bob Dowd (backing vocals), Bruce Fairbairn (backing vocals), and Catherine Epps (elevator operator). [3]

Track listing

7" 45 RPM

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love in an Elevator" Joe Perry, Steven Tyler  
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Young Lust"Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance  

CD single

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love in an Elevator" (Edit)Perry, Tyler3:42
2."Ain't Enough"Perry, Tyler5:03
3."Young Lust" (LP Version)Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance4:22

Music video

The music video for "Love in an Elevator" was directed by Marty Callner. [11] At the beginning of the video, Aerosmith are walking through a fancy department store. An elevator operator (played by former Playboy model Brandi Brandt) suggestively asks Tyler if he is "going down". Tyler leaps into the elevator before the band begins playing the song onstage (with several flash cuts to scenes in the department store). [12] [13]

Reception

Award nomination

The song received a Grammy Award nomination in 1990 for Best Hard Rock Performance, but lost out to Living Colour.

In concert

The song has consistently been a staple in the band's setlist on almost every tour they have performed since the song's release. It is a fan favorite and is well known among mainstream audiences.

In concert, Tyler often changes the lyrics to those that are more controversial and profanity-laden; on a version of the song featured on the live album A Little South of Sanity , culled from the band's tours in the 1990s, listeners can hear Tyler say "jackin' in the elevator" and "lick your funky ass" (or "fucking ass") instead of "kiss your sassafras".

Use in Disney World rollercoaster

A portion of the song plays within the ride sequence of Walt Disney World's Rock 'n Roller Coaster ride, which features different Aerosmith songs on each of its ride vehicles. The lyrics for the Disney World version were specially revised to say "love on a roller coaster" at the end of the ride.

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [26] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walk This Way</span> 1975 single by Aerosmith

"Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album Toys in the Attic (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977, part of a string of successful hit singles for the band in the 1970s. In addition to being one of the songs that helped break Aerosmith into the mainstream in the 1970s, it also helped revitalize their career in the 1980s when it was covered by hip hop group Run-D.M.C. on their 1986 album Raising Hell. This cover was a touchstone for the new musical subgenre of rap rock, or the melding of rock and hip hop. It became an international hit, reaching number 4 on the Billboard charts and becoming the first hip hop single to reach the top five on the charts, and won both groups a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Single in 1987 Soul Train Music Awards. Both versions are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

<i>Pump</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Aerosmith

Pump is the tenth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith. It was released on September 12, 1989, by Geffen Records. The album peaked at No. 5 on the US charts, and was certified septuple platinum by the RIAA in 1995.

<i>Big Ones</i> 1994 greatest hits album by Aerosmith

Big Ones is a compilation album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on November 1, 1994 by Geffen Records. Big Ones features 12 hits from the band's three consecutive multi-platinum albums, Permanent Vacation (1987), Pump (1989), and Get a Grip (1993), as well as the hit "Deuces Are Wild" from the compilation The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience (1993), and two new songs, "Blind Man" and "Walk on Water", which were recorded during a break in the band's Get a Grip Tour. These songs were also included on the band's 2001 compilation album, Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology. Big Ones is the band's second best-selling compilation album, reaching #6 on the Billboard charts, and selling four million copies in the United States alone. The album quickly became a worldwide hit reaching the Top 10 in nine countries before the end of the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Bites (Def Leppard song)</span> 1988 single by Def Leppard

"Love Bites" is a song by English glam metal band Def Leppard from their album Hysteria. The power ballad is Def Leppard's only number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a top-10 hit in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. On the UK Singles Chart, the track peaked at number 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Want to Miss a Thing</span> 1998 single by Aerosmith

"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is a song recorded by American hard rock band Aerosmith as the theme song for the 1998 science fiction disaster film Armageddon, in which lead singer Steven Tyler's daughter Liv starred. It is one of four songs performed by the band for the film, the other three being "What Kind of Love Are You On", "Come Together", and "Sweet Emotion". The power ballad was co-written by Diane Warren, who originally envisioned it would be performed by "Celine Dion or somebody like that", and Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry, although only Warren got songwriting credit. The song received its airplay premiere on May 12, 1998, and was officially added to radio a week later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janie's Got a Gun</span> 1989 single by Aerosmith

"Janie's Got a Gun" is a song by American rock band Aerosmith and written by Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton. The song was released as the second single from Pump in 1989, peaking at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in 1990. In Australia, the song reached number one, becoming Aerosmith's first of two number-one singles there. It also reached number two in Canada, number 12 in Sweden, and number 13 in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crazy (Aerosmith song)</span> 1994 song by Aerosmith

"Crazy" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith and written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Desmond Child. It was the fifth single from their 1993 album Get a Grip, released in May 1994 by Geffen Records. "Crazy" peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number three in Canada, and number one in Iceland for two weeks. In Finland and the United Kingdom, it was released as a double-A side with "Blind Man", reaching number eight in the former country and number 23 in the latter. Marty Callner directed the song's music video, featuring Liv Tyler and Alicia Silverstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moneytalks</span> 1990 single by AC/DC

"Moneytalks" is a song written by Malcolm and Angus Young and produced by Bruce Fairbairn for the hard rock band AC/DC. Originally released on 24 September 1990 on the album The Razors Edge, it was later released as a single that year. A live version of the song recorded on the band's 1990–1991 Razors Edge World Tour appeared on AC/DC's 1992 live album, Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerosmith discography</span>

American rock band Aerosmith has released 15 studio albums, nine live albums, 16 compilation albums, two extended plays, and 72 singles. Aerosmith was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970 by vocalist Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry and Ray Tabano, bassist Tom Hamilton, and drummer Joey Kramer. Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford in 1971. Other than a period from 1979 to 1984, this lineup has remained the same.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dude (Looks Like a Lady)</span> 1987 single by Aerosmith

"Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" is a song by American rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the lead single from the band's ninth studio album Permanent Vacation in 1987. The song was written by lead singer Steven Tyler, lead guitarist Joe Perry and songwriter Desmond Child.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rag Doll (Aerosmith song)</span> 1988 single by Aerosmith

"Rag Doll" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. It is from their 1987 album Permanent Vacation. It was released as the final single from the album in 1988. It was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jim Vallance, and Holly Knight. The song "[filters] the essence of Aerosmith's funkiest moments through the boom-thwack beat of the hair-metal '80s".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaded (Aerosmith song)</span> 2001 single by Aerosmith

"Jaded" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and songwriting collaborator Marti Frederiksen. Serviced to US radio in January 2001, the single was released on February 20, 2001, as the first single from the band's 13th studio album, Just Push Play (2001). The song was debuted publicly at the American Music Awards and was also played at the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXV in January 2001. It was ranked No. 86 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the '00s".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What It Takes (Aerosmith song)</span> 1990 single by Aerosmith

"What It Takes" is a power ballad by American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Desmond Child, it was released in 1989 as the third single from the critically and commercially successful 1989 album Pump. "I'll put some ballads on an album," Tyler remarked, "if that's what it takes so that some young kid can get to hear a 'Young Lust' or 'F.I.N.E.*'."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livin' on the Edge</span> 1993 single by Aerosmith

"Livin' on the Edge" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Mark Hudson. It was released in March 1993 by Geffen Records as the first single from the band's commercially successful eleventh album, Get a Grip (1993). The single reached number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number three on the Cash Box Top 100, and number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for nine weeks. In the UK, the song peaked at number 19 on the UK Singles Chart in April 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Other Side (Aerosmith song)</span> 1990 single by Aerosmith

"The Other Side" is a song performed by the American rock band Aerosmith, and written by Steven Tyler, Jim Vallance, and Holland-Dozier-Holland. It was released on June 6, 1990 as the fourth single from the band's highly successful 1989 album Pump.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel (Aerosmith song)</span> 1988 single by Aerosmith

"Angel" is a power ballad by American rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and professional songwriting collaborator Desmond Child.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazing (Aerosmith song)</span> 1993 single by Aerosmith

"Amazing" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. Don Henley lends his vocals, shadowing lead singer Steven Tyler in parts of this song. The rock ballad was written by Tyler and longtime band friend and collaborator Richie Supa, and released in November 1993 by Geffen Records. It peaked at numbers 24 and 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, number three on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and number nine on the Billboard Top 40/Mainstream chart. The song was also successful abroad, peaking at number two in Iceland, number four in Canada, number five in Norway, and the top 20 in the Netherlands and Switzerland. Marty Callner directed its music video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)</span> 1997 single by Aerosmith

"Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith that appeared on the band's 12th studio album, Nine Lives (1997). The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Glen Ballard, who had signed on to produce Nine Lives. Although he was dropped from the role halfway through production and replaced by Kevin Shirley, Ballard was still credited for his contributions to the album; he also co-wrote "Pink" with Tyler and Perry and "Taste of India" with Tyler and Richard Supa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara (Starship song)</span> 1985 single by Starship

"Sara" is a song recorded by the American rock band Starship which reached number-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 15, 1986. It was sung by Mickey Thomas, of the newly renamed band Starship, from their first album Knee Deep in the Hoopla, and Grace Slick provided the backing vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Mama Don't Dance</span> 1972 single by Loggins and Messina

"Your Mama Don't Dance" is a hit 1972 song by the rock duo Loggins and Messina. Released on their self-titled album Loggins and Messina, it reached number four on the Billboard pop chart and number 19 on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart as a single in early 1973.

References

  1. 1 2 Strong, Martin (2002) [First published in 1994]. The Great Rock Discography (Sixth ed.). United Kingdom: Canongate Books. ISBN   1-84195-312-1.
  2. ↑ "Aerosmith - Singles". hitparade.ch. Retrieved June 23, 2021. Click on individual song pages for dates.
  3. 1 2 3 Big Ones (CD insert). Aerosmith. Geffen Records. 1994. GEFD-24716.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo (February 28, 2017). "Aerosmith Albums Ranked". Loudwire . Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  5. ↑ Popoff, Martin (2014). The big book of hair metal : the illustrated oral history of heavy metal's debauched decade. Minneapolis, MN. p. 174. ISBN   978-0-7603-4546-7. OCLC   858901054.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ↑ Rolli, Bryan (July 1, 2021). "Top 30 Glam Metal Albums". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 Goldsmith, Melissa Ursula Dawn (2019). Listen to Classic Rock! Exploring a Musical Genre. ABC-CLIO. p. 26. ISBN   978-1-4408-6579-4.
  8. ↑ "Aerosmith - Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  10. 1 2 "The 20 Songs That Can Represent The Career Of Aerosmith". Society of Rock. July 8, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Aerosmith - Love In An Elevator (1989)". IMVDb. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  12. ↑ Brown, Pete (June 11, 2019). "Love in an Elevator". Medium . Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Contemplating Love in an Elevator". Columbus Calling. June 25, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6575." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Retail Sales: Issue 10208". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 40, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  20. ↑ "Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Aerosmith Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Aerosmith Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1989". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1989". Archived from the original on January 25, 2010. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  26. ↑ "American single certifications – Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator". Recording Industry Association of America.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.