Sweet Emotion
Encyclopedia
"Sweet Emotion" is a song by American
rock
band Aerosmith
, released by Columbia Records
in April 1975 on the album Toys in the Attic
and was released as a single
a month later on May 19th (see 1975 in music
). The song began a string of pop hits and large-scale mainstream 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
.
, becoming the band's breakthrough single and the first Top 40 hit for the band. The day it hit #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. The song was so successful that the band decided to ride the heels of success and re-release their first single, "Dream On
", which had originally charted at #59 in 1973. The re-released version went on to hit #6, the highest chart performance in the 1970s for the band.
's wife. Steven 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") may have helped lead to the band's original lineup dissolving in the early 1980s.
, played by Jay Messina. The introduction builds with the use of a talk box
by Joe Perry, which has become one of the more famous uses of the guitar talk box in popular music (Perry's guitar "sings" the line "sweet emotion" over Hamilton's bass riff). Eventually Steven Tyler joins in, singing in unison with Perry's talk box. The actual talk box device used was called The Bag and was made by Kustom Electronics. The now discontinued device had been used earlier by guitarists including Jeff Beck
and Mike Pinera
.
The song kicks into a more rocking rhythm with dueling guitars, and rapid-fire angry-sounding lyrics sung by Steven Tyler. The chorus of the song consists of a repeating guitar riff followed by a mirror of the "sweet emotion" intro.
The song also features several bizarre instruments including two shotgun
s and a sugar bag. The final version appearing on "Toys in the Attic" was mixed from takes 11 and 12.
On the 1980 compilation album Aerosmith's Greatest Hits, "Sweet Emotion" appears in edited form. The bass and talk box introduction is cut, and the track begins with the chorus that precedes the first verse. The guitar solo at the end of the song was also excised, and the track concludes with the chorus, which repeats as the song fades out. This same edit was used for the original single release of the song, which was quickly replaced in subsequent pressings with the album version from Toys in the Attic
.
, Pandora's Toys, O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits, Devil's Got a New Disguise
, Live! Bootleg, Classics Live I, A Little South of Sanity
, Greatest Hits 1973–1988 and Rockin' the Joint
.
The song is frequently cited as Aerosmith's signature song
, including in the World Almanac and Book of Facts, and regularly competes with "Dream On
" and "Walk This Way
" for the title of Aerosmith's "signature song" elsewhere.
It is often included on "greatest song" lists or "greatest rock song" lists, including a ranking of #416 on Rolling Stone
magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
It was also one of the songs Aerosmith played for their induction to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
, although the remixed version was not in the box set. The primary difference from the original is that the drums are mixed louder, with more reverb, on the 1991 re-release. A new music video was filmed and released in support of the single. The re-released version reached #36 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart and #74 in the United Kingdom
. The remixed version was later issued on the soundtrack to the 1998 film Armageddon.
conversation. The video, directed by Marty Callner
shows a young man under his covers with a magazine which is advertising a phone sex line. The young man, who says he is a 26-year-old attorney, and the phone sex operator talk about each other for a while, until it goes into a shot of the band performing in a basement (this portion of the video was actually recorded in an old warehouse in the Charlestown Navy Yard which substituted as the band's old apartment on 1325 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston). It switches back-and-forth between Aerosmith performing "Sweet Emotion" and the phone conversation. At the very end, both the phone sex operator and the young man are shown to be very different from each other's perceptions; she is an overweight older woman with a baby living in a run down house, and he is a teenage boy. Throughout most of the video, Perry is playing a Gibson Les Paul
but plays the riff on a Fender Stratocaster
.
The video is also a homage
to the 1983 film Risky Business
, in that the opening scenes of the young man talking to the woman are almost identical to the scenes in the film of Tom Cruise's character talking on the phone to the call girl.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, released by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in April 1975 on the album Toys in the Attic
Toys in the Attic (album)
For his review of Toys in the Attic for Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album's style a mix of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones riffs and was filled with songs about sex with a different style than there ever was before. Greg Kot called the album a landmark of hard rock...
and was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
a month later on May 19th (see 1975 in music
1975 in music
-January–April:*January 2 - New York City U.S. District Court Judge Richard Owen rules that former Beatle John Lennon and his lawyers can have access to Department of Immigration files pertaining to his deportation case....
). The song began a string of pop hits and large-scale mainstream success for the band that would continue for the remainder of the 1970s. The song was written by lead singer Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
and bassist Tom Hamilton
Tom Hamilton (musician)
Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton is an American musician, best known as the bassist of hard rock band Aerosmith. He has co-written two of Aerosmith's hits, "Sweet Emotion" and "Janie's Got a Gun". Hamilton occasionally plays guitar and sings backing vocals Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton (born...
.
Success
"Sweet Emotion" was released as a single in 1975, and peaked at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, becoming the band's breakthrough single and the first Top 40 hit for the band. The day it hit #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. The song was so successful that the band decided to ride the heels of success and re-release their first single, "Dream On
Dream On (Aerosmith song)
"Dream On" is the first single by Aerosmith from their 1973 debut album, Aerosmith. Written by lead singer Steven Tyler, this blues-influenced power ballad became their first major hit and classic rock radio staple...
", which had originally charted at #59 in 1973. The re-released version went on to hit #6, the highest chart performance in the 1970s for the band.
Lyrical interpretation
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 PerryJoe Perry (musician)
Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
's wife. Steven 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
Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith
Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith was written by Stephen Davis, published by HarperCollins and released in October 1997. The book was co-written with the members of Aerosmith themselves. This biography contains the story of the band's life, legends, women, drugs and partying that...
and in an episode of Behind the Music that growing feuds between the band members' wives (including an incident involving "spilt milk") may have helped lead to the band's original lineup dissolving in the early 1980s.
Song structure
The beginning of the song is a repeating electric bass riff tracked alongside the bass marimbaMarimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, played by Jay Messina. The introduction builds with the use of a talk box
Talk box
A talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth...
by Joe Perry, which has become one of the more famous uses of the guitar talk box in popular music (Perry's guitar "sings" the line "sweet emotion" over Hamilton's bass riff). Eventually Steven Tyler joins in, singing in unison with Perry's talk box. The actual talk box device used was called The Bag and was made by Kustom Electronics. The now discontinued device had been used earlier by guitarists including Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
and Mike Pinera
Mike Pinera
Mike Pinera is an American guitarist who started professionally in the late 1960s with the group Blues Image, which had a #4 hit in 1970 with their song "Ride Captain Ride". After the breakup of that group, he joined Iron Butterfly, and later formed the group Ramatam...
.
The song kicks into a more rocking rhythm with dueling guitars, and rapid-fire angry-sounding lyrics sung by Steven Tyler. The chorus of the song consists of a repeating guitar riff followed by a mirror of the "sweet emotion" intro.
The song also features several bizarre instruments including two shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
s and a sugar bag. The final version appearing on "Toys in the Attic" was mixed from takes 11 and 12.
On the 1980 compilation album Aerosmith's Greatest Hits, "Sweet Emotion" appears in edited form. The bass and talk box introduction is cut, and the track begins with the chorus that precedes the first verse. The guitar solo at the end of the song was also excised, and the track concludes with the chorus, which repeats as the song fades out. This same edit was used for the original single release of the song, which was quickly replaced in subsequent pressings with the album version from Toys in the Attic
Toys in the Attic (album)
For his review of Toys in the Attic for Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album's style a mix of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones riffs and was filled with songs about sex with a different style than there ever was before. Greg Kot called the album a landmark of hard rock...
.
Personnel
- Steven TylerSteven TylerSteven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
- lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, maracasMaracásMaracás is a town and municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.-References:...
, vibraslapVibraslapA vibraslap is a percussion instrument consisting of a piece of stiff wire connecting a wood ball to a hollow box of wood with metal “teeth” inside. The percussionist holds the metal wire in one hand and strikes the ball... - Joe PerryJoe Perry (musician)Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, talkbox - Brad WhitfordBrad WhitfordBradford Ernest Whitford is the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith. He graduated Reading Memorial High School in 1970.-Career:...
- rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Tom HamiltonTom Hamilton (musician)Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton is an American musician, best known as the bassist of hard rock band Aerosmith. He has co-written two of Aerosmith's hits, "Sweet Emotion" and "Janie's Got a Gun". Hamilton occasionally plays guitar and sings backing vocals Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton (born...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Joey KramerJoey KramerJoseph Michael "Joey" Kramer is the drummer for the American hard rock band Aerosmith....
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Jay Messina- marimbaMarimbaThe marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
Legacy
The song has been included on almost every Aerosmith compilation and live album, including Aerosmith's Greatest Hits, Pandora's BoxPandora's Box (album)
-Disc two:-Disc three:-Recording locations:*Back in the Saddle- Recorded at the Wherehouse, Waltham, Mass. & Record Plant Studios, NYC, Feb-March 1976*Cheese Cake- Recorded at Media Sound and Record Plant Studios, NYC, May-Aug., 1979...
, Pandora's Toys, O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits, Devil's Got a New Disguise
Devil's Got a New Disguise
Devil's Got a New Disguise: The Very Best of Aerosmith is a compilation album by American hard rock band Aerosmith released on October 17, 2006. It has sold more than 265,048 copies to date in the U.S...
, Live! Bootleg, Classics Live I, A Little South of Sanity
A Little South of Sanity
-Personnel:*Tom Hamilton – bass*Joey Kramer – drums, percussion*Joe Perry – guitar, backing vocals, talkbox on "Sweet Emotion", pedal steel guitar on "Rag Doll"*Steven Tyler – lead vocals, percussion*Brad Whitford – guitar...
, Greatest Hits 1973–1988 and Rockin' the Joint
Rockin' the Joint
-Personnel:*Tom Hamilton – bass*Joey Kramer – drums, percussion*Joe Perry – guitar, backing vocals*Steven Tyler – lead vocals*Brad Whitford – guitar-Album:-External links:...
.
The song is frequently cited as Aerosmith's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
, including in the World Almanac and Book of Facts, and regularly competes with "Dream On
Dream On (Aerosmith song)
"Dream On" is the first single by Aerosmith from their 1973 debut album, Aerosmith. Written by lead singer Steven Tyler, this blues-influenced power ballad became their first major hit and classic rock radio staple...
" and "Walk This Way
Walk This Way
"Walk This Way" is a song by American hard rock group Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the 1975 album Toys in the Attic. It peaked at Number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977, part of a string of successful hit...
" for the title of Aerosmith's "signature song" elsewhere.
It is often included on "greatest song" lists or "greatest rock song" lists, including a ranking of #416 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
It was also one of the songs Aerosmith played for their induction to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
.
Re-release
The original recording was remixed by David Thoener and released as a single in 1991 in coordination with the release of the band's box set Pandora's BoxPandora's Box (album)
-Disc two:-Disc three:-Recording locations:*Back in the Saddle- Recorded at the Wherehouse, Waltham, Mass. & Record Plant Studios, NYC, Feb-March 1976*Cheese Cake- Recorded at Media Sound and Record Plant Studios, NYC, May-Aug., 1979...
, although the remixed version was not in the box set. The primary difference from the original is that the drums are mixed louder, with more reverb, on the 1991 re-release. A new music video was filmed and released in support of the single. The re-released version reached #36 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart and #74 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The remixed version was later issued on the soundtrack to the 1998 film Armageddon.
Music video
The video for the re-released version is based on a phone sexPhone sex
Phone sex is a type of virtual sex that refers to sexually explicit conversation between or other persons via telephone, especially when at least one of the participants masturbates or engages in sexual fantasy...
conversation. The video, directed by Marty Callner
Marty Callner
Marty Callner is a director. His primary work is with music videos. Marty has directed work from such popular artists as Cher, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith and has work recorded back as far as 1977 and as recent as 2009. He has been nominated for 7 Emmys, 3 DGAs, and 1 CableACE Award...
shows a young man under his covers with a magazine which is advertising a phone sex line. The young man, who says he is a 26-year-old attorney, and the phone sex operator talk about each other for a while, until it goes into a shot of the band performing in a basement (this portion of the video was actually recorded in an old warehouse in the Charlestown Navy Yard which substituted as the band's old apartment on 1325 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston). It switches back-and-forth between Aerosmith performing "Sweet Emotion" and the phone conversation. At the very end, both the phone sex operator and the young man are shown to be very different from each other's perceptions; she is an overweight older woman with a baby living in a run down house, and he is a teenage boy. Throughout most of the video, Perry is playing a Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
but plays the riff on a Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
.
The video is also a homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to the 1983 film Risky Business
Risky Business
Risky Business is a 1983 American teen comedy-drama film written by Paul Brickman in his directorial debut. It stars Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay. The hit film launched Cruise to stardom.-Plot:...
, in that the opening scenes of the young man talking to the woman are almost identical to the scenes in the film of Tom Cruise's character talking on the phone to the call girl.
Covers and cultural references
- The song is used as the opening music for the film Dazed and ConfusedDazed and Confused"Dazed and Confused" is a song by Jake Holmes, which was covered by The Yardbirds, and later reworked by Led Zeppelin who hold a separate copyright on the song.-Jake Holmes:...
. - An excerpt from the song is also used in the film Armageddon, starring Liv TylerLiv TylerLiv Rundgren Tyler is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of Aerosmith's lead singer, Steven Tyler, and Bebe Buell, model and singer. Tyler began a career in modeling at the age of 14, but after less than a year she decided to focus on acting. She made her film debut in the 1994...
, which also featured the Aerosmith hit "I Don't Want to Miss a ThingI Don't Want to Miss a Thing"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is a song performed by American rock band Aerosmith for the 1998 film Armageddon. Written by Diane Warren, the song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 . The song stayed at number one for four weeks from September 5 to September 26, 1998...
" (as well as two other Aerosmith songs). Ben AffleckBen AffleckBenjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt , better known as Ben Affleck, is an American actor, film director, writer, and producer. He became known with his performances in Kevin Smith's films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy...
appeared in both this film and Dazed and ConfusedDazed and Confused"Dazed and Confused" is a song by Jake Holmes, which was covered by The Yardbirds, and later reworked by Led Zeppelin who hold a separate copyright on the song.-Jake Holmes:...
as an actor. - The song is played over part of the ending credits for the 2004 film Starsky and HutchStarsky & Hutch (film)Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a film adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s....
. - Northern Irish band The AnswerThe Answer (band)The Answer are a Northern Irish hard rock and blues-rock band from Newcastle and Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. They have achieved success with their debut album Rise selling in excess of 30,000 copies in the UK & Europe, 10,000 on day one in Japan and 100,000 worldwide.-Lineup:*Cormac...
covered the song for a free Kerrang!Kerrang!Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
CD of cover versions which was given away with the 6 June 2006 copy of the magazine. - In an episode of The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, Homer gets a cereal box from the grocery store called Sweet Emotions with a picture of Steven Tyler on the box and Bart comments that he "didn't know Aerosmith made a breakfast cereal". - The song is played in drama series Prison BreakPrison BreakPrison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
in the episode "And Then There Were 7". - The song is featured on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney's Hollywood StudiosDisney's Hollywood StudiosDisney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
in Lake Buena Vista, FloridaLake Buena Vista, FloridaLake Buena Vista is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being home to the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of two Florida municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company, the other being Bay Lake....
and Walt Disney Studios Paris in Marne-la-ValléeMarne-la-ValléeMarne-la-Vallée is a new town located near Paris, France.Disneyland Paris, Val d'Europe,Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée,and École des Ponts ParisTech are located in Marne-la-Vallée.-Status:...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. - Part of the main riff in this song is used in the BuckcherryBuckcherryBuckcherry is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1995. The band released two albums, Buckcherry and Time Bomb , before partially dissolving in the summer of 2002. In 2005, lead vocalist Josh Todd and lead guitarist Keith Nelson reformed Buckcherry and released a new album...
hit, "Crazy Bitch". - A puzzle on the February 6, 2008 episode of Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, which premiered in 1975. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a large wheel. The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that...
was "SWEET EMOTION BY AEROSMITH". - Leo KottkeLeo KottkeLeo Kottke is an acoustic guitarist. He is widely known for his innovative fingerpicking style, which draws on influences from blues, jazz, and folk music, and his syncopated, polyphonic melodies...
and Mike Gordon covered the song on the 2005 album Sixty Six StepsSixty Six StepsSixty Six Steps is the second studio album from Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon. It was released on August 23, 2005.-History:Although the album was recorded in just a few months, it has been an idea in Gordon's mind for decades. Since Gordon went on a trip to the Bahamas with his family in his...
with a folky country tinge to it. - On the DVD Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!Nirvana: Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! is a video album released by the grunge band Nirvana on laserdisc and VHS on November 15, 1994. The DVD version was released November 7, 2006. Kurt Cobain compiled much of the video himself, but did not complete it prior to his death...
, NirvanaNirvana (band)Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
members Dave GrohlDave GrohlDavid Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
and Krist NovoselicKrist NovoselicKrist Anthony Novoselic II is a Croatian-American rock musician, best known for being the bassist and co-founder of the grunge band Nirvana. After Nirvana ended, Novoselic formed Sweet 75 and then Eyes Adrift, releasing one album with each band...
are jamming this song before singer Kurt CobainKurt CobainKurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
appears, interrupting the song beginning with "Dive". The jam was during their gig in Rio de Janeiro, 23 January 1993. - The song is played as a master track in the 2008 video game, Guitar Hero: AerosmithGuitar Hero: AerosmithGuitar Hero: Aerosmith is a music video game developed by Neversoft and distributed by Activision. It was released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles, with a Wii version developed by Vicarious Visions, a PlayStation 2 version by Budcat Creations and with a PC and Mac version by Aspyr Media...
. - The song plays on the score screen on the ArcadeArcade gameAn arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
versions of Midway GamesMidway GamesMidway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
' Revolution XRevolution XRevolution X is a arcade rail shooter game developed and published by Midway, featuring the rock band Aerosmith. The game features gameplay similar to Midway's earlier Terminator 2: Judgment Day...
, which features Aerosmith as themselves. - The jam band PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
have covered the song in an extended form in concert. - Funk band CameoCameo (band)Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
recorded a cover in 1990 and frequently opened live performances with the song. - The Mighty Mighty BosstonesThe Mighty Mighty BosstonesThe Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. Since the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer Ben Carr have remained constant members...
covered the song on their 1991 EP, Where'd You Go?. - Dave Matthews BandDave Matthews BandDave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
covered the song for the first time at the Dave Matthews Band Caravan in Atlantic City.