Perry and Hamilton, originally in a band together called the Jam Band, met up with Tyler, Kramer, and guitarist Ray Tabano, and formed Aerosmith; in 1971, Tabano was replaced by Whitford. They released a string of multi-platinum albums starting with their eponymous debut in 1973, followed by Get Your Wings in 1974. The band broke into the mainstream with Toys in the Attic (1975) and Rocks (1976). Draw the Line and Night in the Ruts followed in 1977 and 1979. Throughout the 1970s, the band toured extensively and charted a dozen Hot 100 singles, including their first Top 40 hit "Sweet Emotion" and the Top 10 hits "Dream On" and "Walk This Way". By the end of the decade, they were among the most popular hard rock bands in the world and developed a following of fans, often referred to as the "Blue Army". Drug addiction and internal conflict led to the departures of Perry and Whitford in 1979 and 1981. The band did not fare well and the album Rock in a Hard Place (1982) failed to match previous successes.
Perry and Whitford returned to Aerosmith in 1984. After a comeback tour, they recorded Done with Mirrors (1985), which did not meet commercial expectations. It was not until a 1986 collaboration with rap group Run-D.M.C. on a remake of "Walk This Way", and the 1987 multi-platinum release, Permanent Vacation, that they regained their previous level of popularity. In the late 1980s and 1990s, the band won numerous awards for music from the multi-platinum albums Pump (1989), Get a Grip (1993), and Nine Lives (1997), while they embarked on their most extensive concert tours to date. Their biggest hits during this period included "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", "Angel", "Rag Doll", "Love in an Elevator", "Janie's Got a Gun", "What it Takes", "Livin' on the Edge", "Cryin'", and "Crazy". The band also filmed popular music videos and made notable appearances in television, film, and video games. In 1998, they achieved their first number-one hit with "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from Armageddon's soundtrack and the following year, their roller coaster attraction opened at Walt Disney World. Their comeback has been described as one of the most remarkable and spectacular in rock history. Additional albums Just Push Play (which included the hit "Jaded"), Honkin' on Bobo (a collection of blues covers), and Music from Another Dimension! followed in 2001, 2004, and 2012. In 2008, they released Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, which is considered to be the best-selling band-centric video game. After five decades, the band continues to tour and record music. From 2019–2022, the band had a concert residency in Las Vegas, which was interrupted from 2020–2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide, including over 85 million records in the United States. With 25 gold, 18 platinum, and 12 multi-platinum albums, they hold the record for the most total certifications by an American group and are tied for the most multi-platinum albums by an American group. They have achieved twenty-one Top 40 hits on the US Hot 100, nine number-one Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and were ranked number 57 and 30, respectively, on Rolling Stone's and VH1's lists of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In 2013, Tyler and Perry were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2020, the band received the MusiCares Person of the Year award.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosmith
Studio albums
Aerosmith (1973)
Get Your Wings (1974)
Toys in the Attic (1975)
Rocks (1976)
Draw the Line (1977)
Night in the Ruts (1979)
Rock in a Hard Place (1982)
Done with Mirrors (1985)
Permanent Vacation (1987)
Pump (1989)
Get a Grip (1993)
Nine Lives (1997)
Just Push Play (2001)
Honkin' on Bobo (2004)
Music from Another Dimension! (2012)
Critical Mass
Aerosmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tormentors climbed into my room
I crawled under my bed, covered my head
But they're flushin' me out with a broom
The leader, she's small, pinned my ass to the wall
For my seeds or she'd be losin' her past
Time after time, she'd be readin' my mind
But she never got the feelin' to last
This is the critical mass
So far so good, I heard the other say
So good so far, they're takin' me away
I drink to you, your mind, her ass
We'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
This is the critical mass
Now the tallest of two, with a brush full of blue
Paints surrealist scenes on the wall
So I tell her for fun, that it's really well done
But she just ain't listenin' at all
She points to my heart, tellin' me if I'm smart
I'll practice and phase
Out and admit, when the shoe doesn't fit
And I went screaming out down the hall
Need it
Need your love
Just then I heard a poundin' on the door
We're all here, sang the voice of twenty more
I drink to you alas, we'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
We are the critical mass
Time and space, is takin' me away
Time erase, don't know the time of day
The song “Critical Mass” by Aerosmith revolves around the theme of feeling trapped and hunted down. The lyrics begin with the singer being besieged by tormentors who break into his room while he is hiding under his bed. The leader of the group, a small woman, corners him to demand that he share his seeds, threatening him with the loss of her past. With time, she gets to know what he is thinking, but never has the courage to stick to that feeling to escape her condition. The central phrase, “celebrate, celebrate, celebraid it. This is the critical mass,” is repeated throughout the song, indicating that the singer finally reaches his breaking point, ready to celebrate whatever follows.
The second verse describes the singer being taken by his captors, and he drinks to “mind, her ass” before breaking the glass – indicative of his feeling that he is never going to see his captors again. The next few lines talk of the tall woman with a brush full of blue painting surrealist scenes on the wall. The singer tells her that her work is really good, but she pays him no attention. She points to his heart and tells him to listen to his feelings if he is really smart before he storms out, screaming down the hall. As the song ends, the lyrics reflect the singer’s escape from those who had tormented him, and he finds peace as he has overcome the fear of being trapped and hunted.
Line by Line Meaning
Arriving in boats, black hooded coats
Tormentors arrived by boat and in black hooded coats
Tormentors climbed into my room
The tormentors entered the room by climbing in
I crawled under my bed, covered my head
The singer tried to hide by crawling under the bed and covering their head
But they're flushin' me out with a broom
The tormentors are trying to flush the artist out with a broom
The leader, she's small, pinned my ass to the wall
The leader, who is small, pinned the artist to the wall
For my seeds or she'd be losin' her past
The leader wanted the singer's seeds, or she would lose her past
Time after time, she'd be readin' my mind
The leader would read the singer's mind repeatedly
But she never got the feelin' to last
However, the leader never stayed long
Celebrate, celebrate, celebraid it
Celebrate the moment and make it extraordinary
This is the critical mass
This is a crucial moment
So far so good, I heard the other say
Someone else commented positively saying it is going well
So good so far, they're takin' me away
Things are going well so far, but the tormentors are taking the artist away
I drink to you, your mind, her ass
The singer raises a toast to the others' minds and her ass
We'll take a drink and break the glass
They will drink together and break the glass to celebrate
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
Celebrate and break things to let loose
Now the tallest of two, with a brush full of blue
The tallest of two has a brush full of blue paint
Paints surrealist scenes on the wall
The tallest of two paints surrealist scenes on the wall
So I tell her for fun, that it's really well done
The singer compliments her work for fun
But she just ain't listenin' at all
But she is not listening at all
She points to my heart, tellin' me if I'm smart
She points to the artist's heart, saying if they are smart
I'll practice and phase
The artist should practice and adapt
Out and admit, when the shoe doesn't fit
They should acknowledge when something is not right for them
And I went screaming out down the hall
After this confrontation, the singer screams and runs down the hall
Need it
The artist needs something
Need your love
The singer needs the other person's love
Just then I heard a poundin' on the door
Suddenly, there is a pounding on the door
We're all here, sang the voice of twenty more
The voice of twenty more tormentors sing that they are all there
I drink to you alas, we'll take a drink and break the glass
The artist raises a toast to the others and they will drink together and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
Celebrate and break things to let loose
We are the critical mass
They are the crucial mass
Time and space, is takin' me away
Time and space are taking the singer away
Time erase, don't know the time of day
Time is being erased and they do not know the time of day
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JACK DOUGLAS, STEVEN TYLER, TOM HAMILTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marc Dajotoy
Arriving in boats, black hooded coats
Tormentors climbed into my room
I crawled under my bed, covered my head
But they're flushin' me out with a broom
The leader, she's small, pinned my ass to the wall
For my seeds or she'd be losin' her past
Time after time, she'd be readin' my mind
But she never got the feelin' to last
Celebrate, celebrate, celebraid it
This is the critical mass
So far so good, I heard the other say
So good so far, they're takin' me away
I drink to you, your mind, her ass
We'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
This is the critical mass
Now the tallest of two, with a brush full of blue
Paints surrealist scenes on the wall
So I tell her for fun, that it's really well done
But she just ain't listenin' at all
She points to my heart, tellin' me if I'm smart
I'll practice and phase
Out and admit, when the shoe doesn't fit
And I went screaming out down the hall
Need it
Need your love
Just then I heard a poundin' on the door
We're all here, sang the voice of twenty more
I drink to you alas, we'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
We are the critical mass
Time and space, is takin' me away
Time erase, don't know the time of day
johnny zell
Arriving in boats, black hooded coats
Tormentors climbed into my room
I crawled under my bed, covered my head
But they're flushin' me out with a broom
The leader, she's small, pinned my ass to the wall
For my seeds or she'd be losin' her past
Time after time, she'd be readin' my mind
But she never got the feelin' to last
Celebrate, celebrate, celebraid it
This is the critical mass
So far so good, I heard the other say
So good so far, they're takin' me away
I drink to you, your mind, her ass
We'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
This is the critical mass
Now the tallest of two, with a brush full of blue
Paints surrealist scenes on the wall
So I tell her for fun, that it's really well done
But she just ain't listenin' at all
She points to my heart, tellin' me if I'm smart
I'll practice and phase
Out and admit, when the shoe doesn't fit
And I went screaming out down the hall
Need it
Need your love
Just then I heard a poundin' on the door
We're all here, sang the voice of twenty more
I drink to you alas, we'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
We are the critical mass
Time and space, is takin' me away
Time erase, don't know the time of day
Taranehmsd _ MJ Fan
Perfect song🖤❤
tamara geladze
Great album ! Great song !! ❤
John Shaner
Their stuff from the 70's is hard to beat.
Wanghotangho
I have no idea how they created this song back in their drug addled late 70’s days. There is discernible riff that drives this song. Utterly amazing
LRN_News
Because cocaine and opiates don't affect your musical abilities much typically
Zed
@LRN_News it enhances them
James Musisca
masterpiece
B.
The bass on this album is to die for.
Deven Pawar
Such an underrated song and album! This, I Wanna Know Why, and Draw The Line are my favourites on the album.
Todd Lavigne
it's a brilliant album, it really captures the tension in the band and its as good as ROCKS imo