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)
Hoodoo/ Voodoo Medicine Man
Aerosmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know who today don't seem to care
Livin' lovin' gettin' loose
Masturbatin' with a noose
Now someone's kickin' out the chair
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Some kind of Voodoo
Come across this land
We need a medicine man
Everybody's lookin' at the sky
Can't believe the cover ups and lies
They been tellin' us since birth
Pissin' off old Mother Earth
My gones are by-gones prophesized
Come on
Some kind of Voodoo
Come across this land
Some kind of Hoodoo
We need a medicine man
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Wonder should I go or should I stay
What we got ain't working any way
I did my best, God knows I've tried
I feel like I've been crucified
Why did you, why did you,
Why did you take it all away
You
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
The lyrics of Aerosmith's song "Hoodoo / Voodoo Medicine Man" express frustration and disillusionment with the state of the world and the people in it. The first verse describes a sense of apathy and detachment among some individuals, who are "livin' lovin' gettin' loose" and even engaging in self-harm ("Masturbatin' with a noose"). The second verse broadens the focus to a larger societal problem, with people "lookin' at the sky" and feeling betrayed by the lies and cover-ups that have been perpetuated since birth.
The chorus suggests a need for some kind of supernatural intervention or healing: "Some kind of Voodoo / We need a medicine man." The repetition of these lines helps to reinforce the sense of urgency and desperation being expressed. The bridge brings a personal element to the song, with the singer questioning whether they should stay or go, and lamenting the loss of something important: "Why did you take it all away."
Throughout the song, there is a feeling of anger and sorrow at the state of the world, combined with a sense of helplessness and a desire for change. The use of voodoo and hoodoo imagery adds a mystical quality to the lyrics, implying that there may be forces beyond human control that are contributing to the problems being described.
Line by Line Meaning
Read it in the papers, it ain't fair
The media is reporting on an unfair situation
You know who today don't seem to care
People in power are not showing concern for the issue
Livin' lovin' gettin' loose
People are living their lives, enjoying themselves and being carefree
Masturbatin' with a noose
People are engaging in dangerous behavior that could lead to their demise
Now someone's kickin' out the chair
Someone's dangerous behavior has caught up with them and is leading to their downfall
Some kind of Voodoo
There's a mysterious power at play
Come across this land
This power is affecting widespread areas
We need a medicine man
Someone with a solution is required
Everybody's lookin' at the sky
People are searching for answers or a sign of what's to come
Can't believe the cover ups and lies
People don't trust what they're being told or what's being hidden from them
They been tellin' us since birth
Lies or partial truths have been fed to people their entire lives
Pissin' off old Mother Earth
Human activity is causing harm to the environment
My gones are by-gones prophesized
Past events are the past and cannot be changed
Wonder should I go or should I stay
There's uncertainty about how to move forward
What we got ain't working any way
The current situation is not sustainable or will lead to failure
I did my best, God knows I've tried
Efforts have been made, but it's not enough
I feel like I've been crucified
There's a sense of betrayal or being wronged by someone or something
Why did you, why did you, Why did you take it all away
Questioning why something was taken or destroyed
Yoodoo, Voodoo, Medicine Man
Repeating the need for someone or something to provide a solution
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVEN TYLER, BRAD WHITFORD, BRAD E WHITFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind