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)
Lightning Strikes
Aerosmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The word on the street some heads are gonna tumble
Blades gonna flash when streets gang clash
In the avenue tonight
When the lightning strikes
Zip gun Johnny's finger is itchin'
The lid's gonna blow up in hell's kitchen
And a tooth for a tooth
It's so ruthless when they fight
When the lightning strikes
And it's free for all in the parking lot
And who'll rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat
And the chains they crash like thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they'll read your funeral rights
When the lightning strikes
It's dog eat dog when you meet your rival
And the combat zone it's your means of survival
Gonna get last licks on a suicide blitz
With a broken dagger knife
When the lightning strikes
And it's free for all in the parking lot
And who'll rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat
And the chains they crash like thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they'll read your funeral rights
Oh, oh
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
Lightning and thunder
When the lightning strikes
The song "Lightning Strikes" by Aerosmith is a hard rock song that describes a street fight between two gangs. The lyrics describe the boys and the Dukes getting ready to rumble, and the word on the street is that some heads are going to tumble. The blades are going to flash and the streets will clash in the avenue that night. The song talks about the violence and ruthlessness of the fight with an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth mentality. The lightning strikes refer to the violence and chaos of the street fight.
The song also talks about the aftermath of the fight when the cops bring down the heat on the gangs in the parking lot. The chains crash like thunder while the weak ones all retreat. The song talks about the importance of being the first to draw blood, or else they'll read your funeral rights. The lyrics suggest that it's a dog eat dog world, and the combat zone is your means of survival. The song ends with the repetition of the phrase "when the lightning strikes," emphasizing the violence and chaos of the street fight.
Overall, the lyrics in "Lightning Strikes" depict a violent street fight and the ruthless mentality of the gangs involved. It's a high-energy song that emphasizes the chaos and danger of street life.
Line by Line Meaning
The boys and the Dukes are ready to rumble
The male youth and a gang are prepared to engage in a fight
The word on the street some heads are gonna tumble
There are rumors of violent consequences for some individuals
Blades gonna flash when streets gang clash
The gangs will use knives or other weapons during the fight
In the avenue tonight
The location of the gang fight is a street in the evening
When the lightning strikes
Referring to the inevitability and unpredictability of violence
Zip gun Johnny's finger is itchin'
A person named Zip Gun Johnny is eager to use a homemade gun
The lid's gonna blow up in hell's kitchen
The situation will become explosive and dangerous
It's an eye for an eye
The violence is retaliatory
And a tooth for a tooth
The punishment matches the crime
It's so ruthless when they fight
The violence is exceptionally brutal
And it's free for all in the parking lot
The fighting spreads to the parking lot where anyone can join in
And who'll rule the street
The individuals who win the fight will control the area
And the night explodes
The violence intensifies and escalates
When the cops bring down the heat
The situation becomes too hot for law enforcement to handle
And the chains they crash like thunder
The sound of the chains being used as weapons is loud and powerful
While the weak ones all retreat
Those who are not strong enough to fight run away
Gotta draw first blood
The first person to cause injury gains an advantage
Or they'll read your funeral rights
If you don't defend yourself, you will be killed
It's dog eat dog when you meet your rival
The situation is exceptionally competitive and vicious
And the combat zone it's your means of survival
The location of the fight is where people prove their ability to survive
Gonna get last licks on a suicide blitz
The final blow to the opponent will be decisive and harmful
With a broken dagger knife
The weapon being used is damaged, but still effective
Lightning and thunder
Repeating the title of the song as a reminder of the destructive nature of violence
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICHIE SUPA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Kinnakeeter
This album deserves so much more respect. It's actually an excellent piece of music
@ronmerchantjr1851
Yes a fine album.got it when it came out.
@jospehmoore9288
My fav Aerosmith album
@magneto7930
A great album, I purchased it upon release!
@frankbartoszak7637
Well,with out a doubt rocks is not only the best Aerosmith album ever but also one of the best rock and roll albums ever,but this album is also great
@robertandyjustus
Really?... without Perry? or Whitford?
@DrTomoculus
Rock in a Hard Place is my favourite Aerosmith album. Severely underrated, but there is not one "bad" song on it.
@user-ox1dr9ct1z
It’s a good one for sure. But I personally think toys In The attic is better
@carlosruiz9446
Es buéno pero no se compara al Rocks...
@user-ox1dr9ct1z
@@carlosruiz9446 es bueno tambien (yo se un poco espanol)