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)
One Way Street
Aerosmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's that I see
Well that old bogus, honey
Comin' after me
I goin' told you
Was out of town
I wonder how she knowed
I was hangin' around
Say, listen babe
Don't go wastin' your time
You keep comin' 'round
You'll hear the same old line
You got a thousand boys
You say you need 'em
You take what's good for you
And I'll take my freedom
'Cause lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I gotta go the other way
(Heh, heh, heh)
I thought I knew her
My cagey lady
How come my sunshine
Was so damn shady
She'll say she love to talk
A conversation
But I'm the one
Who makes my situation
This one way city
That I thought I knew
It's such a pity, honey
That's it for you
'Cause lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I gotta go the other way
There's nothing over here
I never showed you
I made it pretty clear
I'm glad to know you
You know your brother Spike
He's on the level
But you always lookin'
Like you're mad at the devil
Don't say I cop a 'tude
It's all forgotten
It's just you're much too rude
Your fruits are rotten
You know I work so hard to keep it alive
Now all I hear from you
Is nothing but jive
Lately it's been so hard
Now to make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I'm goin' on the other way
Yes I do!
And lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I really been feelin'
Like I could be movin' on
You're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody you meet
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody but me
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody you meet
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody but me...
You got to get yourself back on your feet
The song One Way Street by Aerosmith is about a woman who keeps pursuing the singer even though he wants to break free from the relationship. He had previously told her that he was out of town, but she somehow finds out he is still in the area. He tells her not to waste her time because he is not interested and wants his freedom. He talks about how difficult it is for him to make ends meet and she is heading down a one way street, while he has to go the other way. He says he thought he knew her, but now realizes she was not who he thought she was.
The lyrics go on to describe how she is always looking like she is mad at the devil and how she has bad intentions that he cannot ignore. He tries to justify his position by saying he works hard to keep things alive but all he hears from her is jive. The chorus repeats, emphasizing that she is heading down a one way street, fooling everyone but him, and she needs to get herself back on her feet.
The song describes a difficult break-up and the singer's desire for freedom. He seems frustrated with the woman and her pursuit of him. The lyrics have a strong emotional quality to them and convey the pain of a difficult relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey look yonder
The singer draws attention to something in the distance
What's that I see
The singer wonders what the thing in the distance is
Well that old bogus, honey
The singer identifies the thing in the distance as something negative or fake
Comin' after me
The negative or fake thing is approaching the artist
I goin' told you
The artist previously warned someone about their departure
Was out of town
The singer was not present in the place they were expected to be
I wonder how she knowed
The singer expresses confusion about how the negative or fake thing found them
I was hangin' around
The artist admits to being in the area where they were found
Say, listen babe
The artist addresses someone in a casual, informal manner
Don't go wastin' your time
The artist advises someone not to spend their time on something or someone not worth their effort
You keep comin' 'round
The person the singer is addressing is repeatedly visiting or bothering them
You'll hear the same old line
The artist intends to give the same response or excuse every time they are bothered
You got a thousand boys
The singer accuses the person they are addressing of having many romantic suitors
You say you need 'em
The singer implies that the person they are addressing is not being truthful about their need for multiple suitors
You take what's good for you
The singer suggests that the person they are addressing is selfish and only cares about their own needs
And I'll take my freedom
The artist values their independence and will not be subject to the whims of the person they are addressing
'Cause lately it's been so hard
The artist has been struggling recently
To make ends meet
The singer is having financial difficulties
And honey, you're headin' down a
The singer warns the person they are addressing that they are making a mistake
One way street
The negative path the person they are addressing is on leads only to trouble
And I gotta go the other way
The artist must take a different path than the person they are addressing
I thought I knew her
The artist previously believed they understood someone
My cagey lady
The person the singer is referring to was untrustworthy or elusive
How come my sunshine
The person the artist believed to be a positive influence turned out not to be
Was so damn shady
The person the singer believed to be a positive influence was actually deceitful
She'll say she love to talk
The person the singer is addressing claims to enjoy conversation
A conversation
The person the singer is addressing may not actually mean what they say
But I'm the one
The artist claims to be the one responsible for their own success
Who makes my situation
The artist credits their own choices and actions for their current situation
This one way city
The singer is likely referring to a metaphorical place where decisions and actions have consequences
That I thought I knew
The singer is surprised by a revelation about something they previously believed to be true
It's such a pity, honey
The artist laments a disappointing situation
That's it for you
The artist has made a final decision about the person they are addressing
There's nothing over here
The artist indicates that there is nothing of interest or value where they are
I never showed you
The singer did not share certain things with the person they are addressing
I made it pretty clear
The artist believes they were explicit and straightforward in their communication
I'm glad to know you
The singer is being sarcastic and implies they are better off without the person they are addressing
You know your brother Spike
The singer brings up someone who is familiar to the person they are addressing
He's on the level
The singer acknowledges that Spike is trustworthy and honest
But you always lookin'
The artist suggests that the person they are addressing is always searching for something better
Like you're mad at the devil
The person the artist is addressing seems angry or dissatisfied with their current situation
Don't say I cop a 'tude
The singer defends against an accusation of having a bad attitude
It's all forgotten
The singer forgives previous transgressions and wants to move on
It's just you're much too rude
The artist criticizes the person they are addressing for their impolite behavior
Your fruits are rotten
The artist implies that the person they are addressing may have ulterior motives or be in a bad situation
You know I work so hard to keep it alive
The artist has put significant effort into something
Now all I hear from you
The singer is frustrated by the person they are addressing
Is nothing but jive
The artist believes the person they are addressing is being insincere or dishonest
And I really been feelin'
The singer has been experiencing a certain emotion or state of mind
Like I could be movin' on
The singer may be considering a change or transition in their life
You're foolin' everybody you meet
The singer implies that the person they are addressing is not being genuine
And honey, you're headin' down a
The artist warns the person they are addressing that they are making a mistake
One way street
The negative path the person they are addressing is on leads only to trouble
You got to get yourself back on your feet
The singer encourages the person they are addressing to improve their situation and become self-sufficient
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVEN TYLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juampi.F
Hey look yonder
What's that I see
Well that old bogus, honey
Comin' after me
I goin' told you
Was out of town
I wonder how she knowed
I was hangin' around
Say, listen babe
Don't go wastin' your time
You keep comin' 'round
You'll hear the same old line
You got a thousand boys
You say you need 'em
You take what's good for you
And I'll take my freedom
'Cause lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I gotta go the other way
(Heh, heh, heh)
I thought I knew her
My cagey lady
How come my sunshine
Was so damn shady
She'll say she love to talk
A conversation
But I'm the one
Who makes my situation
This one way city
That I thought I knew
It's such a pity, honey
That's it for you
'Cause lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I gotta go the other way
There's nothing over here
I never showed you
I made it pretty clear
I'm glad to know you
You know your brother Spike
He's on the level
But you always lookin'
Like you're mad at the devil
Don't say I cop a 'tude
It's all forgotten
It's just you're much too rude
Your fruits are rotten
You know I work so hard to keep it alive
Now all I hear from you
Is nothing but jive
Lately it's been so hard
Now to make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I'm goin' on the other way
Yes I do!
And lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I really been feelin'
Like I could be movin' on
You're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody you meet
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody but me
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody you meet
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody but me...
You got to get yourself back on your feet
Matias Fraga
One of the best tracks they ever did
Zang Zang
Yep. The whole first album, the raw Aerosmith is my favorite stuff. This stuff is known only to the true Aerosmith fans. This is what they played in the clubs and school dances while climbing the ladder of success.
SofiaLomp
Oh my good i love Aerosmith🍫💖
Jim Baron
One of their best lyrics and arrangements, ever!
Katherine L
Agreed!
JC-єlємєпϮ①①⑤
This album was so influential to me...It almost has a demo-tape feel to it..raw, so original and bluesy yet heavy. ..Timeless!
Michael
This sound is why I like aerosmith. I wish they still played filthy blues.
Vanmyster94
@Michael fkn A YEAH!!! This is my favorite Aerosmith...I was 17 and I still love this at 65....
Andy R
Spot on
DeadManRunning
When I think Aerosmith, this is the song that comes to mind!