In addition to being one of the songs that helped break Aerosmith into the mainstream in the 1970s, it also helped resurrect their career and revolutionized the new hybrid sub-musical genre of "rock and rap", or the molding of rock and hip hop music when it was re-made in 1986 with rappers Run-D.M.C. on their album Raising Hell. It became an international hit and won both groups a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap - Single in 1987.
The song was covered by UK girl groups Sugababes and Girls Aloud as the official Comic Relief single in 2007.
Song information
The song starts out with the famous two measure drum beat intro by Joey Kramer, followed up the equally famous guitar riff by Joe Perry. The song then goes into the verse, with a steady drum beat and bassline by Tom Hamilton forming as the backbeat, with dueling guitars by Joe Perry and Brad Whitford.
The lyrics, which tell the story of a high school boy losing his virginity, are sung quite fast by Steven Tyler, with heavy emphasis being placed on the rhyming lyrics (e.g., "so I took a big chance at the high school dance"). This rap-style delivery -- which may explain why the song worked so well as a rap song when it was re-made 11 years later -- was ahead of its time.
Between the elaborately detailed verses, the chorus primarily consists of a repetition of "Walk this way, talk this way". In collaborations, the other singer often says "talk this way" every alternate line of the chorus. Live in concert, Steven Tyler often has the audience, combined with members of the band, sing "talk this way". There is also a lengthy guitar solo at the end of the song, and in concert, Steven Tyler will often harmonize his voice to mimic the sounds of the guitar.
In the Run-D.M.C. cover, the turntable is added in to reflect the additional hip hop influence on the record.
While the band were working on Toys in the Attic, having written the music for the song but having difficulty coming up with lyrics for it, they decided to take a break and see Young Frankenstein, where the "Walk This Way" gag, by legendary British comedian Marty Feldman, provided the basis (or phrase) for the lyrics.
While the Run-DMC cover is nearly identical to the original version of the song, the Girls Aloud/Sugababes cover has a few changes tweaked into the song; the additional line "Walk this way, you wanna talk this way" is added, the vocoder is added, the lyrics are moved around, and the beat is slightly sped up to add a further dance pop influence to the song.
Both versions of the song (the original Aerosmith version and the second Aerosmith/Run-DMC remake version) appear on various Aerosmith compilations as well as Run-DMC albums
Legacy
"Walk This Way" was one of two hit singles by the band to hit the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1970s, the other one being a re-release of "Dream On". "Walk This Way", though, helped "Toys in the Attic" to be the bestselling Aerosmith album, and one of the most critically acclaimed. Aerosmith's version of "Walk This Way" often competes with "Sweet Emotion" and "Dream On" for the title of Aerosmith's signature song, being one of the band's most important, influential, and recognizable songs. The band almost never omits it from their concert setlist, still performing their classic version of the song to this day. The song has also long been a staple of rock radio, garnering regular airplay on classic rock, mainstream rock, and album-oriented rock radio stations. In 2009, it was named the 8th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.
Run-D.M.C. version
In 1986, the hip hop group Run-D.M.C. performed a cover of "Walk This Way" with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry guesting on vocals and guitars. While working on Raising Hell, Rick Rubin pulled out Toys in the Attic (an album they freestyled over) and explained who Aerosmith were. While Run and DMC had no idea who Aerosmith were at that time, Jam Master Jay suggested remaking the song. Both Run and DMC did not like the idea. Later, however, they covered the song with Aerosmith. DMC later called it "a beautiful song" in a trailer for Guitar Hero. The 1986 version of the song is often credited as helping break rap into mainstream popular music as it was the first rap song to hit the Top 5 in The Billboard Hot 100, and the remake demonstrated how elements of rap music can be part of rock and pop songs, harking back to the DJing of Afrika Bambaataa, who would mix in tracks by the likes of The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Grand Funk Railroad among the more usual funk breaks. It also briefly samples the opening drum intro of the original in a middle section of the song. This version of "Walk This Way" charted higher on the Hot 100 than the original version, peaking at #4. It was also one of the first big rap singles in the UK, reaching a peak of #8 there. The landmark collaboration catapulted Run-D.M.C. into mainstream stardom and would influence rap music for years to come. The song paved the way for other pop acts to introduce elements of hip hop into their music. It pioneered the trend of rap/sung collaborations that is so present on American Radio in the late 1990s and 2000s. The collaboration also introduced a fusion of rock and hip hop, later known as rap rock, to a wide audience for the first time. The song also marked a major comeback for Aerosmith, as they had been largely out of mainstream pop culture for several years while recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, and their 1985 comeback album Done with Mirrors, flopped. Aerosmith followed up "Walk This Way" with a string of multi-platinum albums and Top 40 hits, starting with the album Permanent Vacation and single "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" in 1987. In 2008, "Walk This Way" was ranked number 4 on VH1's 100 greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
Music video
The 1986 music video for "Walk This Way" symbolically placed Aerosmith and Run-D.M.C. in a musical duel in neighboring studios before Tyler literally breaks through the wall that separates them. The video then segues to the bands' joint performance on stage. The highly popular video was the first rap hybrid video ever played in heavy rotation on MTV and is regarded as a classic of the medium.
It is to be noticed that, aside from Steve Tyler and Perry, none of the other rock musicians in the video are the Aerosmith members; instead, they were played by Roger Lane, J. D. Malo and Matt Stelutto - respectively rhythm guitarist, bassist and drummer for the largely unknown hair metal outfit Smashed Gladys.
Walk This Way
RUN-DMC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Till I talked to my daddy he say
He said, you ain't seen noting
'Till you're down on a muffin
Then you're sure to be a-changin' your ways
I met a cheerleader, was a real young bleeder
All the times I can reminisce
Started with a little kiss, like this
See-saw swingin' with the boys in the school
With your feet flyin' up in the air
Singin' hey diddle-diddle with the kitty in the middle
You be swingin' like you just didn't care
So I took a big chance at the high school dance
With a missy who was ready to play
Was it me she was foolin'?
'Cause she knew what she was doin'
Taught me how to walk this way
She told me to
Walk this way, walk this way
Walk this way, walk this way
Walk this way, walk this way
Walk this way, walk this way
Ah, just give me a kiss
Like this
School girl sadie with the classy kinda sassy
Little skirt climbing way up her knees
There was three young ladies in the school gym locker
When I noticed they was lookin' at me
I was a high school loser, never made it with a lady
Till the boys told me something I missed
Then my next door neighbour with a daughter had a favour
Took me just a little kiss, like this
See-saw swingin' with the boys in the school
With your feet flyin' up in the air
Singin' hey diddle-diddle with the kitty in the middle
You be swingin' like you just didn't care
So I took a big chance at the high school dance
With a missy who was ready to play
Was it me she was foolin'?
'Cause she knew what she was doin'
Told me how to walk this way
She told me to
Walk this way, walk this way
Walk this way, walk this way
Walk this way, walk this way
Walk this way, talk this way
Just give me a kiss
Like this
In the first verse of Walk This Way, the lyrics describe a lover who's hiding and not very adventurous. The singer's father then gives him advice to try new things, and the singer meets a cheerleader who takes him on a wild ride, teaching him how to "walk this way." Throughout the song, the lyrics reference the thrill of taking risks and trying new things.
The chorus of the song, "walk this way," became a cultural reference that many people still recognize today. The song's lyrics are catchy and upbeat, making it an instant classic. The chorus is repeated throughout the song, making it a memorable part of the track.
The second verse describes the singer's experience in high school, where he was a loser who never got any female attention. He eventually becomes involved with a neighbor's daughter, who takes him on yet another wild ride, teaching him how to "walk this way" once again.
Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of young love and adventure. The singer's experiences with the cheerleader and neighbor's daughter teach him how to take risks and live life to the fullest. The song's catchy chorus and upbeat melody make it an iconic hit that continues to be enjoyed by listeners around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Backstroke lover always hidin' 'neath the cover
The singer describes someone who is secretive and always keeping things hidden from others.
'Till I talked to my daddy he say
The singer reveals that he had a conversation with his father.
He said, you ain't seen noting
The father seems to be saying that the singer hasn't experienced anything significant yet.
'Till you're down on a muffin
The father gave the artist an example of something that he thinks will change him.
Then you're sure to be a-changin' your ways
The father believes that the experience of being down on a muffin will make the artist change.
I met a cheerleader, was a real young bleeder
The singer met a female cheerleader who was young and possibly inexperienced.
All the times I can reminisce
The singer is now looking back and reflecting on past memories.
Ah the best thing lovin' with her sister and her cousin
The artist has fond memories of being intimate with not just the cheerleader, but also her sister and cousin.
Started with a little kiss, like this
The artist is showing how the relationship started with a simple kiss.
See-saw swingin' with the boys in the school
The artist is remembering playing on a seesaw with his male friends at school.
With your feet flyin' up in the air
The singer describes how they had fun jumping up and down on the seesaw.
Singin' hey diddle-diddle with the kitty in the middle
The artist and his friends were singing a playful song while playing on the seesaw.
You be swingin' like you just didn't care
The singer and his friends were carefree and having fun on the seesaw.
So I took a big chance at the high school dance
The singer decided to take a risk and asked someone to dance with him at a school dance.
With a missy who was ready to play
The person the singer asked to dance was ready to have fun and enjoy herself at the dance.
Was it me she was foolin'?
The artist isn't sure if his dance partner was actually interested in him or just playing around.
'Cause she knew what she was doin'
Despite the artist's uncertainty, his dance partner seemed to be confident and knew what she was doing.
Taught me how to walk this way
His dance partner showed him a certain walking style, and the singer remembers it fondly.
Walk this way, walk this way
The singer repeats his dance partner's instruction to walk in a certain way.
Just give me a kiss
The artist is asking for a kiss from his dance partner or reminiscing about past kisses.
School girl sadie with the classy kinda sassy
The artist remembers a school girl named Sadie who had a confident and sassy attitude.
Little skirt climbing way up her knees
Sadie wore a skirt that was above her knees, which the artist found attractive.
There was three young ladies in the school gym locker
The singer noticed three young women in the school gym locker room.
When I noticed they was lookin' at me
The artist realized that the three young women were checking him out.
I was a high school loser, never made it with a lady
The singer admits that he didn't have much success with women in high school.
Till the boys told me something I missed
The singer's male friends gave him some advice that he had never heard before.
Then my next door neighbour with a daughter had a favour
The singer's neighbor, who had a daughter, did the singer a favor of some kind.
Took me just a little kiss, like this
The favor could have been something as simple as a little kiss, like the ones the artist has mentioned before.
Walk this way, talk this way
The artist is combining his dance partner's instruction to walk a certain way with his own instruction to talk a certain way.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOE PERRY, STEVEN TYLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nwilliams4714
One of the best collaborations of all time. They made each other’s music more relevant.
@michaelvaughn1707
This reminds me of Public Enemy and Anthrax collab 🤎💯💥👍
@Connect2discxnnect
@@michaelvaughn1707 /r/whoosh
@whatever85x
love when art is popping off in a great way
@LMH61
agreed, I wouldnt be interested in either of these groups if not for this collab!
@Ecthelion1967
It is on the same standard as the KLF.
@juanjots
The metaphor in this video is epic. Rock and Hip-hop/Rap breaking the barrier that separates them!
@poloauz3446
I never realized that
@quasidiem99
The barrier has always been imaginary because everyone I knew in the 80s liked RUN DMC and Aerosmith, even before this song came out.
@noirfiddle7284
Much like Hip Hop was thirty years ago. Rock was invented by blacks and was criticized as not being "real" music. This was a legendary moment in music history. It reignited Aerosmith's career.