Aerosmith has released quite a few iconic ballads through the years in addition to their more high-energy songs. However, many of their rockin’ ballads have lyrics that might be even sadder than you think if you haven’t had the chance to really listen to them. Let’s take a look at three examples of Aerosmith’s most heartbreaking tracks.
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1. ‘Dream On’
This is one of Aerosmith’s biggest songs of all time, and likely their most popular ballad to date. The 1973 track is extremely introspective and deals with themes like the passage of time, dreams left unfulfilled, and the not-so-pleasant reality of life.
2. ‘Seasons Of Wither’
This 1974 track is a very atmospheric one, but it’s the lyrics that are particularly heartbreaking. It’s a song about longing, lost love, and the indescribable loneliness that human beings often experience. “Fireflies dance in the heat of / Hound dogs that bay at the moon / My ship leaves in the midnight / Can’t say I’ll be back too soon.” The song is also inspired by the desolate and cold Massachusetts winter season, which certainly makes sense.
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3. ‘What It Takes’
The 1989 song “What It Takes” is a classic tearjerker about a broken relationship and the struggle one faces to finally let go. However, there’s a deeper element of sadness in the song when it comes to the opening lyrics: “There goes my old girlfriend / There’s another diamond ring / And all those late night promises / I guess they don’t mean a thing.” The lyrics imply a pattern of abandonment and relationship troubles, which may or may not be based on Steven Tyler’s own introspective.
Photo by Katarina Benzova
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Dream On: not to mention the references to the ravages of cocaine addiction: “Every time I look in the mirror / All these lines on my face getting clearer / *Snnnort* The past is gone…”