The Folk Icon Steven Tyler Thinks He Could Never Write Like: “It’s a Language To Me”

Every songwriter has their style. No one is the definitive “right” way. They all have their merits. Arena rock is most meritable for its anthemic effects. Though several bands have managed to write songs that are both energizing and profound, many favor instrumentation over poignant words. Take Aerosmith, for example. The band has countless hits that blend innuendo and amped-up melodies perfectly. You know what you’re getting with them. You wouldn’t go looking for a rush of sentiment in their discography, though they have a few songs in that vein. This is a tradeoff frontman Steven Tyler knew all too well. He once compared his artistry to that of a folk icon, highlighting the differences in their approaches. Find out which folk icon Tyler thought he could never write like below.

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The Artist Steven Tyler Could Never Write Like

Aerosmith and Bob Dylan operate in different circles. While Dylan has tried his hand at electrified rock, and Aerosmith has written some meditative lyrics, neither can do precisely what the other does.

Tyler once spoke about Dylan’s songwriting voice, comparing it to his process with bandmate Joe Perry.

“Part of me says, ‘Yeah, I’d like to take the Dylan approach and be profound’, but that ain’t it,” Tyler once said. “Joe Perry throws me a lick. It’s a language to me, and I sing about what I hear his lick saying. I jam, I scat, and then I fill in the blanks. If I were to think too much about everything, what came out of me would be real thin, real affected.”

Though it may not be the thought-provoking lyricism that Dylan has made a name on, Tyler’s songwriting contributions to rock are indelible. It’s hard to imagine the ’70s, ’80s, and even the ’90s without Tyler’s belting vocals.

Steven Tyler on Songwriting

Just because Aerosmith’s songwriting isn’t as poignant as Dylan’s doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of thought put into it. Tyler once spoke about where he gets inspiration, saying a topic has to “rock his soul” before he can commit it to verse.

“I have to get inspired by something that touches my soul, or rocks my soul,” Tyler once said, while adding elsewhere, “Music expresses what cannot be put into words I like to think, and I think the band makes a good go at it.”

Aerosmith’s songs are melody and instrumentation-heavy, but they do have a few tracks that rival any folk song’s narrative. “Janie’s Got a Gun” is one. Though Tyler doesn’t think he can write like Dylan, there are deeply profound moments in the band’s discography, mixed in with the irreverent majority.

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