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Rating: The 1982 is the year that sees Aerosmith's return to the scene after 3 years of silence since the release of "Night in The Ruts" in '79. Steven Tyler, Joey Kramer, and Tom Hamilton, the only survivors of the original line-up, recruit Jim Crespo, already with the band during the last tour, and Rick Dufay, the latter as a rhythm guitarist. The product of this collaboration will be "Rock In A Hard Place," the seventh studio album for the American group.
As one can easily deduce, the period for Aero is not the best: the loss of two fundamental elements like Perry and Whitford creates a void in the formation that the newcomers, although skilled, barely manage to fill (even live, in my opinion); furthermore, the poor conditions of the vocalist are added, having plunged deep into a drug whirlwind, so much so that, as documented, he will collapse on stage several times. The album that emerges from this tumultuous situation is precisely conditioned by the band's progressive self-destruction and by the limits imposed by the poor synergy between new and old members.
Despite this discouraging picture, the album actually starts off excellently: the opener Jailbait has a frantic and engaging rhythm, features a Tyler in great shape with excellent high notes, and boasts a truly great riff. Definitely the best track on the album, so much so that Perry himself will later admit in an interview to be a bit jealous of the song. The next track is Lightning Strikes, a good cover by Richie Supa, which keeps the album at a more than decent level without, however, impressing too much. Probably the piece belonged to a previous session, as Whitford is still featured on the rhythm guitar. A slow and melodic start introduces the next Bitch's Brew, which showcases a fairly hard riff accompanied, in contrast, by a very melodic singing, especially in the refrain. It is precisely in this kind of compositions that Perry's absence is felt the most, not surprisingly the piece as a whole turns out to be rather banal. The same can be said for the subsequent Bolivian Ragamuffin: excellent vocal lines, good riff but nothing more, in short, a driven hard rock that does not characterize that particular touch that in the past had distinguished Aerosmith's music.
Perhaps a small surprise is the cue offered by Cry Me A River, an electric ballad in which the band finally recovers to a decent standard: Tyler impresses and the highs follow him well; Certainly, compared to the previous two, a good piece. Then it's time for Prelude To Joanie, where an electronic voice recites a poem written by the vocalist and reported on the album's back, which introduces the peculiar ballad Joanie's Butterfly; the song excessively loses itself in unnecessary and repetitive phrases and presents rather annoying percussion, however, it is certainly not to be thrown away and finally denotes a good guitar work by Dufay and Crespo. An upsurge is seen with the title track: Rock in A Hard Place (Cheshire Cat) seems like a piece coming out from "Draw The Line," with a captivating chorus and an amusing meow by Tyler in the final part of the piece, and strong of a well-conceived rhythm by Kramer. Jig Is Up declines again into banality, the funky touch added by Crespo is worthless, the piece is boring and inconclusive, except for a brief guitar solo. Particular instead is the conclusive Push Come To Shove, a piano ballad entirely focused on Tyler's vocal skills, who, as usual, does not disappoint and proves to be a versatile and capable vocalist, definitely the strong point of this album.
In summary, the album shows few strongly positive moments, but it's not a fall from style; I would consider it instead a work that didn't quite succeed, also and especially due to the absence, as already mentioned, of two historic components of the band.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Jailbait (04:38)
Take it or leave it on a Saturday night
If what you see is what you get then gimme a bite
Here comes the ladies, they're so insecure
Leave it to the boys and the fool on the hill
Hello baby, yeah it's me won't be no jock, no third degree
Oh, jailbait
Play the foolin', you play the pawn
You wake up baby I'm out the door, oh jailbait
I'm believin', someone talkin
Can't let go, you got a hold, oh jailbait
What it is what you believe
In what you got, got up your sleeve, oh jailbait
Ooh jailbait, ooh jailbait, jailbait
Take it, leave it, roll the dice
You hot as hell, I'm cold as ice, oh jailbait
Tell your daddy how you do me
Put the woodshed, do it to me, jailbait
Whatchya see in daddy's eyes
Check the voice, ain't no surprise, oh jailbait
Ooh, ooh jailbait, jailbait, jailbait, jailbait, jailbait
Do me, do you, tell me, would you
See me, me too, do me, do you
I ain't complainin bitch's brew
Girls in love I never knew she jailbait
Steep the chase, cold sweatin
Stick your feet up grace your bed, oh jailbait
Jailbait, jailbait, jailbait...
02 Lightning Strikes (04:26)
The boys and Dukes are ready to rumble
The word on the street some heads are gonna tumble
Blades gonna flash when the street gangs clash
In this avenue tonight
When the lightning strikes
Zip gun Johnny's finger is itchin'
Oh the lid's gonna blow up in hell's kitchen
It's an eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
They're so ruthless when they fight
When the lightning strikes... Oooooh
And it's a free for all in the parking lot
Tell me who will 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
Uum... it's dog eat dog when you're meetin' your rival
In the combat zone it's a means of survival
Gonna get last licks on a suicide blitz
On a cloak and dagger night
When the lightning strikes
Oooh... it's a free for all in the parking lot
Over who'll rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat
And the chains they crash like a thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they'll read your funeral rights
Oooh oooh...
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
Can'tcha hear the thunder
When the Lightning Strikes
Can'tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can'tcha can'tcha can'tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can'tcha can'tcha can'tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can'tcha can'tcha can'tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can'tcha can'tcha can'tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
03 Bitch's Brew (04:14)
I tell ya kinky
You foxy little flirt
I caught you in the briar patch
Liftin' up your skirt
Well let me tell ya
What you been doin' in the briar patch
What you been doin' in your little skirt
? Got in closer with a big deal man... makin' magic
Uuum... you're foolin' with the bitch's brew
You know the things I warned you not to do
You fell into the briar patch
Ain't nothing gonna save your ass
Remember the things you said
Your savin' your scream for bread
And now you just walked away
So take it away all the way
Aar... you're fooling with the bitch's brew
That ain't the thing you oughta fool... with
Now you keep your fingers out of there... honey
You know that ain't no... fair
The way that you read me
The Taro cards are the way you deal
The way of the witches sight
And all the things that you bite
(Good God)
You've been messin' with the bitch's brew
Now don't you know who you're talking to
Say you're talking to the bitch's who
Tell me you never really cared
The voodoo men eyes of fire
Or hoodoo men most desire
The bitches are out n' smooth
Tell from the light of the moon
(Yodle-lay-lay-lay yeah yeah yeah)
(Come on...?)
(Come on horsey)
I've been thinkin'
Ran my hands through the sands of time
Yeah and I've been drinkin'
Just to make this here song rhyme... yeah
(Oooh what the hell ya wanna do)
(I've been drinkin' with the... hi...)
Aaa... you're foolin' with the bitch's brew
Now don't you don't you don't you don't you
don't you don't you don't you
Don't go foolin' with the bitch's brew
Hey yeah yeah yeah
I'm only foolin' with your bitch's brew
You're only foolin' with me now
Don't be foolin' with the bitch's brew
Bitch's brew bitch's brew
Bitch's brew bitch's brew
Bitch's brew bitch's brew
Bitch's brew bitch's brew
Bitch's brew bitch's bitch's bitch's
04 Bolivian Ragamuffin (03:32)
Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag
You gotta dance to the tune of Bolivian Ragamuffin
Out take's short breaks
Love her 'til the earth quakes
Stand on the seashore lookin' at the city
See the street light dog bite your lady on the titty
At the wax museum everybody cares to see themselves
As others care to see you but nobody wants to be you baby... yeah yeah yeah
Corn bread cabbage head
Try and get a side of me
Hold the pickle hold the lettuce
Special orders don't upset us
Kickstand face looks so evil like knieval
Never make third base like a tongue in my old lady
Like a squatez vous and a domo arigato
Tip my hat to you rock a roller obbligatto... yeah yeah yeah
Stage show come in stride smoke a bone i'm feelin' fine
Girls in heat will try and get us
Hash in bones won't upset us... ha ha ha haaaa
He need cash.... Kick in the pants
Wantin' for.... Gotta dance
Say it ahh.... To you to give us the chance
Ain't gonna do it... ain't gonna do it
Ain't gonna do it... ain't gonna do it
Ain't gonna do it... ain't gonna do it
Ain't gonna do it... ain't gonna do it
Ain't gonna do it... ain't gonna do it
06 Prelude to Joanie (01:21)
At first we three thought
It was the biblical cord of life
The noticing 'twas connected to his head
How strange, not to believed
I reached out to feel and the pony's eyes opened
The cord got hard, the head looked around
And you know who pushed and gushed
The waters of life
First two hooved feet, then the shine of his fur
But at first to my eyes only
Feather - feathers - wings
The butterflies flew up in such colors
Exploding all around us
The rest I did not see - till there he stood - All eyes in wonder
Who me
Who you
Look
09 Jig Is Up (03:10)
Yeah, hey hey, hey hey...
Dancing queen, sold like black vaseline
She was a long tall Sally joystick
Know what I seen
She was all right
Drashing spurs
Pong man, puss n' boots
She was a long-long live, long live who
Sweet pretty lady
(Lick 'em, love 'em)
Booze and a-fruities
(Push 'em, shove 'em)
All kinda crazy
(Love for my cousin)
Hey lime juicy
De, de, de, de.....
New York chicks
Old jock wild in the city
Got a moon lady
Drive me crazy
Do what you do, do
She was all tight
I mean all right (heh heh)
Sweet painted lady
(Lick 'em, love 'em)
Lose and a fruities
(Push 'em, shove 'em)
All kinda crazy
(Love for my cousin)
Hey lime juicy
De, de, de...sure...
Sweet painted lady
(Lick lick love 'em)
Lose and a fruities
(Push push shove 'em)
All kinda crazy
(Love for my cousin)
Hey lime juicy
De, de, de...sure...
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