Prayers for Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler, the lead singer of Aerosmith, has checked himself into rehab.
I pray that he beats whatever addiction he is facing.
My view towards drugs has not changed. I remain a hardliner, and many good people want me to be more sympathetic on the issue. I still maintain that high level drug dealers should be shot in the town square, and then hung from the nearest tree. Drug dealers destroy families. They are evil.
Drugs take lives. There is simply no good that comes out of them. Yet at the risk of minimizing the many ordinary people that succumb to various drugs, the real tragedy comes when those that have contributed sheer brilliance to this world are lost.
The word is overused, but Steven Tyler is a genius. In terms of singing range, and in writing lyrics, Steven Tyler has brought more beauty to rock music than any singer in history. With Joe Perry on guitar, the Bad Boys from Boston lit up amphitheaters. They were also known as the Toxic Twins due to all the substance abuse.
I want to make it crystal clear that I do not know what substance Steven Tyler is grappling with.
The New York Mets had two potential Hall of Famers see their lives destroyed, Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. For Doc Gooden it was cocaine. The Straw did illegal drugs, but alcohol was his main personal hell. Green Bay Packers Quarterback Brett Favre faced an addiction to prescription painkillers, in addition to drinking alcohol in abundance. He publicly faced his addiction, beat it, and had the career that Strawberry and Gooden could have had.
Steven Tyler has had the successful career. Aerosmith has left a legacy of musical greatness that time will never undo. I hope Steven Tyler lives to continue to enjoy his legacy.
Apparently his hard partying in the 1970s left him broke. He straightened himself out, cleaned his life up, settled down to married life, and continued to put out great music. It is only now that I see how many of Aerosmith’s songs deal with his struggles, and the rare feelings of safety in an unsafe world.
DREAM ON:
“Sing women, sing for the years…sing for the laughter sing for the tears…
Sing women, just for today…maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away.”
ANGEL:
“I’m alone…and I don’t know if I can face the night…
Enough’s enough…I’ve suffered and I’ve seen the light…
You’re my angel…come and save me tonight…
You’re my angel…come and make it alright.”
AMAZING:
“I kept the right ones out…and let the wrong ones in…
had an Angel of mercy to see me through all my sins…
I was out on the street…just trying to survive…
Scratching to stay alive…
One last shot…at permanent vacation…
How high can you fly with broken wings…
Life’s a journey, not a destination…
We just don’t know, just what tomorrow brings…
It’s amazing…in the blink of an eye, you finally see the light…
It’s amazing…and I’m saying a prayer for those desperate hearts tonight.”
BLIND MAN:
“I took a course in hallelujah…
I went to night school for the blues…
I took some stuff they said would cool ya…
but nothing seemed to light my fuse…
Now it’s all, in the past…like the check that’s in the mail…
She was a tall, whiskey glass…I was an old hound dog, who just loved to chase his tail…
Until I met a blind man…who taught me how to see…
A blind man…who could change night into day…
And if I can…I’ll make you come with me…
Here comes the sun, and we’ll be chasing all the clouds away.”
WALK ON WATER:
“The cook’s in the kitchen and hiding the spoons…
I’m winking at witches and howling at moons…
Afraid of the candle, but live for the flame…
You know who I am but you don’t know my name…
Hey little darling…your love is legendary
Love’s four letters…not in my dictionary…
Excuse my position…but it aint missionary…
Oh but I want to…walk on the water with you.”
Steven Tyler is not only philosophical. He is also the king of brilliant sexual innuendo. The above songs have some clever double entendres, as do the ones below.
FULL CIRCLE:
“If I could change the world, like a fairy tale…
I would drink the love, from your holy grail…
Time, don’t let it slip away…
Raise your drinking glass, here’s to yesterday…
Time, we’re all going to trip away…
Don’t p*ss heaven off, we’ve got hell to pay…
Come full circle.”
Life can be fleeting, and although there is a tinge of hypocrisy in rich superstars bashing the rich, Aerosmith does it in a creative manner.
EAT THE RICH:
“Belive in all the good things, that money just can’t buy…
You won’t get a bellyache, from eating humble pie…
I believe in rags to riches, your inheritance won’t last…
So take your Grey Poupon my friend, and shove it up your @ss…
Eat the rich, only one thing that they’re good for…
Eat the rich, take one bite now, come back for more…
Eat the rich, I’ve got to get this off my chest…
Eat the rich, take one bite now, spit out the rest.”
Sometimes Aeorsmith told chilling stories. The most brilliant one was written by Steven Tyler himself. It was a sordid tale of a father raping his own daughter. The wife finds out about it. I am still not clear who Janie was. I maintain Janie is the wife, but others have said that Janie is the daughter.
JANIE’S GOT A GUN:
“She had to take him down easy, and put a bullet in his brain…
The spell that he was under…the lightning and the thunder knew that someone had to stop her pain…”
“Janie was arrested…the man has got to be insane…
She said cause nobody believes me, the man was just a sleaze he ain’t never gonna be the same…
Janie’s got a gun.”
Steven Tyler often mixed his sexual innuendo with his other troubles.
FALLING IN LOVE IS SO HARD (ON THE KNEES):
“Ain’t gonna be no more begging you please…
You know what I want, and it aint one of these…
Your bed to the floor, your girlfriend agrees…
Falling in love is so hard on the knees…
Don’t say enough, yeah I got the disease…
You say you will yeah but there aint no guarantees…
I’m major in love, but in all minor keys…
Cause falling in love is so hard on the knees.”
BIG 10 INCH RECORD:
“Last night I tried to tease her…
Gave her just a little pinch…
She said stop that jiving…
Whip out your big 10 inch…
record of the band that plays the blues…
Band just plays the blues…
She just loves my big 10 inch…
record of her favorite blues.”
SUNSHINE:
“I sold my soul for a one night stand…I followed Alice into Wonderland.”
The album “Just Push Play” was a giant homage to such struggles. In addition to “Sunshine,” there was “Trip Hopping,” “Fly Away From Here,” “Under My Skin,” “Outta Your Head,” and “Light Inside.”
“Living on the edge” was actually inspired by the LA riots of 1992, but it dealt with the same theme of a fragile existence.
“Take me to the other side” is about a sexual relationship, but nevertheless reaches to the great beyond.
MAMA KIN:
“It aint easy, living like a gypsy, tell you honey how I feel..
I’ve been dreaming, floating down the stream and, losing touch with all that’s real…
Whole lotta lovers, keep it undercover, never know just where you’ve been…
You’ve been fading, always operating, keep in touch with Mama Kin.”
The song “Where do fallen angels go?” is answered with the next line “I just don’t know.”
AINT THAT A B*TCH:
“Freaked out…on a long line…I feel just like I’m losing my mind…
Love is like the right dress…on the wrong girl…you never know what you’re gonna find…
Think your life is fine as wine, then you wind up like a dog in the ditch…
Life is like a warm girl…on a cold night…aint that a b*tch.”
“Kiss your past goodbye” offers more waxing philosophic.
The move “Armageddon” brought one of the best ballads ever made.
I DON’T WANNA MISS A THING:
“I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing…
Watch you smile while you are sleeping, far away and dreaming…
I could spend my life, in this sweet surrender…
Cause every moment with you is a moment I treasure…
Don’t wanna close my eyes, don’t wanna fall asleep…
Cause I’d miss you baby, and I don’t wanna miss a thing…
Cause even when i dream of you, the sweetest dream will never do…
I’d miss you baby, and I don’t wanna miss a thing.”
“What kind of love are you on?” mixes his sex and drugs metaphor.
“Monkey on my back” is strictly about his battle against drugs.
Even some of his tales of lvoe and sex border away on obsession.
MAGIC TOUCH:
“You never know what you’ve got, till they take it away…
I’m coming ready or not, going to get you some day…
I need your magic touch, don’t you know…
I gotta have it and I can’t let go…
Feel the fire, burning slow…
I gotta have it and I’m back for more.”
CHIP AWAY THE STONE:
“Chip away, chip away at the stone…
I won’t stop till your love is my very own…
Chip away, that’s what I’m gonna do…
Sweet little mama, I wanna get next to you.”
“Walk this way” contains astonishingly expressed innuendos.
“You aint seen nothing till you’re down on the muffin, and you’re sure to be changing ways.
My next door neighbor had a daughter who had a favor so I gave her just a little kiss, like this.”
“Taste of India,” and “Pink” also have lusty messages.
THE FARM:
“I get caught up in my freakness…but I aint no Peter Pan…take me to the farm.”
In one of the best rock syntheses of all time, Aerosmith performed “Dream On” with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.”
This man has simply brought too much beauty to this world for him to slip back into dependency. I hope his rehab stint is successful, and that he is remembered not for a tragic and ignominious end, but for all the beautiful moments through today.
Rather than say any more, I will quote the Aerosmith song originally done by the Joe Perry Project when Joe Perry himself was at rock bottom.
“Let the music…do the talking.”
My prayers are with you Mr. Tyler.
Best of luck.
eric
May 25th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Steve beat this once. But it never goes away.
It took numerous attempts for me to get it right.
I know from experience that each time addiction has reard its ugly head its been easier for me to deal with it and get back on track.
This time he dint have to go through the whole gammit of denial or trying to figure out a way to get high and still function.
This time he knew what the deal was and went where he needed to go before catastrophy took place.
I have full confidence that he will come out of this shining.
I’m not a gambling man. But I will put my money on Steve.
May 25th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I saw Aerosmith with Ted Nugent back in the mid-eighties when the band was still all whacked out on drugs. Tyler was so wasted and pale. They weren’t very good. Nugent was much, much better. I’ll never forget Tyler flailing around on the stage like fish out of water. Soon after that Aerosmith cleaned up their act, and their music was remarkably improved. They were a pretty tight band from the start, but after they got off the hard stuff (I think Permanant Vacation was the first of the “clean” - as we call it - albums) everything improved. The band was even tighter, the music and lyrics were more dynamic, the production values were exponentially improved, and Tylers voice, until then always a little limited in range, suddenly went through the roof. Rarely do rock bands actually get better talent-wise when they get into their 40’s! Amazing.
I’m with Micky. I think Tyler will beat this. He’s an American icon as much because he’s talented as he was tough enough to beat a really, really nasty, long-term addiction. And Lord knows his Hepatitus could do without that bad habit.
JMJ
May 25th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I always say, the number one reason Arwen from Lord of the Rings is better than Padme from Star Wars is Arwen’s real dad knows Joe Perry.
Steven Tyler is the man. I wish him the best.
The last time I saw Aerosmith live was when Guns-n-Roses was opening for them. Aerosmith, who had been on the road for decades had a great sense of humor–like swinging out over the stage during Welcome to the Jungle in tarzan outfits GnR, on the other hand, acted like they were at Live Aid or something. I wonder why one is still viable and the other isn’t.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Habits, personality, addictive, weak. Steven Tyler could be a genius, but honey he is weak; drugs controlled Tyler, he did not control drugs…
May 26th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Nearly normalized is about as unfitting a name as possible when it comes to this subject.
Tell me Nearly.
Is Tyler weak because he has what is factually categorized as a disease ?
Tell me.
What do you know of his personallity other than what the media has fed you?
Have you ever struggled with addiction?
Are you aware of the chemical imbalances responsable for addiction?
It is not the drugs that controlled Tyler. Its actually a failed thought process that I will gladly go into detail with you if you like.
Of course you yourself would have to have ample thought prcess to concieve and understand it.
He may not control drugs. I dont know anyone that can once they are ingested.
But I do know that him and myself deal with an incurable disease of the mind and allergy of the body.
When I come across butthole surfing judgemental pricks like you I wish that I could throw you into my body so you could experience when I bled to death due to a ruptured esophogus as a result of the constant flow of coke and Jack Daniels pouring down my throat for 20 years.
I wish you could feel the desire to just kill yoursef because you dont think think you could stand one more life threatening detox.
I invite you to sit around in a corner lonely and scared sweating like a waterfall and shaking like a vibrator and peeing and crapping down your leg for a week, all the while your heart is beating at 160 BPM and your eyes feel like they will pop out of your sockets and every organ and bone in your body screams with pain.
Try to imagine being willing to commit any crime just to get those symtoms to go away
Well you know what Nearly Normal ?
Steve and I have beat that and come back from it.
We have a thing in us called determination and more self confidence than you could ever imagine. Otherwise we would be dead.
Weak?
I hardly think so.
As a matter of fact I can tell just by your one post that you could never ever handle the things that myself or Tyler could handle.
The weak ones die.
But only because of people like you who chalked them up to be nothing more than a loss.
I invite you to challenge me on this.
Because I will surley, and with pleasure, make you look like the A$$ that you are
May 26th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Nearly, something tells me Tyler controlled more uncrontrolled substances than you, me, and Micky combined! But even if that weren’t true, I think I can safely assume that we should appreciate the pressure of this great icon’s superstardom. It can’t be easy to be a premier American rock star for 36 years. Give ‘em a break. I’m just a casual fan of his, but certainly I can appreciate the weight of his fame, requisite lifestyle, and value of his impact on popular culture.
Good luck, Steven.
JMJ
May 27th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Yea.
I would hate to think of what it would be like if I were in Tylers world.
“there goes the neighborhood” (and a few others)
May 27th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
It’s cool that ur doing this and all, but get the Aerosmith lyrics right next time!
May 28th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I’m a big fan of Steven and the band. I love their music and Steven is such a great singer and a charismatic frontman. He has beaten addiction before and I feel certain that he can beat it again. Drug addiction is a terrible thing, and it takes a strong person to beat it and clean up their life. I know Steven can pull through this and continue to bring such joy to the people who love him. My thoughts and prayers go out to you Steven. Get better soon.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I’m a big fan of Steven and the band. I love their music and Steven is such a great singer and a charismatic frontman. He has beaten addiction before and I feel certain that he can beat it again. Drug addiction is a terrible thing, and it takes a strong person to beat it and clean up their life. I know Steven can pull through this and continue to live a full life, make great music, and bring joy to those who love him. My thoughts and prayers go out to you Steven. Get better soon.
Lots of love from Ivy
P.S. I really felt that I should say these words of encouragement for one of my favorite musicians. You can beat it Steven. Hope you get well soon and keep on singing. I’ll be waiting for Aerosmith’s next album and to see you in concert.