Aerosmith – Walk This Way

“Walk This Way” – Single by Aerosmith from the album Toys in the Attic. B-side “Round and Round” and “Uncle Salty” (re-release)
Released: August 28, 1975 (original) and November 5, 1976 (re-release)

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Aerosmith - Walk This Way (Live Texxas Jam '78)

Aerosmith - Walk This Way (Live Texxas Jam '78)03:44

Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album Toys in the Attic (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977, part of a string of successful hit singles for the band in the 1970s.

This became one of the first mainstream rap hits when it was covered by Run-D.M.C. in 1986. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry performed this with the rap trio, and it became Run-D.M.C.’s first big hit, going to #4 in the US. This collaboration led to many more among prominent rappers and rock musicians, including “Bring The Noise” by Public Enemy and Anthrax, and “Encore” by Jay-Z and Linkin Park.

DJs often ripped the labels off their records so no one would know what beats they were using when they performed. Jam Master Jay got one of these records from another DJ, which turned out to be an Aerosmith album. He was working on sampling the opening break when producer Rick Rubin heard it and explained it was a famous rock song. This gave Rubin the idea to have Run-D.M.C. cover the song. The band didn’t like the idea of rapping Aerosmith’s lyrics, with DMC explaining in Rolling Stone (October 15, 2009), “We said, this is hillbilly gibberish, this is bulls–t.” With some help from Run’s brother Russell Simmons, Rubin convinced them to do it. He grew up in the suburbs listening to groups like Aerosmith, and knew it would be a great way for the group to crossover to a white audience.

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04:04

The Run-D.M.C. video is the first that Tyler and Perry appeared in. It was the first time many young Aerosmith fans saw what they looked like. Aerosmith would use MTV to expand their audience for the rest of their career, making videos for most of their singles, starting with “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” in 1988, which won two MTV Video Music Awards.

The first video Aerosmith made was for their 1982 song “Lightning Strikes,” but MTV passed on that one. Joe Perry had left the band at that point.

Video on the top: Live From The Office Depot Center, Sunrise, FL, April 3, 2004

Members:
Steven Tyler – lead and backing vocals
Joe Perry – lead guitar, slide guitar, talk box, backing vocals
Brad Whitford – rhythm guitar
Tom Hamilton – bass guitar
Joey Kramer – drums, triangle