How Aerosmith turned a “big problem” into a 9,000,000-selling hit

Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” grew from guitarist Joe Perry’s wife Elyssa becoming a source of tension between Perry and vocalist Steven Tyler. Tyler said he felt unable to get close to Perry while Elyssa was around, and he channelled his resentment into lyrics aimed at her. The song turned that conflict into one of the band’s biggest commercial successes.

Bassist Tom Hamilton brought in the riff that became the song’s distinctive opening, and producer Jack Douglas encouraged the band to use it during sessions for *Toys in the Attic*. The track also features a backwards recording of the band clapping and chanting; accounts differ over whether its hidden message referred to former manager Frank Connelly with thanks or hostility. The RIAA certified “Sweet Emotion” nine-times platinum, representing nine million copies sold.