Amazing (Aerosmith song)
| "Amazing" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Aerosmith | ||||
| from the album Get a Grip | ||||
| B-side | "Gotta Love It" | |||
| Released | November 1993 | |||
| Format | Cassette, CD | |||
| Recorded | 1993 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, blues rock | |||
| Length | 5:56 (6:48 Video Version) | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Writer(s) | Steven Tyler and Richie Supa | |||
| Producer(s) | Bruce Fairbairn | |||
| Aerosmith singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Amazing" is a power ballad performed by the American hard rock band Aerosmith. Don Henley lends his vocals shadowing Steven Tyler in parts of this song. It was written by the lead singer Steven Tyler and a longtime band friend and collaborator Richie Supa. It peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and #9 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart,[1] and #57 in the UK.
On the album Get a Grip, as soon as the song ends, a radio is heard being tuned into a recording of "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well", recorded by Lucky Millinder. Tyler says, "So from all of us at Aerosmith to all of you out there, wherever you are, remember: the light at the end of the tunnel may be you. Good night." Millinder's orchestra plays as the music fades out.
Video
The video for the song, directed by Marty Callner, is well known for its depiction of digital technology and was the second appearance of Alicia Silverstone in the band's videos. Paired with her was Jason London, star of Dazed and Confused, a film which was released in the same year as Get a Grip and which memorably made numerous references to Aerosmith. The characters appear in the music video as two cyberspace kids who escape to a world of virtual reality together, neither realizing the other is also in virtual reality. The head-mounted display worn by Jason London in the video was manufactured by Liquid Image Corporation whose founders, David Collette and Tony Havelka, were contacted by the production crew and asked to provide a head-mounted display system for the VR sequence.
In the virtual dream world, the two embark on a motorcycle journey and sky-dive, as well as engage in a steamy makeout session.
One part of the video shows the characters boarding and taking flight in a biplane which, combined with the digital technology, creates what is often regarded as a fascinating dichotomy between antiquated and modern technology, in some ways presenting a parallel for the characters.
Meanwhile, members of the band perform in various parts throughout the song, including in a tunnel, as well as solo shots of Steven Tyler in a room by himself and Joe Perry playing a guitar solo with a cityscape in the background. Perry suffered a slight head injury during the making of the video.
At the end of the video, it is discovered that it was Silverstone who was engaging in the virtual fantasy.
The video version of the song was extended by 52 seconds at the end, where two loops were inserted.
Charts
| End of year chart (1994) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] | 72 |
Lyrics
It is written by Steven Tyler, with assistance from the professional songwriter and former bandmate Richie Supa, and is considered one of Tyler's best works. It tells about his troubled life and drug abuse after the band broke up.
The 1987 comeback album, Permanent Vacation, and its title track were mentioned in the lyrics for "Amazing".
In other media
"Amazing" is one of the two theme songs performed by Aerosmith that are used in the video game Dead or Alive 4 for the Xbox 360 created by Team Ninja. It appears in Helena's ending theme, which also counts as the ending cinematic and credits for the entire game.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Amazing" (LP Version) | 5:59 |
| 2. | "Amazing" (Orchestral) | 5:59 |
| 3. | "Amazing" (Acoustic) | 5:57 |
| 4. | "Gotta love it" (LP version) | 5:59 |
Citation
- ↑ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Aerosmith | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
- ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Retrieved 2010-08-27.