Mama Kin
| "Mama Kin" | ||||||||||
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| Single by Aerosmith | ||||||||||
| from the album Aerosmith | ||||||||||
| Released | January 13, 1973 | |||||||||
| Recorded | 1972 | |||||||||
| Length | 4:26 | |||||||||
| Label | Columbia Records | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Steven Tyler | |||||||||
| Producer(s) | Adrian Barber | |||||||||
| Aerosmith singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Mama Kin" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith, which appeared on its debut self-titled album.[1] The song was written by lead singer Steven Tyler. Being the group's first ever single, it's been played live for several decades afterward, appearing on the live albums Live! Bootleg, Classics Live, and A Little South of Sanity.
Song structure
The song comprises a basic guitar riff, with a strong rhythm backbeat which comes in between lyrics in the verse and throughout the bridge. There are also saxophones interspersed throughout the song.
It is the first Aerosmith song to use profanity in the lyrics, in this case, "shit".
Legacy
The song has also been a live staple of Aerosmith concerts throughout the band's career. Live versions of the song appeared on Live! Bootleg, Classics Live, and A Little South of Sanity.
The song has also appeared on several Aerosmith compilations including Gems (1988), Pandora's Box (1991), Pandora's Toys (1995), O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits (2002), Greatest Hits 1973–1988 (2004), and Devil's Got a New Disguise (2006).
Noteworthy references to the song
- In the early 1990s, the band opened up a music club called the Mama Kin Music Hall in their hometown of Boston, Massachusetts - the club has since closed.
- Steven Tyler has a tattoo on his arm with the phrase "Ma' Kin."[2] He got it when the band was writing its first album because he had so much confidence in the song. Tyler and Perry have both said that his arm was too thin to fit the whole title.
- Shinedown references to "smokin' tea with Mama Kin" in their song "Cry for Help" on the Sound of Madness album.
Guns N' Roses and Buckcherry versions
The song was covered by Guns N' Roses in 1986 and released in the same year in their EP Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide. It was later re-released on their 1988 EP G N' R Lies. There's also a live version of Guns N' Roses performing the song along with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. This was from Guns N' Roses live from Paris pay per view special. Buckcherry also covered the song, which appeared as a bonus track on their 2014 e.p. "Fuck". It is the only song on that album that doesn't use the word fuck in the song or have Fuck as part of the title.
"Mama Kin" in other media
- Mama Kin is featured as a re-recorded track on the video game, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.
References
- ↑ "Watch Aerosmith Rock Donington With ‘Mama Kin’: Exclusive Premiere". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- ↑ "7. 'Mama Kin'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
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