Walk This Way: The song that changed everything
Back in 1975 Aerosmith created a song out of luck, and it became a Billboard Top 10 hit. The beat and the guitar riff was heavily used years later in underground rap parties in the Bronx, and Run-DMC had actually already rapped over the song before without realizing it was an Aerosmith’s song, or even who the rock band was. The story behind this cover is so unique because at first, the rap group did not want to record it for considering the lyrics “hillbilly gibberish”, but when released it became an instant hit and it even peaked higher than the original version. It also catapulted Aerosmith again to mainstream at a time the band wasn’t having their best time.Listen to the full episode above and let us know yout thoughts behind this incredible cover.
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CREDITS:
Host, Producer, Editor: Diego Pinzón
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DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any artist, label, or organization mentioned. All music samples are used for educational and commentary purposes under fair use doctrine.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
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45 years ago, 5 bad boys from
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Boston taught us how to walk
with a song.
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While doing so, they grew into
an icon.
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00:00:23,960 –> 00:00:26,720
We’ll learn how to rock popular
music.
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A song that 10 years later
showed us the way to put rap
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00:00:31,240 –> 00:00:36,720
music on the map. 45 years ago,
this song would reinforce a
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00:00:36,720 –> 00:00:40,640
band’s status as one of
America’s greatest rock’n’roll
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bands. 10 years later, that song
would later also resuscitate
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00:00:46,200 –> 00:00:49,480
their own career after a decade
of downfall.
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00:00:49,720 –> 00:00:53,840
The song that would eventually
bless the marriage between hip
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00:00:53,840 –> 00:00:58,600
hop and rock music.
Today we’re going to peel the
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00:00:58,600 –> 00:01:03,520
layers of a song that helped
skyrocket 2 completely different
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00:01:03,520 –> 00:01:06,800
music artists, making them
legendary.
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00:01:07,240 –> 00:01:12,640
We will take a dive into why
Frankenstein created a bigger
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monster than the one from the
English novel.
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A monster that merged and put at
the same level.
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A reverent and the pure
incarnation of drugs, sex and
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rock’n’roll.
Welcome to Uncovering the Cover,
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the podcast where we tell the
stories of the songs that have
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captured our imagination
throughout several generations.
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I’m your host Diego Pinson, and
today we are uncovering one of
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the most successful covers in
music history.
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A song that was so powerful, it
was a success in both its
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original and its cover version.
This is and covering the cover.
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Walk this way.
Let’s go back in time to
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December 1974 and place
ourselves in Hawaii.
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Aerosmith was the opening act
for the Canadian rock band The
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Guess Who.
Not to be confused with The Who?
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During sound check, Joe Perry,
the lead guitar of Aerosmith,
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started riffing inspired about
the New Orleans funk band The
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Meters, responsible for funk
classics like CC Strut.
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Yeah.
As Perry was jamming, he asked
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the band’s drummer, Joey Kramer,
to, quote, lay down something
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flat with the groove on the
drums.
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The guitar riff to what would
become Walk This Way just came
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off my hands, said Perry on an
interview with the Wall Street
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Journal in 2014.
At the end of the sound check,
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Perry pretty much had all the
music for Walk This Way, but it
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would take a few more months for
the song to come alive.
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Then in the new year, the band
was recording their studio album
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Toys in the Attic at Record
Plant Studios in New York for
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Aerosmith and Get Your Wings.
Their first two albums.
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The band usually had enough
material to record when they got
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to the studio, but in this case
their repertoire expanded as
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much as 4 songs.
Perry brought back that riff and
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drum beat they had fooled around
with back in Hawaii, but they
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still didn’t have the lyrics to
the song.
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To escape the writer’s block,
all members of the band except
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Perry went to Times Square to
see the 1974 movie The Young
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Frankenstein, starring Gene
Wilder and directed by Mel
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Brooks.
During one of the scenes, we see
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a hunchbacked, bug eyed servant
named Igor, or Igor as he wanted
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to call himself in the film,
portrayed by actor Marty
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Feldman, greeting Wilder’s
character Doctor Frederick
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Frankenstein or Funkenstein.
Side note, these are all
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internal jokes about the movie.
If you want to watch it, it’s
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worth your time anyway.
Igor meets the Young
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Frankenstein at the Transylvania
train station and with his
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characteristic limp, invites him
to follow him and then
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pronounces the words that would
become an anthem of rock and hip
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hop alike.
Let’s go.
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Allow me master.
Oh, thanks very much.
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Walk this way this way.
Those words stuck on Steven
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Tyler’s head and the lead
vocalist of Aerosmith went
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straight to his hotel room after
watching the movie and came up
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with the lyrics for Walk This
Way in just two hours.
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But as fate would have it, the
paper he wrote them on never
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made it to the studio the day
after.
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This is Tyler reminiscing that
moment on Australia’s 60
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Minutes.
True that.
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Walk this way.
You had written the lyrics.
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And you’re in a taxi on the way
to recording, and you left the
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lyrics in the taxi.
Well, I wrote, I had a bag that
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kept my lyrics in, obviously, I
simply left the bag in the car
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and I’ll never forget that
moment was when I remembered.
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It was like, you know, when you
realize that and you know, you
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know, you know you did that and
it’s over, over.
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You’ll never find them all the
work you did over.
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You never sold them.
Again, Oh no, I never saw them
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again.
So I do run upstairs at the
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record plant.
Brought a pencil.
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I forgot the tape.
So I I, I used to carry a
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cassette, you know, talk into it
pencil with my headphones and I
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would listen to the music and
listen and I wrote it down on
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the wall.
Backstroke lover, you know,
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always hiding.
Need to cover to talk to my
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daddy, Say says you ain’t seen
nothing till you’re down on a
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muffin, then you’re sure to be a
changing way.
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Tyler then rushed back into the
studio, grabbed a notepad and
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immediately copied of the
letters on the wall, put them on
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paper, and then went back in to
record the song after a small
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tug of war between Tyler and
Perry.
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As it was usual with Aerosmith,
the vocals were the first part
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recorded of the song, which then
paved the way to the music.
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This is what the song sounds
like when you completely isolate
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the instruments.
Notice how powerful Tyler’s
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voice is and why he’s one of the
most delightful voices of
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Rock’n’roll.
Backs over lover always hide
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underneath the covers to the
talk to you.
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My daddy is saying it’s like you
ain’t seen nothing till you’re
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down on a muffin then your
shoulder be changing your ways.
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00:06:58,640 –> 00:07:01,520
I’m not a she a leader was a
really young bleed out times
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like a reminisce.
All the best things to love him
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with a sister and a cousin only
started with a little kiss like
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this.
The song is the fourth track of
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00:07:18,280 –> 00:07:21,640
side one of the album Toys in
the Attic, which included a
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total of 9 songs.
The album went out to the public
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00:07:24,720 –> 00:07:28,720
in April of that year, and Sweet
Emotion was the first single
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released in May 19, 1975,
reaching #36 on the Billboard
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00:07:34,280 –> 00:07:38,760
Hot 100, which was at the time
their highest ranked song.
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00:07:53,840 –> 00:07:57,760
The success of Sweet Motion
followed a re release of Dream
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00:07:57,760 –> 00:08:03,800
on Aerosmith’s first ever single
back in 1973, which was slightly
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00:08:03,800 –> 00:08:06,000
different than the album
published version.
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The album version has a length
of 4 minutes and 28 seconds, but
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00:08:10,960 –> 00:08:14,520
the single version that was
released was shortened by one
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00:08:14,520 –> 00:08:18,920
minute, cutting the instrumental
intro by 25 seconds and
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00:08:18,920 –> 00:08:22,520
completely removing the second
verse of the song, which is also
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00:08:22,520 –> 00:08:24,400
its interlude.
This part,
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it didn’t even make it to the
top 50 on the charts back in
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1973, but for the re release in
1976, the album version, the
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00:08:54,560 –> 00:08:57,840
longer one, went out to radio
stations and it became a
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00:08:57,840 –> 00:09:01,440
success.
It climbed all the way to #6 on
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00:09:01,440 –> 00:09:05,080
the Billboard Hot 100, and it
remained Aerosmith’s most
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00:09:05,080 –> 00:09:07,880
popular hit for more than 30
years.
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00:09:08,360 –> 00:09:10,320
We’ll get to that later in the
episode.
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After making a name for
themselves with sweet emotion
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00:09:13,680 –> 00:09:18,040
and hitting it big with Dream On
by August, Walk This Way was
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00:09:18,040 –> 00:09:33,360
released.
Back over lover, always
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00:09:33,440 –> 00:09:36,520
underneath the covers to talk to
you about it and say such.
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00:09:36,520 –> 00:09:39,120
I ain’t seen nothing to download
them up and then you shouldn’t
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be changing ways.
I’m a cheerleader was a real
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young weed all the time, so I
can remember this the the.
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The The song tells the story of
a high school boy losing his
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virginity, and Tyler’s voice
perfectly harmonizes with the
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music, flowing together with
Paris guitar riffs and hitting
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00:10:02,840 –> 00:10:06,160
the note in perfect
synchronicity with Joey Cramer’s
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00:10:06,160 –> 00:10:08,960
drums.
Perhaps a note to Tyler himself,
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00:10:09,240 –> 00:10:12,760
who started his music journey as
a teenager playing the drums.
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00:10:13,040 –> 00:10:17,080
By January, some four months
after its release, Walked This
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00:10:17,080 –> 00:10:21,360
Way reached the 10th position on
the Billboard Hot 100, and it
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00:10:21,360 –> 00:10:24,800
helped popularize the album Toys
in the Attic, which by August
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00:10:24,800 –> 00:10:28,480
1975 had already earned them a
gold disc.
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00:10:28,760 –> 00:10:32,960
And it has become Aerosmith’s
best selling studio album in
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00:10:32,960 –> 00:10:37,440
history, with more than 8
million copies sold in the US
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00:10:37,440 –> 00:10:41,240
alone.
In 2002, it was certified 8
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00:10:41,280 –> 00:10:44,600
times platinum.
Only their 1980 Greatest Hits
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00:10:44,600 –> 00:10:47,920
compilation has sold more copies
than Toys in the Attic for
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00:10:47,920 –> 00:10:51,520
Aerosmith, amassing a total
estimate of 11,000,000 sold.
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00:11:11,480 –> 00:11:15,240
Selling 8 million copies for a
rock album wasn’t unheard of
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00:11:15,240 –> 00:11:17,960
back then.
In the 1970s of The Beatles,
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00:11:18,200 –> 00:11:22,600
Pink Floyd, Eagles and Led
Zeppelin sold between 12 to 38
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00:11:22,600 –> 00:11:25,120
million copies of a single album
each.
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00:11:25,360 –> 00:11:29,240
By the way, the album their
greatest hits by the Eagles in
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00:11:29,240 –> 00:11:34,640
1976 remain the best selling
album of all time in American
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00:11:34,640 –> 00:11:39,080
history with 38 million copies
and the second biggest in the
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00:11:39,080 –> 00:11:42,560
world with 42,000,000 sold
behind Michael Jackson’s
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00:11:42,560 –> 00:11:44,760
Thriller.
But in the case of Aerosmith,
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00:11:44,840 –> 00:11:48,280
those 8 million copies copies
sold for Toys in the Attic
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00:11:48,600 –> 00:11:52,880
wouldn’t really materialize
until 10 years later, when in
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00:11:52,880 –> 00:11:58,800
1986, Walk This Way was brought
over to a new generation by the
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00:11:58,800 –> 00:12:03,200
King of Rock himself while
driving a DeLorean.
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00:12:21,000 –> 00:12:22,880
Marty, you made it.
Yeah.
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00:12:23,440 –> 00:12:25,080
Welcome to my latest experiment.
This is a.
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Big one, The one I’ve been
waiting for all my life.
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00:12:27,640 –> 00:12:28,840
Well, it’s a.
DeLorean.
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00:12:28,840 –> 00:12:30,360
Bear with me, Marty.
All your questions will be
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00:12:30,360 –> 00:12:31,240
answered.
Roll tape.
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00:12:31,520 –> 00:12:32,680
And.
We’ll proceed Got.
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00:12:33,040 –> 00:12:34,240
Is that a diva?
Never mind that.
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00:12:34,240 –> 00:12:36,400
Now, never mind that now,
despite not being fully
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00:12:36,400 –> 00:12:40,120
relatable, the car made famous
by the movie Back to the Future
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00:12:40,400 –> 00:12:44,120
serves A resemblance with one of
the members of the hip hop trio
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00:12:44,240 –> 00:12:46,960
Ron DMC.
The initials for the company
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that manufactured the car, the
Lorean Modern Company or DMC,
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00:12:52,240 –> 00:12:55,200
have been tied to the music
group and it’s easy to spot a
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00:12:55,200 –> 00:12:57,560
few tshirts combining both
logos.
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00:12:58,200 –> 00:13:02,520
In fact, many believe DMC got
his artistic name from the car,
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00:13:02,840 –> 00:13:06,640
but the group has said multiple
times it stands for Devastating
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00:13:06,640 –> 00:13:09,760
Mic Control.
I guess you can’t argue with it.
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00:13:10,160 –> 00:13:15,440
Ron DMC were founded in 1983 by
Joseph Simmons, better known as
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00:13:15,520 –> 00:13:19,400
Ron, a rapper and DJ who had
already made a name for himself
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00:13:19,400 –> 00:13:21,520
in the hip hop underground scene
of New York.
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00:13:22,040 –> 00:13:27,320
Daryl McDaniels or DMCA rapper
who was very close friends with
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00:13:27,320 –> 00:13:33,360
Simmons and Jason Mizell, known
as Jam Master Jay, the DJ of the
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00:13:33,360 –> 00:13:38,560
group and a full on musician who
played drums, keyboards and bass
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00:13:38,800 –> 00:13:41,960
but became an iconic figure
scratching disk at the
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00:13:41,960 –> 00:13:45,280
turntables.
It’s undisputed that Run DMC
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00:13:45,400 –> 00:13:49,120
broke ground and paved the way
for several new cultural
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00:13:49,120 –> 00:13:51,040
phenomenons that would make them
immortal.
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00:13:51,440 –> 00:13:55,480
Run DMC are the first hip hop
artist to have their music
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00:13:55,480 –> 00:13:59,440
videos on MTV, the first to
appear on the famous TV show
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00:13:59,440 –> 00:14:03,840
American Bandstand, the first
hip hop act to be the cover of
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00:14:03,840 –> 00:14:07,480
Rolling Stone magazine, the
first one to be nominated for a
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00:14:07,480 –> 00:14:11,720
Grammy Award, and the only hip
hop artist to be invited to
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00:14:11,720 –> 00:14:16,720
participate in Live 8 in 1985.
Oddly enough, they performed
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00:14:16,800 –> 00:14:19,640
right after Black Sabbath that
day at JFK Stadium in
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00:14:19,640 –> 00:14:23,200
Philadelphia and were followed
on stage by Rio Speedwagon.
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00:14:23,480 –> 00:14:28,720
Judas Priest, Santana, Madonna,
Eric Clap, Led Zeppelin, and
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00:14:28,720 –> 00:14:33,120
Duran Duran among others.
As we can see clearly, it was a
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00:14:33,120 –> 00:14:37,720
time when hip hop was not
mainstream, but today, hip hop
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00:14:37,720 –> 00:14:41,800
is the dominant force in popular
music, but not just hip hop
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itself.
The perfect recipe today seems
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00:14:44,960 –> 00:14:49,320
to contain hip hop and R&B mixed
in with a plethora of music
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00:14:49,320 –> 00:14:51,960
subgenres.
We just have to look no further
205
00:14:51,960 –> 00:14:56,480
than the top five songs in 2019
in the US, when four of those
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00:14:56,480 –> 00:14:59,720
five had a direct or clear
influence from hip hop,
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00:15:00,080 –> 00:15:05,320
including two songs from Robert
Post Malone, Sunflower, as #2,
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00:15:05,560 –> 00:15:09,960
and the less vocally produced
Wow on #4.
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00:15:11,360 –> 00:15:14,680
So she tired little money.
Need a big boy full of 20 inch
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00:15:14,760 –> 00:15:17,440
blades like a little toy.
Now it’s everybody flakking.
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00:15:17,440 –> 00:15:20,000
Need a decoy?
Sorry, mixing up the vodka with
212
00:15:20,000 –> 00:15:22,840
the liquor.
G Wagon.
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00:15:22,960 –> 00:15:24,040
G Wagon.
G Wagon.
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00:15:24,160 –> 00:15:32,120
G Wagon and.
What about the number three song
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00:15:32,120 –> 00:15:35,840
that year in the US Without Me
from pop singer Halsey?
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00:15:52,680 –> 00:15:56,640
It became Halsey’s first number
one single as a solo artist, a
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00:15:56,680 –> 00:15:59,720
fit she also achieved before by
being featured in The
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00:15:59,720 –> 00:16:04,200
Chainsmokers song Closer.
And despite not being fully a
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00:16:04,200 –> 00:16:08,600
hip hop track, Without Me was Co
written among others by rapper
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00:16:08,640 –> 00:16:12,680
and producer Timberland.
And the songs beats, a well
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00:16:12,680 –> 00:16:17,280
defined mix of electropop, R&B
and slow tempo EDM show the
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00:16:17,280 –> 00:16:21,480
strong connection it has with
its producer Louis Bell, who
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00:16:21,480 –> 00:16:25,040
also happens to be the Co
producer in both of the songs we
224
00:16:25,040 –> 00:16:40,640
just mentioned from Post Malone.
But there hasn’t been a stronger
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00:16:40,640 –> 00:16:44,840
showcase of how hip hop has
ingrained itself with other
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00:16:44,840 –> 00:16:48,000
forms of popular music than this
song.
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00:17:01,080 –> 00:17:05,240
Yeah, I’m gonna take my horse to
the Old Town Rd.
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00:17:05,400 –> 00:17:08,760
I’m gonna.
Ride till I can’t no more.
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00:17:08,760 –> 00:17:12,280
I’m gonna take my horse to the
Old Town Rd.
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00:17:12,440 –> 00:17:15,040
I’m gone.
Ride till I can’t.
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00:17:15,119 –> 00:17:19,040
No more, I got the.
Horses in the back or stock is
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00:17:19,040 –> 00:17:22,640
attached.
Old Town Rd. by rapper A Little
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00:17:22,640 –> 00:17:25,800
Nas X broke unprecedented
records.
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00:17:25,920 –> 00:17:30,280
It is the biggest number one
song in history in the Billboard
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00:17:30,280 –> 00:17:34,800
charts, amassing a total of 19
consecutive weeks at the top,
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00:17:35,360 –> 00:17:39,120
breaking the previous record of
16 weeks established first by
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00:17:39,120 –> 00:17:43,280
Mariah Carey and Boys to Men
with 1 Sweet Day and later by
238
00:17:43,280 –> 00:17:46,160
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee
featuring Justin Bieber with
239
00:17:46,160 –> 00:17:50,040
Despacito. 19 weeks.
Think about that.
240
00:17:50,320 –> 00:17:55,400
If a year has 52 weeks, then
Little Nas X was in our ears for
241
00:17:55,400 –> 00:18:00,320
almost a third of all of 2019.
And around the world?
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00:18:00,640 –> 00:18:06,000
Well, Old Town Rd. was also
number one in Canada for also 19
243
00:18:06,000 –> 00:18:10,080
weeks, breaking that country’s
record as well, and it topped
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00:18:10,080 –> 00:18:12,680
the charts in other 18
countries.
245
00:18:13,240 –> 00:18:16,560
But it doesn’t stop there.
It became the song with the most
246
00:18:16,560 –> 00:18:20,800
streams in a one week period in
history so far, with a combined
247
00:18:20,800 –> 00:18:26,400
143,000,000 streams in the US
alone in its first week since
248
00:18:26,400 –> 00:18:29,920
release.
And the single itself has sold
249
00:18:29,920 –> 00:18:35,680
more than 11,000,000 copies in
the US, 11,000,000 just one
250
00:18:35,680 –> 00:18:38,160
song.
The same amount of copies sold
251
00:18:38,160 –> 00:18:40,760
by Aerosmith with their most
successful album.
252
00:18:40,760 –> 00:18:44,800
As we said before, by doing so,
All Town Rd. has become the
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00:18:44,800 –> 00:18:48,080
fastest song to be awarded
Diamond certification, the
254
00:18:48,080 –> 00:18:50,640
highest honor by the American
recording industry.
255
00:18:51,040 –> 00:18:55,280
By the way, only 34 songs in
history have been certified
256
00:18:55,280 –> 00:18:59,000
Diamond, although 33 of them,
including All Town Rd., have
257
00:18:59,000 –> 00:19:19,840
done so in the last decade.
Yes, it was huge Old Town Roads
258
00:19:19,840 –> 00:19:22,400
remix with country singer Billy
Ray Cyrus.
259
00:19:22,560 –> 00:19:26,320
Yes, Miley’s father has been the
cornerstone of the country rap
260
00:19:26,320 –> 00:19:29,960
movement, which in its modern
manifestation can be traced
261
00:19:29,960 –> 00:19:33,040
back, according to some critics,
to Kid Rock.
262
00:19:56,800 –> 00:19:59,320
Precisely.
Kid Rock became known for his
263
00:19:59,320 –> 00:20:04,000
1999 album Devil Without a
Cause, which included hits like
264
00:20:04,000 –> 00:20:11,920
BA with the BA and Cowboy.
I bet to him I whistle blowing.
265
00:20:12,000 –> 00:20:16,400
When my train rolls in, it goes
like dust in the windstorm.
266
00:20:19,480 –> 00:20:22,040
I once was lost but.
Now I’m just flying.
267
00:20:22,080 –> 00:20:24,720
Palm trees and weeds, scab needs
and rice.
268
00:20:25,000 –> 00:20:28,800
Get a map to the stars, find
Heidi flies and if the price is
269
00:20:28,840 –> 00:20:30,080
right then I’m.
Going to make my.
270
00:20:30,360 –> 00:20:32,480
Big boy and let California ain’t
no one.
271
00:20:32,520 –> 00:20:44,080
They call me Cowboy Man.
This last one, a country rap
272
00:20:44,080 –> 00:20:47,880
song in itself, is credited to
be the beginning of a new era
273
00:20:47,880 –> 00:20:49,960
for those two music genres
combined.
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00:20:49,960 –> 00:20:53,760
As one in Cowboy Kid Rock,
fusions, hip hop with Country
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00:20:53,760 –> 00:20:56,480
and heavy metal.
And as Billboard magazine noted
276
00:20:56,480 –> 00:21:00,800
in 2017, it was a clear display
of the music that influenced
277
00:21:00,800 –> 00:21:04,800
him, ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd
to Ron DMC.
278
00:21:28,320 –> 00:21:32,520
That’s Run DMC together on stage
with Kid Rock on VH1’s tribute
279
00:21:32,520 –> 00:21:37,520
to Jam Master J But why am I
telling you all of this, talking
280
00:21:37,520 –> 00:21:41,600
about the biggest hits of 2019,
going all the way back to the
281
00:21:41,600 –> 00:21:44,480
origins of what we know today as
country rap?
282
00:21:45,480 –> 00:21:49,880
Well, because perhaps if it
wasn’t for Run DMC, none of this
283
00:21:49,880 –> 00:21:53,080
would have ever happened.
Whether you love it or hate it,
284
00:21:53,280 –> 00:21:57,000
without Run DMC, there probably
wouldn’t be country rap.
285
00:21:57,480 –> 00:22:01,760
This means no Old Town Road.
And if it wasn’t because of Run
286
00:22:01,760 –> 00:22:06,520
DMC rap, Rock would definitely
not exist, at least as we know
287
00:22:06,520 –> 00:22:12,000
it, leaving us with no Kid Rock,
no Limp Bizkit or Papa Roach or
288
00:22:12,000 –> 00:22:16,240
Post Malone, and perhaps and
more importantly, no Race
289
00:22:16,240 –> 00:22:19,120
Against the Machine.
No Red Hot Chili Peppers.
290
00:22:19,440 –> 00:22:23,400
No gorillas, even to a greater
extent, no Eminem.
291
00:22:24,160 –> 00:22:29,240
And definitely, if it wasn’t for
Run DMC, we’d probably remember
292
00:22:29,240 –> 00:22:34,280
Aerosmith only as a rock band
that faded into existence back
293
00:22:34,280 –> 00:22:38,840
in the 70s.
Run DMC broke the ground, paved
294
00:22:38,840 –> 00:22:42,080
the road, and lifted up the
building themselves.
295
00:22:42,640 –> 00:22:47,040
After all, they deservedly can
claim to be the King of Rock.
296
00:22:47,040 –> 00:22:48,880
I’m the King.
Or rock.
297
00:22:49,000 –> 00:22:52,560
There is not.
Hire sucker MCS to call me sire.
298
00:22:52,720 –> 00:22:55,120
To burn my Kingdom, you must
choose fire.
299
00:22:55,160 –> 00:22:57,480
I won’t stop Rocket till I
retire.
300
00:22:57,480 –> 00:23:01,080
Now we rocked up party and come
correct or cuts on time.
301
00:23:01,280 –> 00:23:03,920
And Rob?
Connect got the right to vote
302
00:23:04,000 –> 00:23:06,000
and we’ll elect and other
rappers can’t stand us.
303
00:23:06,080 –> 00:23:09,440
But give us respect.
But how did all of this happen?
304
00:23:10,040 –> 00:23:12,520
We’ll get deep into it right
after this.
305
00:23:29,320 –> 00:23:31,680
Before the break, we were
talking about the legacy left
306
00:23:31,680 –> 00:23:35,880
behind by Ron DMC, a hip hop
trio from Queens, NY.
307
00:23:36,200 –> 00:23:40,120
Or more specifically the
neighborhood of Hollies, Queens,
308
00:23:40,560 –> 00:23:43,600
a residential middle class area
with a predominant African
309
00:23:43,600 –> 00:23:47,480
American community and a hotbed
for rap music, which has also
310
00:23:47,480 –> 00:23:51,440
been the home of Ja Rule, LL
Cool J, members of the Beastie
311
00:23:51,440 –> 00:23:55,440
Boys and Public Enemy.
Hollis was the place where all
312
00:23:55,440 –> 00:23:58,320
three of the Ron DMC members
lived when they founded the
313
00:23:58,320 –> 00:24:01,720
group, and it was the birth
place of one of them, Joseph
314
00:24:01,720 –> 00:24:06,560
Simmons, better known as Ron or
Reverend Ron after he was
315
00:24:06,560 –> 00:24:09,360
ordained as a Pentecostal
minister in the 90s.
316
00:24:10,160 –> 00:24:13,520
Ron DMC was one of the
responsible music acts for
317
00:24:13,520 –> 00:24:17,480
making hip hop a popular music
genre, but they couldn’t have
318
00:24:17,480 –> 00:24:19,160
done it without two other
people.
319
00:24:19,840 –> 00:24:24,720
First, Ron’s brother, a then 27
year old artist manager who
320
00:24:24,720 –> 00:24:28,320
would later in life be accused
of sexual misconduct and rape.
321
00:24:28,920 –> 00:24:33,120
Yes, Rossell Simmons.
And 2nd, a bearded New York
322
00:24:33,120 –> 00:24:37,440
University student, Jewish
descendant, white kid from Long
323
00:24:37,440 –> 00:24:42,960
Island who in 1983 had already
created a small music label from
324
00:24:42,960 –> 00:24:46,760
his college dorm.
His name is Rick Rubin and the
325
00:24:46,800 –> 00:24:53,440
small label was Def Jam
Recordings from his dorm in
326
00:24:53,440 –> 00:24:56,280
Ruben produced the song It’s
327
00:24:56,280 –> 00:25:00,680
Yours by Robert and MC Taylor
Rock, which was big in the
328
00:25:00,680 –> 00:25:03,400
underground scene of New York
and became Russell Simmons
329
00:25:03,400 –> 00:25:07,120
favorite song of the time.
After both Ruben and Russell
330
00:25:07,120 –> 00:25:11,120
met, they partnered up and
created the behemoth that became
331
00:25:11,480 –> 00:25:12,800
Def Jam Records.
It’s Yours.
332
00:25:23,360 –> 00:25:26,840
Small side note, if you want to
find out more about the full
333
00:25:26,840 –> 00:25:31,160
history behind the creation and
influence Def Jam had on the
334
00:25:31,160 –> 00:25:35,160
music industry, I encourage you
to listen to episode 10 of a
335
00:25:35,160 –> 00:25:38,440
fellow podcast, Hit Parade by
Slate Magazine.
336
00:25:38,920 –> 00:25:42,040
It is a podcast where music
critic Chris Molanfi takes you
337
00:25:42,040 –> 00:25:45,000
behind the songs that have been
number one in the history of the
338
00:25:45,000 –> 00:25:48,440
Billboard charts.
That 10th episode of Hit Parade,
339
00:25:48,720 –> 00:25:53,440
published in February 23rd,
2018, is called the Def Jams
340
00:25:53,440 –> 00:25:55,440
edition.
Check it out, it’s worth your
341
00:25:55,440 –> 00:25:57,960
time.
To clarify, this is not a
342
00:25:57,960 –> 00:26:00,680
sponsored segment.
I have no relationship to Slate
343
00:26:00,680 –> 00:26:03,480
or connection to Malenfi.
It just so happens to be one of
344
00:26:03,480 –> 00:26:06,640
the elements that inspired me to
create uncovering the cover.
345
00:26:06,640 –> 00:26:09,400
Now it’s.
Time to introduce Neo rhymes
346
00:26:09,400 –> 00:26:11,640
combined with the Goo with You
dance.
347
00:26:12,760 –> 00:26:19,960
To the musical.
After Ruben and Russell Simmons
348
00:26:19,960 –> 00:26:23,280
get together, they started
publishing artist and their Def
349
00:26:23,280 –> 00:26:25,800
Jam like LL Cool J and the
Beastie Boys.
350
00:26:26,240 –> 00:26:29,800
By the way, it was Ruben who
convinced the Beastie Boys to go
351
00:26:29,800 –> 00:26:33,520
into rap after they started as a
hardcore punk band.
352
00:26:34,080 –> 00:26:37,800
But it was also Ruben who
envisioned that the combination
353
00:26:37,800 –> 00:26:41,520
of rap and rock could be a smash
and made it popular.
354
00:26:42,040 –> 00:26:46,640
In 1984, he produced Rock Hard,
the second single from the
355
00:26:46,640 –> 00:26:50,480
Beastie Boys, which included
samples from ACDC’s Back in
356
00:26:50,480 –> 00:26:54,240
Black, but he did it without
asking for permission.
357
00:26:54,360 –> 00:26:56,960
But it showed the motivation
behind Reuben’s production
358
00:26:56,960 –> 00:27:23,840
prowess.
At the same time as the Beastie
359
00:27:23,840 –> 00:27:28,200
Boys were selling well with Rock
Hard, Run DMC were publishing
360
00:27:28,200 –> 00:27:31,640
their self-titled first album.
They were not signed to Def Jam
361
00:27:31,640 –> 00:27:35,120
Records because they already had
a contract with another small
362
00:27:35,120 –> 00:27:37,200
New York City’s label called
Profile.
363
00:27:37,280 –> 00:27:40,440
Their first album did well, but
it wasn’t until their second
364
00:27:40,720 –> 00:27:45,640
King of Rock that Run DMC made
it clear they were in it for the
365
00:27:45,640 –> 00:27:46,280
long run.
Every.
366
00:27:49,520 –> 00:27:51,440
Jam we play, we break 2.
Needles.
367
00:27:51,800 –> 00:27:54,680
There’s three of us, but.
We’re not the bills my.
368
00:27:55,040 –> 00:27:59,520
Mail is down.
You can call them DMC, people
369
00:27:59,520 –> 00:28:01,400
always ask.
DMC What does it mean?
370
00:28:01,600 –> 00:28:03,720
These for #30.
MC for mostly claim.
371
00:28:11,000 –> 00:28:14,360
King of Rock was produced by
Russell Simmons and Larry Smith,
372
00:28:14,640 –> 00:28:18,680
who has been called the Quincy
Jones of rap or the precursor of
373
00:28:18,680 –> 00:28:21,760
Doctor Dre.
The album sold 1,000,000 copies
374
00:28:21,760 –> 00:28:24,840
and it was cruising through the
music scene with a mix of Hard
375
00:28:24,840 –> 00:28:29,040
Rock guitars and rock inspired
rap lyrics serving as the
376
00:28:29,040 –> 00:28:32,520
perfect dressing for Rick
Rubin’s rap rock salad.
377
00:28:32,920 –> 00:28:36,320
One of the songs, actually the
third single from the album, Can
378
00:28:36,320 –> 00:28:39,560
You Rock It Like This, was even
Co written by Rubin.
379
00:28:40,040 –> 00:28:42,280
Together with Smith and LL Cool
J.
380
00:28:42,880 –> 00:28:46,920
It was Reuben’s first open crack
to the Run DMC world.
381
00:28:53,000 –> 00:28:56,880
If I eat a little kid sticks his
finger in my plate, I’ll be
382
00:28:57,000 –> 00:28:59,200
signing all the grass for three
months.
383
00:28:59,400 –> 00:29:03,600
Straight I got just sex women
who offer me favors.
384
00:29:03,840 –> 00:29:08,200
My face is 1000.
In 1986, the door opened
385
00:29:08,200 –> 00:29:11,640
completely for Ruben.
He replaced Smith and together
386
00:29:11,640 –> 00:29:16,320
with Simmons Co, produced Ron
DMC’s third album, Raising Hell,
387
00:29:16,600 –> 00:29:19,920
which included some of the
trio’s biggest hits like My
388
00:29:19,920 –> 00:29:25,880
Adidas, You Be Elin, It’s Tricky
and of course, Walk This Way.
389
00:29:55,240 –> 00:30:06,640
None.
The song is so critically
390
00:30:06,640 –> 00:30:10,320
important for music as we know
it today, in so many levels.
391
00:30:10,640 –> 00:30:13,560
This is widely the most
recognized version of this
392
00:30:13,560 –> 00:30:17,760
cover, which became the first
rap song ever to break into the
393
00:30:17,760 –> 00:30:21,960
Billboard Top Five.
Picking at #4 It was the first
394
00:30:21,960 –> 00:30:26,720
rap song ever to have a video on
MTV, becoming an instant hit.
395
00:30:27,160 –> 00:30:31,160
And while it put Run DMC on
mainstream media, it also
396
00:30:31,160 –> 00:30:57,600
revived Aerosmith’s career.
After the original version of
397
00:30:57,600 –> 00:31:02,280
Walk This Way back in 1976,
Aerosmith didn’t really have a
398
00:31:02,280 –> 00:31:06,240
major success and the last Top
40 hit was a cover of The
399
00:31:06,240 –> 00:31:11,360
Beatles Come Together in 1978
which was made for a comedy film
400
00:31:11,560 –> 00:31:15,080
starring the Bee Gees, Sergeant
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club
401
00:31:15,080 –> 00:31:17,840
Band.
The decline of Aerosmith also
402
00:31:17,840 –> 00:31:22,640
coincided with its members heavy
use of narcotics which generated
403
00:31:22,640 –> 00:31:26,440
tremendous tension, leading
ultimately to Joe Perry leaving
404
00:31:26,440 –> 00:31:30,400
the band after a heated argument
with Steven Tyler backstage at
405
00:31:30,400 –> 00:31:33,800
the World Series of Rock
Festival in 1979.
406
00:31:34,080 –> 00:31:37,040
To make matters worse, when the
band was working on their
407
00:31:37,040 –> 00:31:41,440
seventh album, Rock in a Hard
Place now without Perry, Brad
408
00:31:41,440 –> 00:31:44,800
Whitford, the other guitarist of
the band, also left.
409
00:31:45,280 –> 00:31:48,480
And when they went on tour, they
couldn’t even book stadiums or
410
00:31:48,480 –> 00:31:52,360
arenas and had to reconcile with
playing at small clubs and
411
00:31:52,360 –> 00:31:56,520
theaters, which they even
struggled to feel sometimes.
412
00:31:56,520 –> 00:32:01,800
When they’d go to clubs of about
1000 people, only 200, maybe 300
413
00:32:01,800 –> 00:32:04,480
fans showed up.
Some would even shout between
414
00:32:04,480 –> 00:32:06,240
songs.
Where’s Joe?
415
00:32:07,760 –> 00:32:11,160
The severe drug addiction Tyler
has suffered from in many
416
00:32:11,160 –> 00:32:14,880
occasions has prevented him from
performing well on stage and in
417
00:32:14,880 –> 00:32:18,320
more than once occasion.
Back then, he used to collapse
418
00:32:18,320 –> 00:32:20,640
while singing and would not get
up.
419
00:32:23,040 –> 00:32:26,680
According to music journalist
and historian Stephen Davis, who
420
00:32:26,680 –> 00:32:30,280
led the writing of the book Walk
This Way, The autobiography of
421
00:32:30,280 –> 00:32:35,640
Aerosmith, Valentine’s Day of
1984, five years after Perry had
422
00:32:35,640 –> 00:32:39,960
left, served as reconciliation
for the original members of
423
00:32:39,960 –> 00:32:42,720
Aerosmith.
Both Perry and Whitford saw
424
00:32:42,800 –> 00:32:47,120
Aerosmith playing in Worcester,
MA, and after talks kicked off,
425
00:32:47,520 –> 00:32:51,760
the band got together again.
The Bad Boys of Boston, as the
426
00:32:51,760 –> 00:32:55,320
band is known, were ready and
hopeful for a comeback and
427
00:32:55,320 –> 00:32:58,600
signed for a new record label,
Living Columbia and going to
428
00:32:58,600 –> 00:33:01,600
Geffen Records.
But their drug abuse continued
429
00:33:01,840 –> 00:33:05,160
and the reunion tour had several
incidents throughout.
430
00:33:05,680 –> 00:33:08,440
They decided to record their
first album since getting back
431
00:33:08,440 –> 00:33:14,000
together and in December 1985
they released Done With Mirrors,
432
00:33:14,240 –> 00:33:17,840
which had very good reviews, but
it was a flop at the stores.
433
00:33:18,240 –> 00:33:22,600
After a long decade of struggles
where the band was almost
434
00:33:22,600 –> 00:33:27,160
forgotten by the music scene,
1986 happened.
435
00:33:27,480 –> 00:33:31,280
By then Aerosmith was already
thought to be a 70s washed up
436
00:33:31,320 –> 00:33:35,840
rock band when all of a sudden
their fame skyrocketed again.
437
00:33:36,000 –> 00:33:39,520
Although they did it as a
featured artist with a song that
438
00:33:39,520 –> 00:33:43,800
was theirs, but at the same time
it was already someone else’s.
439
00:33:44,120 –> 00:33:47,200
A recording studio in New York
City was the site of a recent
440
00:33:47,200 –> 00:33:51,480
collaboration between the Kings
of Rap, Run DMC and 2 of Rocks
441
00:33:51,480 –> 00:33:55,600
launchers Royals, Aerosmith
guitarist Joe Perry and vocalist
442
00:33:55,640 –> 00:33:58,440
Steven Tyler.
This comes from a report on MTV
443
00:33:58,440 –> 00:34:03,880
News talking about the afternoon
of Sunday, March 9th, 1986 when
444
00:34:03,880 –> 00:34:08,120
Run DMC and the 2 front men of
Aerosmith get together at Rick
445
00:34:08,120 –> 00:34:11,800
Rubin Studio in New York City.
Run DMC were working on their
446
00:34:11,840 –> 00:34:16,520
Racing Hell album and Walk This
Way was Rubin’s pledge to
447
00:34:16,520 –> 00:34:18,920
crossover rap into mainstream
radio.
448
00:34:19,440 –> 00:34:23,040
But funny enough, both artists
left the studio that day
449
00:34:23,080 –> 00:34:26,440
thinking that the song would
never make the album.
450
00:34:27,280 –> 00:34:30,800
We have to understand that Ron
DMC was at the peak of their
451
00:34:30,800 –> 00:34:35,440
career while Aerosmith was
struggling, barely holding on to
452
00:34:35,440 –> 00:34:40,040
the last rock of the mountain.
You could say Aerosmith was the
453
00:34:40,040 –> 00:34:42,000
one who needed the song the
most.
454
00:34:42,440 –> 00:34:45,520
This is Joe Perry on Australia’s
60 minutes.
455
00:34:45,960 –> 00:34:48,199
That blindsided us.
We had no idea it was going to
456
00:34:48,199 –> 00:34:53,280
have the impact it had.
So we get this phone call and we
457
00:34:53,280 –> 00:34:56,960
had just written in Rolling
Stone where the Rick Rubin said
458
00:34:57,400 –> 00:35:00,440
that that Walk this way was
proto rap.
459
00:35:00,600 –> 00:35:03,400
And we thought we took that as a
compliment, of course.
460
00:35:03,440 –> 00:35:08,960
And, and then he asked if we
would want to play on the, on
461
00:35:08,960 –> 00:35:13,840
the, the song they used, they,
they were sampling bits and
462
00:35:13,840 –> 00:35:17,040
pieces of, of, of walk this way.
So why not?
463
00:35:17,440 –> 00:35:19,080
He thought, why not have the
guys come in?
464
00:35:19,080 –> 00:35:24,200
And the guys in run DMC weren’t
too, too keen on it.
465
00:35:24,200 –> 00:35:27,600
I think they were that, you
know, they were just discovering
466
00:35:27,600 –> 00:35:30,640
this thing that that was
starting to become big and
467
00:35:31,040 –> 00:35:33,160
they’ve, they’ve done something
brand new.
468
00:35:33,200 –> 00:35:36,600
And it’s like why we want to
bring those old guys in here,
469
00:35:36,600 –> 00:35:38,600
you know, you know, with
sampling their music.
470
00:35:38,600 –> 00:35:43,960
I mean, we’ve got our own thing,
you know, and so we, we, we flew
471
00:35:43,960 –> 00:35:50,520
in and, and, and then Rick said,
just just play, just plug in and
472
00:35:50,520 –> 00:35:52,560
play.
And we just want to add a
473
00:35:52,560 –> 00:35:53,760
little.
We’re not even sure if this is
474
00:35:53,760 –> 00:35:55,880
going on the record.
You know, again, they were
475
00:35:55,880 –> 00:36:00,760
establishing something and and
he wasn’t even sure if it was
476
00:36:00,760 –> 00:36:02,600
the right time to do something
like that.
477
00:36:02,800 –> 00:36:06,600
It so happens that Run DMC had
already used Walk This Way in
478
00:36:06,600 –> 00:36:10,200
the past during block parties
they played at, but had no idea
479
00:36:10,200 –> 00:36:13,280
what the name of the song was
and didn’t even know it was from
480
00:36:13,280 –> 00:36:16,440
Aerosmith.
Even more so, they didn’t know
481
00:36:16,440 –> 00:36:21,280
who Aerosmith was.
According to DMCMCS, would use
482
00:36:21,280 –> 00:36:25,520
Walk This Way to rap over it
even before Rapper’s Delight was
483
00:36:25,520 –> 00:36:27,320
released.
The song that introduced the
484
00:36:27,320 –> 00:36:31,080
world to rap.
Run DMC had used the first few
485
00:36:31,080 –> 00:36:34,840
seconds of the song as
background for Ron and DMC to
486
00:36:34,840 –> 00:36:39,360
wrap on top of it, while Jam
Master J would rewind it back to
487
00:36:39,360 –> 00:36:42,640
use it on a loop.
So they never got to the guitar
488
00:36:42,640 –> 00:36:46,640
part of the intro and obviously
never even heard the lyrics.
489
00:36:47,160 –> 00:36:51,680
In fact, they had planned to
steal the song, as DMC has said
490
00:36:51,680 –> 00:36:55,520
in the past, and just sample it
rapping over the music.
491
00:36:55,920 –> 00:37:00,920
But Ruben had a better idea.
Although Ron and DMC didn’t seem
492
00:37:00,920 –> 00:37:04,560
to agree with their producer,
this is DMC recalling that
493
00:37:04,560 –> 00:37:08,120
moment on an interview with
Toronto’s radio station Boom
494
00:37:08,120 –> 00:37:13,080
97.3.
Now me and Ron, we was thinking
495
00:37:13,080 –> 00:37:16,960
from a limited hip hop
perspective, we going to sample
496
00:37:16,960 –> 00:37:19,720
it and we’re going to rhyme and
talk about how good we are.
497
00:37:20,000 –> 00:37:22,800
But then Rick goes no, you
should do the record over the
498
00:37:22,800 –> 00:37:27,760
way they the band originally did
that jam Master Jay rest in
499
00:37:27,760 –> 00:37:31,840
peace.
Jay goes yo that be a sick idea.
500
00:37:31,840 –> 00:37:33,240
Me and Rob was like hold on,
hold on.
501
00:37:33,240 –> 00:37:36,760
Wait, wait wait, y’all taking
this rock rap stuff too far?
502
00:37:37,480 –> 00:37:40,600
Rick took the record off the He
took the record off the
503
00:37:40,600 –> 00:37:46,360
turntable and said, take
Aerosmith’s toys in the attic to
504
00:37:46,360 –> 00:37:51,840
the basement, take out a pen and
paper and sit there and write
505
00:37:51,840 –> 00:37:54,080
the words down so we can learn
the words.
506
00:37:54,280 –> 00:37:56,720
Because me and Run had never
heard the singing.
507
00:37:56,720 –> 00:38:01,480
Why Jam Master J Grandmaster
Flash Theodore would never let
508
00:38:01,480 –> 00:38:04,600
the record play that far.
Because as soon as the guitars
509
00:38:04,600 –> 00:38:10,280
went back to the front, so me
and Run had never heard the
510
00:38:10,280 –> 00:38:13,200
singing on the record.
So we go to my basement.
511
00:38:13,400 –> 00:38:17,000
True story.
We put the needle on #4 an
512
00:38:17,000 –> 00:38:20,120
Aerosmith.
We take out a pen and pad and we
513
00:38:20,120 –> 00:38:22,920
sit there and we was going to
let the Record play.
514
00:38:22,920 –> 00:38:33,800
It’s a me and run sitting in
anticipation.
515
00:38:33,920 –> 00:38:38,080
We ain’t know what was coming.
Then you hear Steven, backstroke
516
00:38:38,080 –> 00:38:40,280
lover with the underneath the
cover, Me run.
517
00:38:40,280 –> 00:38:41,760
Get on the phone.
Oh hell.
518
00:38:42,520 –> 00:38:46,320
No, no we ain’t making this.
This is country bumpkin music.
519
00:38:46,320 –> 00:38:49,560
This is hillbilly gibberish.
Y’all trying to ruin our
520
00:38:49,560 –> 00:38:51,880
careers.
Grandmaster flashed in the first
521
00:38:51,880 –> 00:38:53,960
five in Africa.
Bambaataa ain’t going to like
522
00:38:53,960 –> 00:38:56,000
this.
We are not doing these lyrics
523
00:38:56,000 –> 00:38:58,480
because it just sounded because
y’all understand.
524
00:38:58,480 –> 00:39:02,200
It’s the first time I was
hearing the singing on Walk This
525
00:39:02,200 –> 00:39:04,880
Way that we didn’t even know the
record was called Walk This Way.
526
00:39:05,280 –> 00:39:07,720
So we on the phone.
Oh hell no, we ain’t doing it.
527
00:39:08,160 –> 00:39:11,480
Despite the rebellion, Reuben
went up to Boston and convinced
528
00:39:11,480 –> 00:39:15,760
Tyler and Perry to come to his
studio to re record their song.
529
00:39:16,680 –> 00:39:21,040
Meanwhile, in New York as Damage
Control Jam, Master Jay, who
530
00:39:21,040 –> 00:39:24,640
really liked Reuben’s idea, was
trying to convince his friends
531
00:39:24,880 –> 00:39:28,920
to come and do the song.
When Ron and DMC came back into
532
00:39:28,920 –> 00:39:33,200
the studio, Tyler and Perry were
already there, and just like DMC
533
00:39:33,200 –> 00:39:36,280
recalls, they had no idea who
they were.
534
00:39:36,520 –> 00:39:38,480
We get to the studio, we walk in
the studio.
535
00:39:38,480 –> 00:39:41,040
First thing we do, we walk in
the studio and it’s like
536
00:39:41,040 –> 00:39:42,400
reality.
Oh, shoot.
537
00:39:42,440 –> 00:39:44,760
And this is funny, it’s I love
Steven Tyler.
538
00:39:45,040 –> 00:39:47,080
We walk in there, me and Joe
don’t know no better.
539
00:39:47,240 –> 00:39:51,280
We go, oh, shoot, The Rolling
Stones is in here, Steven Goals.
540
00:39:51,280 –> 00:39:53,120
No, no, we’re not The Rolling
Stones.
541
00:39:53,120 –> 00:39:55,520
That’s the other group.
So that kind of broke the ice or
542
00:39:55,520 –> 00:39:56,680
whatever, whatever.
So.
543
00:39:57,120 –> 00:40:00,960
Even though Ron and DMC didn’t
really want to do this version
544
00:40:00,960 –> 00:40:05,000
of the song, time would prove
they were just as wrong as those
545
00:40:05,000 –> 00:40:07,760
who thought Aerosmith’s career
was over back then.
546
00:40:08,240 –> 00:40:12,480
The new version of Walk This Way
rose up to #4 on the Billboard
547
00:40:12,480 –> 00:40:17,720
Hot 106 positions ahead of its
original version in 1976.
548
00:40:18,160 –> 00:40:22,720
It put Ron DMC on the spotlight.
It opened them up to mainstream
549
00:40:22,720 –> 00:40:25,760
pop culture.
It gave them respect from rock
550
00:40:25,760 –> 00:40:28,320
fans and exposed them to new
fans.
551
00:40:28,520 –> 00:40:31,920
And while doing so, it
catapulted Aerosmith into a
552
00:40:31,920 –> 00:40:35,960
higher dimension, introducing
the band to a new generation.
553
00:41:02,120 –> 00:41:04,960
The music video became as MASH
on MTV.
554
00:41:05,480 –> 00:41:08,760
In it, we first see Aerosmith
rehearsing the song in A room,
555
00:41:09,400 –> 00:41:13,280
loud music, then exhorts Run
DMC, who are in the room next
556
00:41:13,280 –> 00:41:16,960
door separated by a wall, to
constantly knock on the wall,
557
00:41:17,040 –> 00:41:22,960
asking to turn that noise down.
Then both artists start playing
558
00:41:22,960 –> 00:41:25,560
the song while the drums kick
in.
559
00:41:25,800 –> 00:41:28,920
Jam Master Jay scratch the disc,
triggering our reaction from
560
00:41:28,920 –> 00:41:31,040
Tyler.
When Perry begins his guitar
561
00:41:31,040 –> 00:41:35,760
riff, the rap trio remixes it,
and just as Tyler is about to
562
00:41:35,760 –> 00:41:40,320
begin singing, Run DMC interrupt
him and take over the song.
563
00:41:42,520 –> 00:41:46,720
This infuriates Tyler, who grabs
his long mic stand and makes a
564
00:41:46,720 –> 00:41:50,120
hole through the wall while
singing his lungs out to the
565
00:41:50,120 –> 00:42:13,720
chorus of the song.
The perfect metaphor for what
566
00:42:13,720 –> 00:42:16,000
walked this way represents
today.
567
00:42:16,280 –> 00:42:20,960
It broke the wall that used to
separate rap and rock, which is
568
00:42:20,960 –> 00:42:24,200
very well portrayed with the
final scene of the video when
569
00:42:24,200 –> 00:42:29,800
Tyler embraces both Ron and DMC
in an act that signifies hip hop
570
00:42:29,800 –> 00:42:34,040
crossover to mainstream.
In 2019, the song was inducted
571
00:42:34,040 –> 00:42:39,000
into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Raising Hell Run DM CS album was
572
00:42:39,000 –> 00:42:42,160
honored in 2018 when it was
inducted to the National
573
00:42:42,160 –> 00:42:45,280
Recording Registry by the
Library of Congress of the
574
00:42:45,280 –> 00:42:49,720
United States because of its
cultural, historic and aesthetic
575
00:42:49,720 –> 00:42:51,520
importance to the American
soundscape.
576
00:42:51,520 –> 00:42:54,360
According to the National
Register’s website, both
577
00:42:54,440 –> 00:42:57,760
Aerosmith and Run DMC have been
inducted to the Rock and Roll
578
00:42:57,760 –> 00:43:00,400
Hall of Fame, making them
immortal.
579
00:43:01,120 –> 00:43:17,200
And immortal they have been.
Run DMC scored a $1.6 million
580
00:43:17,200 –> 00:43:21,360
endorsement with sports apparel
German company Adidas thanks to
581
00:43:21,360 –> 00:43:25,560
another Racing Hill single, My
Adidas, becoming the first
582
00:43:25,560 –> 00:43:29,840
fashion icons of hip hop.
Raising Hell sold more than
583
00:43:29,840 –> 00:43:32,640
3,000,000 copies, becoming three
times platinum.
584
00:43:32,920 –> 00:43:36,160
And just like their biography
used to say on the website, they
585
00:43:36,160 –> 00:43:39,400
were the first rap act to appear
on the cover of Rolling Stone
586
00:43:39,400 –> 00:43:42,320
magazine, the first one to
receive a Grammy Award
587
00:43:42,320 –> 00:43:46,000
nomination, and the first one to
appear on Saturday Night Live.
588
00:43:46,400 –> 00:43:49,760
They have been named the
Greatest Hip Hop Group of all
589
00:43:49,760 –> 00:43:56,000
Time by MTV and the Greatest Hip
Hop Artist by VH1, and in 2016
590
00:43:56,080 –> 00:44:00,640
they became the first rap artist
to receive the Grammy Lifetime
591
00:44:00,640 –> 00:44:04,880
Achievement Award.
This speech is my recital.
592
00:44:05,080 –> 00:44:07,880
I think it’s very vital to rock
around.
593
00:44:07,920 –> 00:44:13,760
That’s right on top to rock
around, to rock around, that’s
594
00:44:13,800 –> 00:44:14,920
right on time.
It’s tricky.
595
00:44:15,080 –> 00:44:20,080
It’s tricky.
Tricky, tricky.
596
00:44:20,080 –> 00:44:28,520
Tricky tricky.
As for Aerosmith, their first
597
00:44:28,520 –> 00:44:31,800
album after that cover of Walk
This Way, called Permanent
598
00:44:31,800 –> 00:44:36,600
Vacation, sold more than 4
million copies and had three Top
599
00:44:36,600 –> 00:44:40,320
10 singles.
Dud Looks Like a Lady Ragdoll
600
00:44:40,520 –> 00:44:43,520
and the number three song in the
US, Angel.
601
00:45:02,880 –> 00:45:06,800
Since then, Success and
Aerosmith are synonyms with
602
00:45:06,800 –> 00:45:10,880
staggering album sales including
Get A Grip, which became the
603
00:45:10,880 –> 00:45:15,560
band’s best selling album in the
world with more than 20 million
604
00:45:15,560 –> 00:45:20,800
copies, and also several hits
followed like Crying Amazing,
605
00:45:21,120 –> 00:45:26,960
Crazy Jaded and of course their
only #1 single to date in the
606
00:45:26,960 –> 00:45:29,960
USI.
Could stay awake.
607
00:45:30,960 –> 00:45:38,080
Just to hear you breathing,
watch you smile while you are
608
00:45:38,480 –> 00:45:42,840
sleeping, while far.
Away and dreaming.
609
00:45:44,320 –> 00:45:49,960
I could spend my life in this
sweet surrender.
610
00:45:51,160 –> 00:45:54,160
Remember when we said earlier
that Dream On was their biggest
611
00:45:54,160 –> 00:45:57,560
hit?
Reaching #6 well, I don’t want
612
00:45:57,560 –> 00:45:59,640
to miss a thing.
Which was part of the soundtrack
613
00:45:59,640 –> 00:46:02,840
for the movie Armageddon,
starring Liv Tyler Stevens.
614
00:46:02,840 –> 00:46:06,560
Daughter sold more than
1,000,000 copies each in the US
615
00:46:06,560 –> 00:46:07,720
and the UK.
I don’t want to fall asleep
616
00:46:07,720 –> 00:46:19,600
’cause I miss you.
Better and I don’t want to.
617
00:46:21,480 –> 00:46:25,040
Miss It was released in
September 1998 and has been the
618
00:46:25,120 –> 00:46:29,040
only #1 single by Aerosmith,
debuting at the very top of the
619
00:46:29,040 –> 00:46:32,000
charts and remaining there for
four weeks.
620
00:46:39,560 –> 00:46:42,640
But Walk This Way was not shying
away from the band.
621
00:46:43,160 –> 00:46:48,080
In 2001, Aerosmith performed at
halftime of Super Bowl 35, and
622
00:46:48,080 –> 00:46:51,080
they chose to play their smash
rap rock hit.
623
00:46:51,280 –> 00:46:56,640
Only this time they decided to
bring together Rock and the
624
00:46:56,640 –> 00:47:01,440
recently astonishing and
antagonistic Teenage Bob.
625
00:47:24,920 –> 00:47:30,240
Having Britney Spears and Sync,
Mary J Blige and Nelly recreate
626
00:47:30,240 –> 00:47:34,960
the classic were tough waters to
navigate in, and Perry knows
627
00:47:34,960 –> 00:47:37,960
exactly it.
Is risk worth taking?
628
00:47:38,520 –> 00:47:41,200
I don’t know there’s much that
we could do to change the image
629
00:47:41,200 –> 00:47:44,200
of this band to screw it up any
worse than we already have.
630
00:47:44,240 –> 00:47:47,280
I mean, if we can play.
The Super Bowl with Britney
631
00:47:47,280 –> 00:47:50,720
Spears and still get away clean.
I think that we’re kind of
632
00:47:50,720 –> 00:47:54,560
bulletproof after all.
Just like DMC remembers from
633
00:47:54,560 –> 00:47:58,240
their Walk This Way ensemble.
And then that day, me and run
634
00:47:58,240 –> 00:48:01,360
learn something valuable.
Remember, we didn’t want to do
635
00:48:01,360 –> 00:48:03,680
the record.
Now when I go to high schools
636
00:48:03,680 –> 00:48:06,240
and middle schools and I speak
to the kids, I always tell the
637
00:48:06,240 –> 00:48:12,560
kids this always be open to try
something new because it might
638
00:48:12,560 –> 00:48:15,840
not just only change your life,
it could change the world.
639
00:48:15,840 –> 00:48:20,040
People tell me when Steven Tyler
took that mic stand and knocked
640
00:48:20,040 –> 00:48:23,520
down that wall in a Walk This
Way video D that didn’t just
641
00:48:23,520 –> 00:48:26,600
happen in the video, that
happened in real life.
642
00:48:51,640 –> 00:48:54,120
This has been uncovering the
cover.
643
00:48:54,480 –> 00:48:57,000
If you enjoyed this episode,
please share it with a friend
644
00:48:57,000 –> 00:49:01,120
who also enjoys music culture
because our culture is best
645
00:49:01,120 –> 00:49:06,080
preserved when music is shared.
Subscribe, follow us, and review
646
00:49:06,080 –> 00:49:09,040
us so we can reach more music
culture fans.
647
00:49:09,480 –> 00:49:12,120
Follow us on Instagram and
Tiktok and let us know which
648
00:49:12,120 –> 00:49:15,760
song you’d like uncover next.
You can go to our website, which
649
00:49:15,760 –> 00:49:18,960
is LinkedIn the show notes, to
find a transcript and all the
650
00:49:18,960 –> 00:49:21,280
information regarding this
episode.
651
00:49:21,840 –> 00:49:24,200
Uncovering the cover brings you
the hidden stories behind
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00:49:24,200 –> 00:49:26,400
music’s greatest
transformations.
653
00:49:26,880 –> 00:49:27,720
Until next time.