We recorded a basic track in my home studio.
We ended the verse by building on an F# for four bars before returningīy the time Bruce Fairbairn returned, just before dinner, we'd completed the song'sīasic structure including the temporary title "Rag Time", inspiredīy the track's New Orleans feel. Meanwhile, in search of a verse, Joe took the chord progression up aĤth (to E), adding a Chuck Berry guitar stride.
The fat snare-drum sound I'd used on the Glass Tiger single, " Someday". I dialled up a funky half-time drum feel on my Emulator keyboard, borrowing Riff, and it quickly became apparent we had the beginnings of a song. Steven started singing a melody that mirrored Joe's Underneath: two bars of B, two bars of D, two bars of A, and back Joe continued playing the riff while I introduced some movement Off the wagon was out of the band - no questions asked, no secondĮlectric bass. Plus, they'd made a pact amongst themselves: the first guy to fall Nearly six months and they were grateful to have another shot at success. On life (thanks to the Betty Ford Clinic). Had a new label (Geffen), a new manager (Tim Collins) and a new lease Produce Aerosmith, and Bruce asked me if I'd be interested in writing with Steven and Joe. Geffen A&R man John Kalodner hired Bruce to We played together in two Vancouver-based bands, Sunshyne and Prism. I'd known Aerosmith's producer Bruce Fairbairn sinceġ973. It's the first song I wrote with Steven and Joe Jim Vallance: I have a real fondness for "Rag
(The above quotes are from the book "Walk This Way - The Autobiography of Yell at me, "Who's to say that it wouldn't have been huge if it was 'Rag Later, when it was a big hit record, Tyler was enraged. John brought in Holly Knight, who changed one word and got a piece of Tim Collins (Aerosmith's manager): This was a big deal. and she says "Hey! Call it Rag Doll".Īlong with that, and changing a few other words, I gave her credit on "I'm rippin' up a rag doll, like throwin'Īway an old toy". Through it again and Holly reads my lyrics. Steven Tyler: He got Holly Knight to come up and weīrain-stormed for three days in Vancouver. Orleans, the old traditions, the roots of rock 'n roll. John Kalodner: Steven gave me some bullshit about New rags,īut Kalodner says, "No one will understand this". John Kalodner (A&R Geffen Records): In Marchġ987 Steven and Joe moved to Vancouver and started to work with Jim Vallance.įrom then through June they came up with most of the tracks: Magic Touch, in May 1988, entering the Billboard chart on June "Rag Doll" was the third single from Aerosmith's "Permanent Vacation" album. Your browser does not support the audio element. #17 - Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart / Aug(17 weeks on the chart) #12 - Billboard Album Rock Tracks Chart / 1987 (18 weeks on the chart) #11 - The Record (Canada) / Octo(15 weeks on the chart) The Essential Aerosmith (September 2, 2011) Tough Love - Best of the Ballads (Geffen, May 24, 2011) Guitar Hero: Aerosmith / video game (June 2008, Activision) Aerosmith has a few songs dealing with the sex things, and it's hard to argue if you think this song has some other meaning.Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits (Columbia, 2002)Ĭlassics - The Universal Masters (Universal, 2002)ĭevil's Got A New Disguise (Columbia/Sony, 2006)Ģ0th Century Masters - The Millenium Collection (November 6, 2007) If a story was being told, it would be a guy wanting a girl to have wild sex with him. There's some parts of the lyrics that kinda relate to Hollywood, but these aren't relevant to the overall meaning of the song. The music video has some scant scenes that describe the lyrics pictorially. And all through the song this is pretty much what it sounds like. Like you done before." Naturally you should be able to tell that the lyrics are basically saying 'it's sex time'. Rag doll, baby won't you do me, baby won't you do me, baby won't you do me. Some lyrics are: "Don't mind, come on up and see me. That could be the construct of the song, but there's more. One definition of 'rag doll' is a cute girl that's usually empty-headed. Today, Aerosmith is among the most popular bands in the world. During the '80s some of the band members were struggling from drugs, but they did manage to overcome the mess and continue to move forward in their endeavors. From Boston, Aerosmith didn't have it easy.