Permanent Vacation (album)
Encyclopedia
Permanent Vacation is the ninth studio album by American
rock
band Aerosmith
, released in August 1987 by Geffen Records
.
The album marks a turning point in the band's career. It is their first album to employ professional songwriters, instead of featuring material solely composed by members of the band. It was also the first Aerosmith album to be promoted by heavy music video airplay on MTV
. Though Done with Mirrors
was intended to mark Aerosmith's comeback, Permanent Vacation is often considered their true comeback album, as it was the band's first truly popular album since their reunion. "Rag Doll
," "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)
" and "Angel
" all became major hit singles (all three songs charted in the Top 20) and helped Permanent Vacation become the band's most successful album in a decade.
The album features their cover of "I'm Down
", a piano-driven Beatles song that appeared as a b-side to their single "Help
" in 1965. This was Aerosmith's second commercially-released Beatles cover, after "Come Together
".
In limited production, the original album cover for Permanent Vacation did not feature the yellow Aerosmith wings logo. Instead, the album jacket only featured the black background covered in the red "Permanent Vacation" hula girl print. The yellow Aerosmith wings logo was actually on the outside of the plastic case rather than the inner album liner.
Permanent Vacation has sold over five million copies in the U.S.
In the UK, it was the first Aerosmith album to attain both Silver (60,000 units sold) and Gold (100,000 units sold) certification by the British Phonographic Industry
, achieving these in July 1989 and March 1990 respectively.
Aerosmith
Additional musicians
Production
Singles
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, released in August 1987 by Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
.
The album marks a turning point in the band's career. It is their first album to employ professional songwriters, instead of featuring material solely composed by members of the band. It was also the first Aerosmith album to be promoted by heavy music video airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. Though Done with Mirrors
Done with Mirrors
Done with Mirrors is the eighth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released November 9, 1985. The release marked the return to the band of Joe Perry, who had left the group in 1979, and Brad Whitford, who had left the band in 1981. It was also the band's first album released by Geffen...
was intended to mark Aerosmith's comeback, Permanent Vacation is often considered their true comeback album, as it was the band's first truly popular album since their reunion. "Rag Doll
Rag Doll (Aerosmith song)
"Rag Doll" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It is from the 1987 album Permanent Vacation. It was released as the final single from the album in 1988...
," "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)
Dude (Looks Like a Lady)
"Dude " is a song by United States hard rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the first of three singles from the Permanent Vacation album in 1987. It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, #41 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, #4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and peaked at #45 on the UK...
" and "Angel
Angel (Aerosmith song)
"Angel" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and professional songwriting collaborator Desmond Child...
" all became major hit singles (all three songs charted in the Top 20) and helped Permanent Vacation become the band's most successful album in a decade.
The album features their cover of "I'm Down
I'm Down
"I'm Down" is a song by the Beatles written by Paul McCartney and first released as the B-side to the single "Help!" in 1965.-Composition:...
", a piano-driven Beatles song that appeared as a b-side to their single "Help
Help! (song)
"Help!" is a song by The Beatles that served as the title song for both the 1965 film and its soundtrack album. It was also released as a single, and was number one for three weeks in both the United States and the United Kingdom....
" in 1965. This was Aerosmith's second commercially-released Beatles cover, after "Come Together
Come Together
"Come Together" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song is the opening track on The Beatles' September 1969 album Abbey Road....
".
In limited production, the original album cover for Permanent Vacation did not feature the yellow Aerosmith wings logo. Instead, the album jacket only featured the black background covered in the red "Permanent Vacation" hula girl print. The yellow Aerosmith wings logo was actually on the outside of the plastic case rather than the inner album liner.
Permanent Vacation has sold over five million copies in the U.S.
In the UK, it was the first Aerosmith album to attain both Silver (60,000 units sold) and Gold (100,000 units sold) certification by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
, achieving these in July 1989 and March 1990 respectively.
Reception
Track listing
Personnel
Per liner notes & AllmusicAerosmith
- Steven TylerSteven TylerSteven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
- lead vocals - Joe PerryJoe Perry (musician)Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals, pedal steel guitarPedal steel guitarThe pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
on "Rag Doll" - Brad WhitfordBrad WhitfordBradford Ernest Whitford is the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith. He graduated Reading Memorial High School in 1970.-Career:...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Tom HamiltonTom Hamilton (musician)Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton is an American musician, best known as the bassist of hard rock band Aerosmith. He has co-written two of Aerosmith's hits, "Sweet Emotion" and "Janie's Got a Gun". Hamilton occasionally plays guitar and sings backing vocals Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton (born...
- bass - Joey KramerJoey KramerJoseph Michael "Joey" Kramer is the drummer for the American hard rock band Aerosmith....
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion
Additional musicians
- Drew Arnott – mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
on "Angel" and "The Movie" - Tom KeenlysideTom KeenlysideTom Keenlyside is a Juno Award-winning saxophonist and jazz flute player from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.- Biography :Born and raised in Vancouver, Keenlyside took up the trumpet in 1962 at the age of 12, and played in various rhythm and blues bands throughout the 1960s. He played is first...
– clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, horn arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll" - Ian Putz – baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll" - Bob Rogers – tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll" - Henry Christian – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Scott Fairbairn – cello
- Mike FraserMike FraserMike Fraser is a Canadian record producer, engineer, and mixer. Mike is best known for his work with AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith and Joe Satriani...
– plunger mute - Morgan Rael – steel drums
- Jim VallanceJim VallanceJames Douglas "Jim" Vallance, OC is a retired Canadian musician, songwriter, arranger and producer based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. He is best known as the former songwriting partner of Canadian international recording artist Bryan Adams...
– organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
on "Rag Doll" and "Simoriah"
Production
- Bruce FairbairnBruce FairbairnBruce Earl Fairbairn was a Canadian musician and international record producer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999 and is considered one of the best of his era...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Mike FraserMike FraserMike Fraser is a Canadian record producer, engineer, and mixer. Mike is best known for his work with AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith and Joe Satriani...
– engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Bob RockBob RockRobert Jens Rock, , is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer best known for producing bands such as Aerosmith, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Our Lady Peace, The Offspring and most recently Bush.-Payola$ and Rock and Hyde:Rock began his music career in Langford,...
– engineer - Ken Lomas – assistant engineer
- George Marino – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Kim Champagne – art direction
- Andy Engel – illustrationIllustrationAn illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
s - Neal Preston – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
Charts
Album| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
11 |
| Canada RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... 100 Albums |
16 |
| UK (Top 100 UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... ) |
37 |
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Top 50) | 42 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Dude (Looks Like a Lady) Dude (Looks Like a Lady) "Dude " is a song by United States hard rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the first of three singles from the Permanent Vacation album in 1987. It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, #41 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, #4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and peaked at #45 on the UK... " |
Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
4 |
| The Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
14 | ||
| "Hangman Jury Hangman Jury "Hangman Jury" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was released as a promotional single in 1987 on the album Permanent Vacation... " |
Mainstream Rock Tracks | 14 | |
| "Rag Doll Rag Doll (Aerosmith song) "Rag Doll" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It is from the 1987 album Permanent Vacation. It was released as the final single from the album in 1988... " |
Mainstream Rock Tracks | 12 | |
| 1988 | "Angel Angel (Aerosmith song) "Angel" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and professional songwriting collaborator Desmond Child... " |
Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| The Billboard Hot 100 | 3 | ||
| "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
41 | |
| "Rag Doll" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 17 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA - USA | Gold | November 10, 1987 |
| Platinum | December 8, 1987 | |
| 2× Platinum | May 24, 1988 | |
| 3× Platinum | March 7, 1990 | |
| 4× Platinum | November 9, 1994 | |
| 5× Platinum | February 10, 1995 | |
| CIA – Canada | Gold | Nov 18, 1994 |
| Platinum | Nov 18, 1994 | |
| 2× Platinum | Nov 18, 1994 | |
| 3× Platinum | Nov 18, 1994 | |
| 4× Platinum | Nov 18, 1994 | |
| 5× Platinum | Nov 18, 1994 |