Aerosmith – What It Takes A genuine song analysis
Introduction
Thesis statement
“What It Takes” by Aerosmith represents a pivotal moment in the band’s artistic evolution, showcasing their ability to blend hard rock intensity with deeply personal vulnerability. The song serves as a masterclass in emotional storytelling, where Steven Tyler’s raw vocal delivery meets the band’s signature guitar work to create a powerful meditation on heartbreak and letting go. This 1989 ballad demonstrates how Aerosmith successfully transitioned from their earlier blues-rock foundation to a more commercially accessible sound without sacrificing their emotional authenticity. The track’s enduring popularity stems from its universal themes of love, loss, and the painful process of moving on, making it resonate with listeners across generations. Through its careful balance of musical sophistication and lyrical honesty, “What It Takes” stands as one of Aerosmith’s most compelling explorations of romantic devastation and personal recovery.
Brief introduction to the song and artist
Aerosmith, formed in Boston in 1970, had already established themselves as one of America’s premier rock bands by the time “What It Takes” was recorded. The band, led by the dynamic duo of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, had weathered internal conflicts, substance abuse issues, and commercial decline throughout the early 1980s. Their comeback album “Permanent Vacation” in 1987 marked a creative renaissance, setting the stage for “Pump,” the album that would feature “What It Takes.” Steven Tyler, known for his theatrical stage presence and distinctive voice, brought a new level of vulnerability to this particular composition. The song showcased the band’s ability to craft emotionally resonant ballads while maintaining their rock credibility, a skill that would define their later commercial success. Joe Perry’s guitar work on the track demonstrates his evolution as a songwriter, moving beyond simple riffs to create atmospheric soundscapes that support the song’s emotional weight.
Context of the song’s creation and release
“What It Takes” emerged during a period of personal and professional renewal for Aerosmith in the late 1980s. The band was working with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who had previously helped Bon Jovi achieve massive commercial success. This collaboration represented a conscious effort to modernize Aerosmith’s sound while preserving their rock authenticity. The song was written during a time when power ballads dominated American rock radio, with bands like Def Leppard and Whitesnake achieving massive success with similar emotional anthems. Recording took place at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, where Fairbairn’s production techniques helped create the song’s polished yet emotionally raw sound. The late 1980s American music scene was characterized by a growing appetite for arena-rock anthems that combined personal storytelling with massive, sing-along choruses. “What It Takes” perfectly captured this zeitgeist while maintaining Aerosmith’s distinctive identity and emotional honesty.
Overview of the song’s reception and impact
Upon its release as part of the “Pump” album in September 1989, “What It Takes” quickly became a fan favorite and radio staple. The song reached significant chart success, demonstrating Aerosmith’s ability to compete with younger bands in the increasingly competitive rock landscape. American rock radio embraced the track, with many stations featuring it in heavy rotation during the early 1990s. The song’s impact extended beyond commercial success, influencing a generation of rock ballads that followed throughout the 1990s. Music critics praised the track for its emotional authenticity and Steven Tyler’s vulnerable vocal performance, marking it as a standout on an already strong album. The song’s legacy continues today, with many considering it one of Aerosmith’s finest ballads and a perfect example of their ability to blend accessibility with artistic integrity. Its influence can be heard in countless rock ballads that followed, establishing it as a template for emotionally honest arena rock.
Lyrical analysis
Breakdown of the song’s lyrics
The song opens with a scene of romantic betrayal, immediately establishing the narrator’s emotional state through vivid imagery. The first verse introduces the central conflict: the discovery of a former lover’s new relationship, symbolized by “another diamond ring.” Tyler’s lyrics employ conversational language that makes the pain feel immediate and personal, drawing listeners into the narrator’s emotional world. The questioning tone throughout the verses creates a sense of desperate seeking, as the narrator struggles to understand how their former partner can move on so easily. The recurring motif of sleep and rest serves as a metaphor for peace of mind, something the narrator cannot achieve while haunted by memories. The bridge section intensifies the emotional stakes, with the narrator challenging their former lover’s claims of happiness and independence. The repetitive nature of the chorus reinforces the obsessive quality of heartbreak, where the same questions cycle endlessly through the mind. The outro’s repeated phrase “let it go” transforms from a question into a mantra, suggesting the narrator’s gradual acceptance of their situation. The lyrics progress from angry confusion to resigned acceptance, charting a realistic emotional journey through the stages of grief. The use of gambling metaphors (“toss of the dice”) adds a fatalistic element, suggesting that love’s outcomes are beyond human control.
Top five most used words in the lyrics
The word “tell” appears most frequently, emphasizing the narrator’s desperate need for answers and closure from their former partner. “Go” represents the second most common word, reflecting the central theme of letting go and moving on from the relationship. “Sleep” appears multiple times, serving as a metaphor for the peace and rest that the narrator cannot find in their current emotional state. “Pain” and variations thereof underscore the physical and emotional suffering that drives the song’s narrative. “Love” and related terms highlight the central relationship that has been lost, making its absence all the more poignant. These word choices create a semantic field around loss, questioning, and the struggle to find peace after heartbreak. The repetition of these key terms reinforces the obsessive nature of the narrator’s thoughts, mirroring how heartbreak can trap someone in cyclical thinking.
Exploration of themes and motifs
The primary theme of abandonment runs throughout the song, expressed through images of being “hung out to dry” and left behind. Betrayal emerges as a secondary theme, with references to lies, deception, and the discovery of the partner’s new relationship. The motif of sleep and rest symbolizes the narrator’s inability to find peace, both literally and metaphorically. Gambling imagery appears in phrases like “toss of the dice,” suggesting that love’s outcomes are subject to chance rather than effort or intention. The theme of questioning dominates the song’s structure, with the narrator repeatedly asking “tell me” as they seek understanding. Fire and cold imagery creates a temperature metaphor for passion lost, moving from the warmth of love to the coldness of abandonment. The contrast between past and present permeates the lyrics, highlighting how dramatically the narrator’s world has changed.
Use of literary devices
The song employs metaphor extensively, particularly in comparing love to gambling and fire to emotional warmth. Rhetorical questions dominate the structure, creating an interrogative tone that mirrors the narrator’s internal confusion. Imagery appeals to multiple senses, from the visual “diamond ring” to the tactile “cold inside” and the auditory “didn’t miss a beat.” Repetition serves as both a structural device and an emotional amplifier, with “tell me” and “let it go” creating rhythmic emphasis. Personification appears in phrases like “your fire” and “the devil in your eyes,” giving abstract emotions physical characteristics. Alliteration enhances the song’s musicality, as in “devil in your eyes” and “deep with the devil.” The use of direct address throughout creates intimacy, as if the narrator is speaking directly to their former partner.
Emotional journey mapping
The song begins with shock and disbelief at the discovery of the partner’s new relationship. This quickly transitions to angry questioning, as the narrator demands explanations for their partner’s apparent callousness. The middle section reveals deeper hurt and vulnerability, with the narrator admitting their own transformation through love. The bridge section represents a peak of emotional intensity, where the narrator challenges their former partner’s claims of happiness. The outro signals a gradual shift toward acceptance, though the repetitive “let it go” suggests this is still a struggle. The overall arc moves from external blame to internal processing, reflecting a realistic progression through heartbreak.
Musical composition
Technical analysis
“What It Takes” is structured in the key of G major, providing a bright foundation that contrasts with the song’s melancholic lyrics. The song follows a traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus structure, with an extended outro that serves as an emotional release. The tempo maintains a moderate pace at approximately 80 beats per minute, creating space for both vocal expression and instrumental development. The chord progression utilizes both major and minor tonalities, creating harmonic tension that mirrors the lyrical content’s emotional complexity. Joe Perry’s guitar work features a combination of clean arpeggiated passages and distorted power chords, building dynamic contrast throughout the song. The arrangement includes layered guitar parts, with rhythm guitar providing harmonic foundation while lead guitar adds melodic flourishes and emotional punctuation. Steven Tyler’s vocal melody spans nearly two octaves, showcasing his range while serving the song’s emotional demands. The song’s structure allows for a significant guitar solo section, providing instrumental catharsis that parallels the vocal emotional release. The use of dynamics builds from intimate verses to powerful choruses, creating an emotional arc that supports the lyrical narrative. The extended outro features multiple guitar layers and vocal harmonies, creating a wall of sound that emphasizes the song’s climactic emotional moment.
Instrumentation breakdown
Steven Tyler’s vocals serve as the primary melodic and emotional vehicle, utilizing his distinctive rasp to convey vulnerability and pain. Joe Perry’s lead guitar provides both rhythmic foundation and melodic counterpoint, with his signature tone adding grit and authenticity. Brad Whitford’s rhythm guitar creates harmonic support while adding texture through clean arpeggios and chord progressions. Tom Hamilton’s bass guitar maintains steady rhythmic foundation while adding melodic movement that supports the song’s emotional flow. Joey Kramer’s drumming provides dynamic contrast, moving from subtle verse accompaniment to powerful chorus support. The arrangement includes subtle keyboard touches that add atmospheric depth without overwhelming the guitar-driven foundation. Background vocals create harmonic richness during the chorus sections, adding emotional weight to the primary vocal melody. The guitar solo section features multiple layered parts, creating a conversation between lead and rhythm instruments.
Vocal analysis
Steven Tyler’s vocal performance demonstrates remarkable range and emotional control, moving from vulnerable whispers to powerful belting. His use of vocal fry and rasp adds authenticity to the pain expressed in the lyrics, making the emotional content feel lived-in rather than performed. The vocal melody features strategic use of space, allowing for breath and emotional processing between phrases. Tyler’s phrasing emphasizes the questioning nature of the lyrics, with rising inflections that mirror the narrator’s uncertainty. The bridge section showcases Tyler’s ability to build intensity gradually, creating emotional peaks that serve the song’s dramatic arc. His use of vocal runs and melismatic passages adds sophistication while maintaining accessibility for singalong potential. The outro features multiple vocal layers, creating a choir-like effect that emphasizes the universal nature of the song’s emotional content.
Production techniques
Bruce Fairbairn’s production emphasizes clarity and emotional impact, using reverb and delay to create space without sacrificing intimacy. The mix places vocals prominently while maintaining instrumental clarity, ensuring that both lyrical content and musical complexity remain accessible. Guitar tones combine warmth and edge, achieved through careful microphone placement and amplifier selection. The use of compression enhances the emotional impact of dynamic changes, making quiet moments more intimate and loud moments more powerful. Spatial positioning creates a sense of width and depth, with instruments occupying distinct sonic spaces that enhance clarity.
Cultural and social context
Historical context
“What It Takes” emerged during a period of significant change in American rock music, as the 1980s hard rock and metal scenes were giving way to the alternative rock movement. The late 1980s saw the rise of MTV as a dominant cultural force, changing how rock bands approached both their music and their image. This was also the era of the “power ballad,” with bands like Def Leppard, Whitesnake, and Bon Jovi achieving massive success with emotionally driven rock anthems. The song reflected broader cultural conversations about masculinity and emotional expression, as rock music began to embrace more vulnerable themes. The Reagan era’s emphasis on success and material wealth can be heard in the song’s references to diamond rings and the “toss of the dice” mentality. The late 1980s also marked a period of increased awareness about addiction and recovery, themes that resonated with Aerosmith’s own journey. The song’s release coincided with a broader cultural shift toward more honest discussions about relationships and emotional health.
Artist’s personal context
Steven Tyler’s own experiences with addiction and recovery during the 1980s informed the song’s themes of loss and the struggle to let go. The band’s near-breakup earlier in the decade due to internal conflicts and substance abuse issues added authenticity to the song’s themes of relationships ending. Tyler’s relationships and personal struggles provided raw material for the song’s emotional content, making it feel genuine rather than manufactured. The band’s comeback story paralleled the song’s themes of redemption and moving forward after devastating loss. Joe Perry’s return to the band in 1984 after a five-year absence added personal resonance to themes of reconciliation and healing. The song reflected Tyler’s growth as a songwriter, showing increased vulnerability and emotional sophistication compared to earlier work. Their experiences in the music industry, including commercial decline and artistic renewal, informed the song’s themes of resilience and perseverance.
Societal impact
“What It Takes” contributed to a broader cultural conversation about emotional expression in rock music, helping to normalize male vulnerability in a traditionally masculine genre. The song’s success demonstrated that audiences were hungry for authentic emotional content, paving the way for more introspective rock music in the 1990s. Its influence can be heard in countless rock ballads that followed, establishing expectations for emotional honesty in the genre. The song helped establish the template for arena rock ballads that could work both in large venues and intimate settings. Its themes of relationship difficulty and personal growth resonated with Generation X audiences who were coming of age during a period of high divorce rates. The song’s success contributed to Aerosmith’s cultural rehabilitation, helping them transition from 1970s rock legends to contemporary artists. Its enduring popularity has made it a cultural touchstone for discussions about heartbreak and recovery.
Legacy and covers
“What It Takes” has been covered by numerous artists across different genres, demonstrating its universal appeal and solid songwriting foundation. The song appears regularly on lists of greatest rock ballads, cementing its place in the rock canon. Its influence can be heard in the work of bands like Nickelback, Creed, and other post-grunge acts who adopted similar emotional approaches. The song’s structure and themes have been studied by songwriters and musicians as an example of effective emotional storytelling in rock music. Its continued radio play and streaming success demonstrate its lasting relevance across multiple generations of listeners. The song has been featured in numerous films and television shows, extending its cultural reach beyond its original rock audience. Cover versions have appeared across multiple genres, from country to R&B, highlighting the song’s fundamental strength as a composition.
Philosophical comparison
Western philosophy connections
The song’s central question of “what it takes to let go” connects directly to Stoic philosophy’s emphasis on accepting what cannot be changed. The narrator’s struggle mirrors the existentialist concept of confronting the absurdity of human relationships and finding meaning despite their impermanence. The theme of personal transformation through loss reflects the Heraclitean idea that change is the only constant in life. The song’s exploration of emotional suffering connects to various philosophical traditions that examine the nature of human pain and its role in growth. The narrator’s journey from anger to acceptance parallels the Kübler-Ross model of grief processing, showing philosophical concepts in practical application. The song’s emphasis on questioning and seeking truth reflects the Socratic tradition of inquiry as a path to understanding. The theme of learning to release attachment connects to both Western and Eastern philosophical traditions about the nature of desire and suffering.
Eastern philosophy connections
The song’s ultimate message of letting go directly parallels Buddhist concepts of non-attachment as a path to liberation from suffering. The narrator’s journey reflects the Buddhist understanding of dukkha (suffering) as an inherent part of human existence that must be accepted rather than fought. The circular nature of the narrator’s thoughts mirrors the Buddhist concept of samsara, the cycle of suffering that continues until one learns to let go. The song’s emphasis on the impermanence of relationships connects to the Buddhist teaching that all things arise and pass away. The transformation from grasping to release reflects the Hindu concept of moksha, or liberation from the cycle of attachment and suffering. The narrator’s realization that holding on creates more pain than letting go parallels Taoist teachings about flowing with natural changes rather than resisting them. The song’s movement from questioning to acceptance reflects the Zen concept of surrendering the need to understand everything intellectually.
Religious and spiritual themes
The song’s themes of forgiveness and letting go connect to Christian concepts of releasing resentment and finding peace through acceptance. The narrator’s journey through suffering toward potential redemption parallels many religious narratives about growth through trial. The song’s emphasis on the transformative power of love reflects spiritual traditions that view love as a force that changes individuals fundamentally. The struggle to release attachment while maintaining love connects to various religious teachings about unconditional love versus possessive love. The song’s exploration of betrayal and forgiveness touches on religious themes about human fallibility and the possibility of redemption. The narrator’s ultimate acceptance that some things are beyond human control reflects spiritual concepts about surrendering to higher powers or natural order.
Psychological perspectives
The song demonstrates classic patterns of grief processing, moving through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and eventual acceptance. The narrator’s obsessive questioning reflects cognitive behavioral therapy concepts about rumination and its role in maintaining emotional distress. The song’s exploration of attachment styles connects to psychological theories about how early experiences shape adult relationship patterns. The narrator’s struggle with self-worth after abandonment reflects psychological research on the impact of rejection on self-esteem. The song’s movement toward acceptance demonstrates healthy psychological coping mechanisms for dealing with loss.
Conclusion
Summary of findings
“What It Takes” emerges as a masterful blend of personal vulnerability and universal themes, showcasing Aerosmith’s ability to evolve artistically while maintaining their core identity. The song’s lyrical content demonstrates sophisticated emotional storytelling, moving through realistic stages of grief and recovery. Musically, the track represents a perfect balance of accessibility and complexity, with arrangements that support rather than overshadow the emotional content. The song’s cultural impact extends beyond its initial success, influencing a generation of rock ballads and contributing to broader conversations about emotional expression in rock music. The track’s enduring popularity demonstrates its success in capturing universal human experiences in a way that resonates across different generations and cultural contexts. The philosophical depth of the song’s themes connects it to broader human questions about love, loss, and the nature of attachment. The song stands as a testament to Aerosmith’s artistic maturity and their ability to create music that works on multiple levels simultaneously.
Personal interpretation
“What It Takes” represents more than just a breakup song; it’s a meditation on the nature of human attachment and the courage required to move forward after devastating loss. The song’s power lies in its refusal to provide easy answers, instead exploring the complex emotional landscape of heartbreak with honesty and nuance. Steven Tyler’s vocal performance transforms the lyrics from simple questions into profound existential inquiries about the nature of love and loss. The musical arrangement creates an emotional architecture that supports the listener through their own journey of understanding and acceptance. The song’s ultimate message seems to be that healing requires both time and conscious choice, that letting go is both inevitable and an act of will. The track’s lasting appeal suggests that it taps into something fundamental about the human condition, the universal experience of loving and losing.
Critical evaluation
“What It Takes” stands as one of Aerosmith’s finest achievements, demonstrating their ability to create art that is both commercially successful and emotionally authentic. The song’s craftsmanship is evident in every element, from the sophisticated chord progressions to the carefully structured vocal melody. The lyrics avoid clichés while remaining accessible, a difficult balance that few rock songs achieve with such success. The production enhances rather than overwhelms the song’s emotional content, creating a sonic environment that serves the song’s ultimate purpose. The song’s influence on subsequent rock ballads demonstrates its effectiveness as both art and cultural artifact. While some might criticize its adherence to traditional rock ballad structures, this criticism misses the point of the song’s emotional authenticity. The track succeeds because it uses familiar forms to explore universal experiences with uncommon depth and honesty.
Keywords
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This comprehensive analysis examines “What It Takes” by Aerosmith through multiple lenses, exploring its lyrical depth, musical sophistication, cultural impact, and philosophical resonance. The song stands as a testament to the power of honest emotional expression in rock music.
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