Get a Grip

For the TV series of the same name, see Get a Grip (TV series).
Get a Grip
Studio album by Aerosmith
Released April 20, 1993 (1993-04-20)[1]
Recorded January–February 1992 at A&M Studios
September–November 1992 at Little Mountain Sound Studios[2]
Genre Hard rock, blues rock
Length 65:36
Label Geffen
Producer Bruce Fairbairn
Aerosmith chronology
Pump
(1989)		 Get a Grip
(1993)		 Nine Lives
(1997)
Singles from Get a Grip
  1. "Livin' on the Edge"
    Released: March 23, 1993
  2. "Eat the Rich"
    Released: April 17, 1993
  3. "Fever"
    Released: August 30, 1993
  4. "Cryin'"
    Released: October 5, 1993
  5. "Amazing"
    Released: November 1993
  6. "Shut Up and Dance"
    Released: 1994
  7. "Crazy"
    Released: May 3, 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Blender[3]
Entertainment WeeklyC[4]
Robert ChristgauA−[5]
Rolling Stone[6]

Get a Grip is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on April 20, 1993 by Geffen Records.[1] Get a Grip was the band's last studio album to be released by Geffen before they returned to Columbia Records.

Get a Grip featured guests including Don Henley, who sang backup on "Amazing", and Lenny Kravitz, who offered backup vocals and collaboration to "Line Up". As on Permanent Vacation and Pump, this album featured numerous song collaborators from outside the band including: Desmond Child, Jim Vallance, Mark Hudson, Richie Supa, Taylor Rhodes, Jack Blades, and Tommy Shaw.

Get a Grip became Aerosmith's best-selling studio album worldwide, achieving sales of over 20 million copies, and is tied with Pump for their second best-selling album in the United States, selling over 7 million copies as of 1995. (Toys in the Attic leads with eight million).[7] This also made it their third consecutive album with US sales of at least five million. Two songs from the album won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, in 1993 and 1994. The album was voted Album of the Year by Metal Edge readers in the magazine's 1993 Readers' Choice Awards, while "Livin' on the Edge" was voted Best Video.[8]

Production

The album originally had 12 songs and would be released on the third quarter of 1992, but Geffen A&R executive John Kalodner listened to what had been recorded and thought it lacked variety and a radio-friendly song. So the band went back to write more songs with collaborators such as Child.[9]

Regarding songs that reflect on the band's history with drug abuse such as "Get a Grip" and "Amazing", Steven Tyler declared: "We were saying you can point it back to some of those old beliefs about the crossroads and signing up with the devil, that you can look at the drugs as that: It can be fun in the beginning but then it comes time to pay your debt, and if you're not sharp enough to see that it's taking you down, then it really will get you."[10]

Many songs were written and recorded for the album that were either used as b-sides or never released. "Don't Stop" and "Head First" were released as b-sides, as well as "Can't Stop Messin'", which also appears on several special editions of the album as an addition in the track list. Other songs were listed on the official Aerosmith website in the late 1990s. "Black Cherry", "Devil's Got A New Disguise", "Dime Store Lover", "Legendary Child", "Lizard Love", "Meltdown", "Rocket 88", "Wham Bam", and "Yo Momma" were listed on the lyrics page of the website, which can be accessed via the Wayback Machine. In 2005, Aerosmith A&R man John Kalodner confirmed the existence of several of the songs above, as well as "Trouble", "Strange", "13", and "Keep On Movin'". "Deuces Are Wild" was possibly recorded again during these sessions. Several songs are also listed on copyright repertoires, including "Ain't Gonna Break My Heart", "Good Thang", and "Jake". These songs can be traced to the year 1991. Reworked versions of "Devil's Got A New Disguise", "Deuces Are Wild", "Lizard Love", and "Legendary Child" have since been released on various albums and soundtracks.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Intro"  Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jim Vallance 0:24
2. "Eat the Rich"  Tyler, Perry, Vallance 4:11
3. "Get a Grip"  Tyler, Perry, Vallance 3:59
4. "Fever"  Tyler, Perry 4:15
5. "Livin' on the Edge"  Tyler, Perry, Mark Hudson 6:07
6. "Flesh"  Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child 5:57
7. "Walk On Down"  Perry 3:39
8. "Shut Up and Dance"  Tyler, Perry, Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw 4:56
9. "Cryin'"  Tyler, Perry, Taylor Rhodes 5:09
10. "Gotta Love It"  Tyler, Perry, Hudson 5:58
11. "Crazy"  Tyler, Perry, Child 5:14
12. "Line Up" (featuring Lenny Kravitz)Tyler, Perry, Lenny Kravitz 4:03
13. "Can't Stop Messin'"  Tyler, Perry, Blades, Shaw 3:30
14. "Amazing"  Tyler, Richard Supa 5:57
15. "Boogie Man" (Instrumental)Tyler, Perry, Vallance 2:17
Total length:
 1:05:36

Immediately after "Amazing," a snippet of "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well," by Lucky Millinder, is heard as if being tuned in on an old radio. Tyler says, "So from all of us at Aerosmith to all of you out there, wherever you are, remember: the light at the end of the tunnel may be you. Good night." The music then fades out.

Additional B-sides and alternative versions

Don't Stop
Head First
Amazing (Orchestral Version)
Livin' on the Edge (Acoustic Version)

Reception

In his Allmusic review for Get a Grip, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said the album failed compared to Pump because he thinks the band was trying too hard to have a hit and it didn't have any depth to it, but he feels the album still "sounds good".[1] Mark Coleman, for his Rolling Stone magazine review of Get a Grip, said he liked the title track and he compared the album's introduction, titled "Intro", to Steven Tyler and Joe Perry's collaboration with Run–D.M.C. on "Walk This Way", but feels that most of the album lacks "adventure" and is too "somber". In his interview he compared "Livin' on the Edge" to a Bon Jovi song and feels that a problem with the album comes from the outside songwriters/collaborators.[6] Robert Christgau, however, feels on Get a Grip that they are trying many different things on the album and that they are really good at trying something new, like the song "Cryin'" and he gave it their best review since 1980's Greatest Hits.[5] Ben Mitchell called the album "soft" and "shallow" but considered "Eat the Rich" and "Crazy" standout tracks.[3]

An animal rights group objected to the cover of a cow's pierced udder, but it was confirmed by Aerosmith to have been computer-generated.[11]

Personnel

Aerosmith[12]
Additional personnel
Production

Charts

Album
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australia (Top 40)[13] 3
Austria (Top 75)[14] 3
Canada RPM 100 Albums[15] 2
France (InfoDisc)[16] 24
Japanese Albums Chart[17] 7
Netherlands (Top 100)[18] 2
New Zealand (Top 50)[19] 9
Norway (Top 40)[20] 3
Switzerland (Top 100)[21] 1
Sweden (Top 60)[22] 3
US Billboard 200[23] 1
UK (Top 100)[24] 2
Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1993 "Amazing" US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[25] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[25] 24
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[25] 9
UK Singles Chart[26] 57
"Cryin'" US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[25] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[25] 12
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[25] 11
UK Singles Chart[26] 17
Norway Top 20[27] 1
Sweden Top 60[27] 3
Schweizer Top 75[28] 4
"Eat the Rich" Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[25] 5
UK Singles Chart[26] 34
"Fever" Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[25] 5
"Livin' on the Edge" Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[25] 1
Billboard Hot 100[25] 18
Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[25] 19
UK Singles Chart[26] 19
Australian Top 50[29] 21
Norway Top 20[27] 4
1994 "Crazy" Mainstream Rock Tracks 7
The Billboard Hot 100 17
Top 40 Mainstream 7

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999) Position
US Billboard 200[30] 77

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[31] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil (ABPD)[32] Platinum 250,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[33] Diamond 1,000,000^
France (SNEP)[34] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[35] Platinum 500,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[36] Gold 50,000*
Sweden (GLF)[37] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[38] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[39] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[40] 7× Platinum 7,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year Winner Category
1993 "Livin' on the Edge" Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
1994 "Crazy" Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

Metal Edge Readers' Choice Awards

Year Winner Category
1993 Get a Grip Album of the Year[8]
1993 "Livin' on the Edge" Best Video

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Get a Grip – Aerosmith > Overview". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  2. ↑ Big Ones (CD insert). Aerosmith. United States: Geffen Records. 1994. GEFD-24716.
  3. 1 2 Mitchell, Ben (September 14, 2004). "Get a Grip – Album Review". blender.com. Alpha Music Group.
  4. ↑ Browne, David (April 23, 1993). "Get a Grip Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  5. 1 2 Christgau, Robert. "Aerosmith". Robert Christgau. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  6. 1 2 Coleman, Mark (May 13, 1993). "Get a Grip by Aerosmith – Album Review". Rolling Stone. Jann S. Wenner. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on 2013-07-25. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  8. 1 2 Metal Edge, June 1994
  9. ↑ Balk This Way, Entertainment Weekly. By David Browne | Feb 05, 1993
  10. ↑ Washburn, Jim (July 31, 1993). "Aerosmith: New Grip on Fame : Comeback Rockers, at Pacific Amphitheatre, Revel in Album's Success". Los Angeles Times.
  11. ↑ Davis, S. and Aerosmith: "Walk This Way", page 502-503. Avon, 1997
  12. ↑ Aerosmith- Get a Grip @Discogs.com Retrieved 7-13-2011.
  13. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  14. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  15. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  16. ↑ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  17. ↑ "エアロスミスのCDアルバムランキング、エアロスミスのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  18. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  19. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  20. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  21. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  22. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  23. ↑ "Get a Grip – Aerosmith". billboard.com. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Aerosmith – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "Aerosmith". Chart Stats. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  27. 1 2 3 Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Livin' On The Edge". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  28. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Cryin'". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  29. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Livin' On The Edge". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  30. ↑ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
  31. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Aerosmith in the field Interpret. Enter Get a Grip in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
  32. ↑ "Brazilian album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos.
  33. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip". Music Canada.
  34. ↑ "French album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  35. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Aerosmith; 'Get a Grip')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  36. ↑ "Polish album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
  37. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  38. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Aerosmith; 'Get a Grip')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  39. ↑ "British album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Get a Grip in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  40. ↑ "American album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

External links

Preceded by
The Bodyguard (soundtrack)
by Various artists		 Billboard 200 number-one album
May 8–14, 1993 		Succeeded by
The Bodyguard (soundtrack)
by Various artists
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