Back in the Saddle

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"Back in the Saddle"
No cover available
Single by Aerosmith
from the album Rocks
B-side(s) Sick as a Dog
Released 1977
Format Record
Recorded 1976
Genre Hard Rock
Heavy Metal
Length 4:40
Label Columbia Records
Writer(s) Steven Tyler, Joe Perry
Producer(s) Jack Douglas
Chart positions
Aerosmith singles chronology
"Walk This Way" (1976) "Back in the Saddle" (1977) "Draw the Line" (1977)

"Back in the Saddle" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It is the first song on Aerosmith's pinnacle hard rock album Rocks released in 1976. The song was released as the third single from the album in 1977. It peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100.

[edit] Song Background

The song's main riff was written by Joe Perry on a Fender Bass VI, which gives the song its distinctive "growl". Brad Whitford plays the lead guitar part. "Back in the Saddle" also features one of the heaviest and noticable bass lines by Tom Hamilton. The song is also notable for the the slow buildup of the drum beat and guitar riff in the beginning of the song, as well as the sound effects of a galloping horse and whips, and screams and yodeling by Steven Tyler at the end of the song. When the song is performed in concert, Steven Tyler often makes more noticable lyrical and visible references to sex. Although the lyrics, by Steven Tyler, were written with the simple idea of cowboys and sex, this song took on new meaning after Aerosmith reunited in 1984 and embarked on their Back in the Saddle tour.

Today, the song remains a staple on rock radio and in concert. It is arguably one of the most hardest rocking songs of Aerosmith's Top 40 singles, and is cited by rock musicians Slash and James Hetfield as among their favorite rock songs.

[edit] Trivia

  • Selected as one of Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 best rock songs.
  • Provided theme music for the NFL season kick-off in 2003
  • A remake of this song, filmed in Las Vegas, will serve as ABC and ESPN's theme music for NASCAR in 2007.
  • Also used as entrance music for Canadian professional wrestler, Chris Benoit.
  • UFC fighter Randy Couture used the song as entrance music for his 2007 comeback fight against Tim Sylvia where at 43 years of age, he won the UFC Heavyweight title.