Permanent Vacation (Aerosmith album)

Permanent Vacation is the ninth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released in August 1987 by Geffen Records.[9]

Permanent Vacation
Studio album by Aerosmith
Released	August 25, 1987
Recorded	March – May 1987
Studio	Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver, British Columbia Unique Recording, New York City[1]
Genre	Hard rock
Length	51:38
Label	Geffen
Producer	Bruce Fairbairn
Aerosmith chronology
Done with Mirrors (1985) Permanent Vacation (1987) Pump (1989)
Singles from Permanent Vacation
"Hangman Jury" Released: August 18, 1987[2] "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" Released: September 22, 1987[2] "Angel" Released: January 5, 1988[2] "Rag Doll" Released: May 3, 1988[2]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+[4]
Rolling Stone	(unfavorable) [5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[6]
Metal Forces	(9.9/10)[7]
The Daily Vault	B+[8]

The album marked a turning point in the band's career. It was their first to employ songwriters outside the band, instead of featuring songs solely composed by them.[5] This came at the suggestion of executive John Kalodner. He also pushed the band to work with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who remained with them for another two albums.[10] 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, as it was the band's first truly popular album since their reunion. "Rag Doll", "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", and "Angel" became major hits (all three charted in the Top 20) and helped Permanent Vacation become the band's greatest success in a decade.

The album features a cover of the Beatles' "I'm Down", which originally appeared as a B-side to their single "Help!" in 1965. This was Aerosmith's second commercially released Beatles cover, after "Come Together".

Permanent Vacation has sold over five million copies in the U.S.[11]

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.[12]

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Heart's Done Time"	Joe Perry, Desmond Child	4:42
2.	"Magic Touch"	Steven Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance	4:37
3.	"Rag Doll"	Tyler, Perry, Vallance, Holly Knight	4:25
4.	"Simoriah"	Tyler, Perry, Vallance	3:22
5.	"Dude (Looks Like a Lady)"	Tyler, Perry, Child	4:25
6.	"St. John"	Tyler	4:10

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Hangman Jury"	Tyler, Perry, Vallance	5:33
2.	"Girl Keeps Coming Apart"	Tyler, Perry	4:13
3.	"Angel"	Tyler, Child	5:08
4.	"Permanent Vacation"	Tyler, Brad Whitford	4:49
5.	"I'm Down" (The Beatles cover)	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	2:20
6.	"The Movie"	Tyler, Perry, Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer	4:00
Total length:			51:38

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes[13] and AllMusic.[14] Track numbers refer to CD and digital releases of the album.

Aerosmith

• Steven Tyler – lead vocals, piano, harmonica, organ, plunger mute
• Joe Perry – guitar: lead guitar (all except 10&12), lead and rhythm guitar on track 1, backing vocals, pedal steel guitar on "Rag Doll"
• Brad Whitford – guitar: lead and rhythm guitar on track 1, lead guitar on tracks 8, 10 & 12
• Tom Hamilton – bass guitar
• Joey Kramer – drums

Additional musicians Drew Arnott – mellotron on "Angel" and "The Movie" Tom Keenlyside – clarinet, tenor saxophone, horn arrangement on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll" Ian Putz – baritone saxophone on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll" Bob Rogers – trombone on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll" Henry Christian – trumpet Bruce Fairbairn – trumpet, cello, background vocals Scott Fairbairn – cello Mike Fraser – plunger mute Morgan Rael – steel drums Jim Vallance – organ on "Rag Doll" and "Simoriah" Christine Arnott – backing vocals on "The Movie"

Production Bruce Fairbairn – production Mike Fraser – engineering, mixing Bob Rock – engineering Ken Lomas – assistant engineering George Marino – mastering Kim Champagne – art direction Andy Engel – illustrations Neal Preston – photography

Charts

Album Chart (1987) Peak position US Billboard 200[15] 11 Canada RPM 100 Albums[16] 7 Japanese Albums Chart[17] 75 UK (Top 100)[18] 37 Chart (1988) Peak position Australia (Top 50)[19] 42

Singles Year Single Chart Position 1987 "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" Mainstream Rock Tracks 4 The Billboard Hot 100 14 "Hangman Jury" Mainstream Rock Tracks 14 "Rag Doll" Mainstream Rock Tracks 12 1988 "Angel" Mainstream Rock Tracks 1 The Billboard Hot 100 3 "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" Hot Dance Music/Club Play 41 "Rag Doll" The Billboard Hot 100 17

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[20]	5× Platinum	500,000^^
Japan (RIAJ)[21]	Gold	100,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22]	Gold	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)[23]	5× Platinum	5,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• Permanent Vacation 3x5
• Permanent Vacation Tour

References

1. https://www.facebook.com/UniqueRecordingStudios/photos/a.649655181769411/649656451769284/?type=3&theater
2. Strong, Martin (2002) [First published in 1994]. The Great Rock Discography (Sixth ed.). United Kingdom: Canongate Books. ISBN 1-84195-312-1.
3. Franck, John. Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
4. Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
5. Frost, Deborah (1987-10-22). "Permanent Vacation". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
6. "Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2011-04-21.
7. Reynolds, Dave (1987). "Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation". Metal Forces (25). Retrieved 2012-07-05.
8. Thelen, Christopher (2019). "The Daily Vault Music Reviews : Permanent Vacation". dailyvault.com. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
9. John Franck & Eduardo Rivadavia. "Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
10. MelodicRock.com Interviews: A&R guru John Kalodner under the microscope
11. "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on 2015-10-18. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
12. "Search for "Aerosmith"". Bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
13. Big Ones (CD insert). Aerosmith. United States: Geffen Records. 1994. GEFD-24716.CS1 maint: others (link)
14. "Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith > Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
15. "Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith". Billboard.com. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
16. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
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. "Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation". Official Charts Company. 1990-04-28. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
19. Steffen Hung (1988-10-30). "Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
20. "Canadian album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". Music Canada. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
21. "Japanese album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
22. "British album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 1, 2013. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Permanent Vacation in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
23. "American album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 1, 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.