AEROSMITH - BACK IN THE SADDLE 

Released: March 22, 1977

Charts: US: #38      

"Back in the Saddle" is a song written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It serves as the opening track on their 1976 album “Rocks” and was released as the album's third single in 1977, peaking at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100. Initially, it had moderate commercial success, but over time, it has gained recognition as one of the band's most iconic songs and a staple in their live performances. The song is noted for its aggressive sound, openly sexual themes, and forceful emotional tone.

"Back in the Saddle" narrates the story of a cowboy who visits a bar, encounters a girl, and spends the night with her, featuring rich sexual innuendo and Old West imagery, such as lines like "I'm like a loaded gun" and "This snake is gonna rattle." The character Sukie Jones, mentioned in the song, is a fictional creation by Steven Tyler. Inspired by discussions with producer Jack Douglas, Tyler used the cowboy theme to express the band's return with a new album and a desire to rock hard. He interpreted the phrase "back in the saddle" as a metaphor for sexual experiences and crafted the lyrics in the stairwell of the Record Plant recording studio after the music was completed.

The main riff of "Back in the Saddle" was created by guitarist Joe Perry on a 6-string bass guitar he had recently acquired. Perry has noted that he came up with the riff while lying on the floor, "stoned on heroin." The song was not recorded until nearly a year later when Aerosmith used their rehearsal space, known as "The Wherehouse" in Waltham, Massachusetts, as a makeshift studio. They brought in a mobile recording unit to capture the tracks for their album “Rocks”.

After the band constructed the song around Joe Perry's guitar riff, they recognized it would serve as a powerful opener for the album. Producer Jack Douglas aimed to create a larger-than-life vibe that would immerse listeners in the music. For the bridge, lead singer Steven Tyler attached tambourines to his cowboy boots and stomped on plywood in the studio. To create the sound of a whip crack, they initially bought a bullwhip but ultimately used a cord to simulate the whip sound, complemented by the noise of a cap gun for the crack effect.