AEROSMITH - SEASONS OF WITHER

Released: March 15, 1974

Album: Get your Wings

"Seasons of Wither" is a power ballad featured on the 1974 album “Get Your Wings”. Written by lead singer Steven Tyler, the song was inspired by the cold and desolate winter landscape around his home in Needham, Massachusetts. Tyler reflected on how the bleakness of the season influenced the melancholy tone of the song. He shared in the band's autobiography “Walk This Way” that he composed the song one night in 1973 while in a reflective and frustrated mood. In the basement of the house he shared with drummer Joey Kramer, Tyler used a discarded guitar, lit incense, and, under the influence of Tuinals and Seconals, crafted the haunting piece that became "Seasons of Wither."

Tyler shared some insights into the financial pressures he faced during Aerosmith's rise to fame. Despite their success, the tax bills were staggering. Tyler recounted that his tax bill for 1976 alone was $680,000, a massive burden that hit him hard as the band started making serious money.

Tyler also expanded on an earlier story involving guitarist Joe Perry. Perry had rescued a guitar from the trash, and Tyler humorously remarked on its poor condition: "It could only take four strings because the neck was bowed. You could shoot arrows with it." 

The song, which features lyrics about a relationship, is one of Steven Tyler's favorite Aerosmith tracks. It combines acoustic guitars, haunting vocals, and a strong rhythm. The version from the album “Get Your Wings” begins with the sound of a cheering crowd that fades into howling wind and Tyler's acoustic guitar, creating a seamless transition from the previous track, "Train Kept A-Rollin'." Even guitarist Joe Perry, typically averse to ballads, considers it his favorite slow jam in Aerosmith's catalog.