On this day (July 4) in 1986, legendary hip-hop group Run-DMC released their cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” The single featured Steven Tyler and Joe Perry on vocals and guitar, respectively, and became a massive hit for the New York-based hip-hop group. Additionally, it helped revive the iconic rock band’s slowly dying career.
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Run-DMC released “Walk This Way” as the lead single from their 1986 album, Raising Hell. It was an international hit for them, peaking at No. 4 on the Hot 100 and within the top 10 in multiple countries, including the Netherlands, where it went to No. 2, and New Zealand, where it topped the chart. However, the group wasn’t excited to record it.
[RELATED: Remember When: Run-DMC Collaborated with Aerosmith on “Walk This Way”]
Run-DMC Didn’t Want to Record “Walk This Way”
According to Songfacts, Run-DMC was familiar with “Walk This Way” and Toys in the Attic, the 1975 album on which it appeared. They came across it while digging through crates of records looking for beats. However, they had no idea who Aerosmith was. Rev Run and DMC often freestyled over the opening instrumental of the song during their shows but didn’t want to cover the song. Producer Rick Rubin and the group’s DJ, Jam Master Jay had to convince the rappers to cut the song.
Jam Master Jay was on board with the cover, and Rubin called in Steven Tyler and Joe Perry to appear on the recording. However, Run and DMC weren’t excited about covering a ten-year-old rock song. It was only after the DJ told them that Tyler and Perry were in the studio and they were going to cut the track one way or the other that they agreed to do it. Jam Master Jay also suggested that the rappers trade lines instead of taking full verses.
“If it had been up to us, our version would have just been the beat, a couple of the guitars, and me and Run bragging about how great we are,” DMC once said.
Fortunately for them and Aerosmith, they learned the lyrics and delivered an interesting cover of a 1970s rock hit. The single introduced them to a wider (whiter) audience, allowing them to break into the suburban market. Raising Hell was their first album to receive Platinum certification from the RIAA.
The Cover Revived Aerosmith’s Career
By 1986, Aerosmith was dangerously close to falling into the “washed up” category. Guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford left the band before finishing the 1979 album Night in the Ruts. At the same time, substance abuse was running rampant within the band, further lowering the quality of their output. As a result, the band’s hits all but dried up. The early 1980s saw their singles missing the Hot 100 more often than not. Additionally, the band’s 1985 album Done with Mirrors was a commercial flop.
Things turned around when Perry and Tyler collaborated with Run-DMC on “Walk This Way.” While the single helped the rap group break into suburbia, it also reminded listeners how good Aerosmith was at one time, sparking new interest in the band.
After the success of “Walk This Way,” all of the members of Aerosmith checked into rehab. After getting clean, they recorded their 1987 album, Permanent Vacation. Led by the hit singles, “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Rag Doll,” and “Angel,” the record was a hit. It kicked off a new era for the band in which they became one of the biggest bands in the world.
Featured Image by Fotos International/Getty Images
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