For My Sunday Song #303, we are talking about the song “No Surprize” off the Aerosmith’s 1979 album ‘Night in the Ruts’. It wasn’t the band’s most successful album as the drugs had really taken hold of them by this time. It was amazing an album was even made. The album went to #14 on the Billboard Album Charts, but didn’t stay for long. It was panned by the critics and fans alike. But it isn’t half bad (it ain’t half good either). One of the best songs is “No Surprize” yet it was never released as a single so now we will give it its dues.

The opening track of the album was “No Surprize” which took a long while to write. Joe and Steven had been working on a song together and Steven was having trouble with the lyrics. After two months of blockage, Steven finally got his second wind and wrote a great song that tells the story of the band. It covers from the humble beginnings in 1971, the struggles of making it, the drug problems and the wondering where their royalties were. I can tell you, they went in to the drugs!! Lots and Lots and Lots of Drugs!! There is a cool line in it with “Vaccinate your ass with a phonograph needle” and I wonder now if that would work to battle Covid. Probably not.

The song is a mix of blues and old time rock & roll with a Chuck Berry vibe on guitar coming from Perry. It is rough and raw and Tyler’s vocals a real grit to them like he had lived a tough life and currently he was doing just that. Hamilton and Kramer were the heart of the song laying down a great rhythm and keeping the song driving forward while Joe and Brad laid down some cool riffs. It is a down and dirty rock song, just the way I like it.

Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. I think you’ll dig it as much as I have. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!

“No Surpize”

1971, we all heard the starters gun
New York is such a pity
But at Max’s Kansas City we won

We all shot the shit at the bar
With Johnny O’ Toole and his scar
And then old Clive Davis said
He’s surely gonna make us a star
I’m gonna make you a star
Just the way you are

But with all his style
I could see in his eyes
That we is goin’ on trial
And it was no surprize

The boys kept kickin’ ass
As usual time would tell
But some bitch in the choir
Throw water on the fires of hell
She loved to show and tell
Lord, she loved to tell

But with all our style
You could see in our eyes
That we is still on trial
And it was no surprize
No surprize
No surprize
No surprize

Midnight lady
Situation fetal
Vaccinate your ass with your phonograph needle

I say looky here
Friend of mine
You scratch like you need calamine
Flamingo boots, soles a creakin’
Still in love and Puerto Rican too

Ridin’ on wheels of hell
Smokin’ our axle grease
Oh, the backstage is rockin’
And we’re coppin’ from the local police
That’s right, the local police
Or the justice of peace

But with all our style
You could see in our eyes
That we is still on trial
Baby, it’s no surprize
No surprize
No surprize
No surprize

Rock n’ roll, junkie whore
Got my foot inside the door
Knock knock, knock knock, knock
Nobody’s keepin’ score

Bad times go away
Come again some other day
Topaz and sazzafraz
Will keep the blues away

Candy store, rock n’ roll
Corporation jellyroll
Play the singles, it ain’t me
It’s programmed insanity

You ASCAP, if BMI
Could ever make a mountain fly
If Japanese can boil teas
Then where the fuck’s my royalties…aar
Yak yak yak yak ‘oow

Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry