Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Jim Adams is the awesome host of Song Lyric Sunday.  Jim says:

Hurt can mean to cause bodily injury. Pain is physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury. Agony is a condition that involves an extreme amount of pain and suffering. Any time a person is experiencing pain, it can be said that they are suffering. Thus the theme today is Hurt/Pain/Agony/Suffer.

Here are the “rules”:

• Post the lyrics to the song of your choice, whether it fits the theme or not.
• Please try to include the songwriter(s) – it’s a good idea to give credit where credit is due.
• Make sure you also credit the singer/band and if you desire you can provide a link to where you found the lyrics.
• Link to the YouTube video, or pull it into your post so others can listen to the song.
• Ping back to this post will eventually work, as long as you are being patient, but you can also place your link in the comments if you don’t like to wait.
• Read at least one other person’s blog, so we can all share new and fantastic music and create amazing new blogging friends in the process.
• Feel free to suggest future prompts.
• Have fun and enjoy the music.

image link

Pump is the tenth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on September 12, 1989. “What It Takes” is a power ballad written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Desmond Child. In the video, The Making of Pump, A&R man John Kalodner described the song as “a fuckin’ masterpiece”. During live performances, Tyler sings the first verse a cappella and belts out a signature scream right before the chorus. The song contained numerous references to other Aerosmith songs in its lyrics. Tyler spells “F.I.N.E.” in the second verse and mentions that his “heart’s been doing time” (“Heart’s Done Time”). Another lyric, “leave your life to the toss of the dice,” relates to the “Love in an Elevator” lyric, “betting on the dice I’m tossing.”

This song is the ultimate suffering and pain rock ballad, and Steven Tyler belts it out with every ounce of anguish that it deserves.  I’ve cried and screamed to this song with Steven.

There goes my old girlfriend, there’s another diamond ring
And, uh, all those late night promises, I guess they don’t mean a thing
So baby, what’s the story?
Did you find another man?
Is it easy to sleep in the bed that we made?
When you don’t look back I guess the feelings start to fade away
I used to feel your fire but now it’s cold inside
And you’re back on the street like you didn’t miss a beat, yeah

Tell me what it takes to let you go
Tell me how the pain’s supposed to go
Tell me how it is that you can sleep
In the night
Without thinking you lost ev’rything that was good in your life to the toss of the dice?
Tell me what it takes to let you go, yeah

Girl, before I met you I was F.I.N.E. Fine
But your love made me a prisoner, yeah my heart’s been doing time
You spent me up like money then you hung me out to dry
It was easy to keep all your lies in disguise
‘Cause you had me in deep with the devil in your eyes

Tell me what it takes to let you go
Tell me how the pain’s supposed to go
Tell me how it is that you can sleep
In the night
Without thinking you lost ev’rything that was good in your life to the toss of the dice?
Tell me what it takes to let you go
Guitar

Tell me that you’re happy, that you’re on your own
Yeah yeah, yeah
Tell me that it’s better when you’re all alone
Tell me that your body doesn’t miss my touch
Tell me that my lovin’ didn’t mean that much
Tell me you ain’t dyin’ when you’re cryin’ for me

Tell me what it takes to let you go
Tell me how the pain’s supposed to go
Uh, tell me how it is that you can sleep
In the night
Without thinkin’ you lost ev’rything that was good in your life to the toss of the dice?
Tell me who’s to blame for thinkin’ twice
No no no no
‘Cause I don’t wanna burn in paradise
Let go. Let go. Let go. I don’t wanna burn in paradise
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
I don’t wanna burn, I don’t wanna burn
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go

Songwriters: Desmond Child / Perry Anthony Joseph / Steven Tyler