Aerosmith - Cryin'. It's All About the Bass!

This song is something of a masterpiece. None of the chord progressions are especially groundbreaking - the verse is a variation on Pachelbel's Canon in D - but the way they are put together and the numerous fine details really sell it. There are many little things to enjoy:

• The opening riff and the bridge have nothing to do with the rest of the song, harmonically, but each section flows to the next seamlessly.
• Though not in your face, there are horn parts scattered throughout the song. Listen carefully!
• At 1:50 Joe Perry not-so-subtly plays the melody to Pachelbel's Canon, as if there were any doubt as to what they were going for.
• During that section, Steven and Joe can't seem to agree on whether the iii chord is Major or minor. Joe's guitar says minor, Steven's backup vocals say Major.
• Steven's raspy "Dying" as the band cuts out is my second favorite part of the song. It's always nice when there is a big moment early in the song, with much more to come!

Those parts aside, what really makes the song for me - as is often the case in Aerosmith songs - is the bass. The bassist is often overlooked in rock bands, but a good bass line can give a song character, groove, and emotional flow. Tom Hamilton is an underrated rock bassist, in my opinion. He mostly stays out of the way, but plays creative licks that help make Aerosmith songs so great.

His first "nice touch" is in the opening verse, when he chooses not to play. It's always refreshing to hear musicians and producers take a "less is more" approach. While the intro tells you this song is going to get big, this moment says "but first, have a seat; we're going to tell you a story."

The chorus of the song centers around the über-cliche I-V-vi-IV progression in A. It always works, and if you want a near-guaranteed hit single, these are the chords for you. But Aerosmith wants to build at the end, and Tom takes the wheel. Starting at 4:00 he plays different notes of the chords to create a line that walks up the major scale to the eventual build-up on the IV chord. Notice how much this adds to the intensity; we're no longer jumping from chord to chord but we're driving somewhere.

My favorite moment of the song comes in the final seconds of the song. Following the second big build-up to the IV chord (around 4:58), Tom plays a descending line (with some interesting note choices) that feels like it's taking you back to the I chord for a big finish...except he doesn't land on the downbeat. He keeps running with it, over the bar line, for three more eight notes and spikes the ball on beat 2 with a big cymbal crash. The whole moment is perfectly timed with Alicia Silverstone's bungie jump in the video. While playing the root on beat 2 is a common gimmick for jazz bassists, you don't hear it so much in pop songs. It's one of those little things that make Aerosmith stand out.

So here's to you Tom Hamilton, and all rock bassists, as you quietly and so subtly drive the bus from the back seat.