Permanent Vacation (Aerosmith album)

Permanent Vacation
Permanent Vacation
Studio album by Aerosmith
Released	August 25, 1987
Recorded	March–May 1987
Studio	Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver; Unique Recording, New York City;
Genre	Hard rock; pop metal;
Length	51:46
Label	Geffen
Producer	Bruce Fairbairn
Aerosmith chronology
Singles from Permanent Vacation
	"Hangman Jury"; Released: August 18, 1987; "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)"; Released: September 22, 1987; "Angel"; Released: January 5, 1988; "Rag Doll"; Released: May 3, 1988;

Permanent Vacation is the ninth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released by Geffen Records on August 25, 1987.^[8] The album marks the band's shift to a pop-metal sound that they would maintain up to 1993's Get a Grip.^[9]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+^[4]
Metal Forces	9.9/10^[5]
Rolling Stone	(unfavorable)^[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[7]

It was their first to employ songwriters outside the band, instead of featuring songs solely composed by them.^[6] This came at the suggestion of executive John Kalodner. He also pushed the band to work with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who remained with them for another two albums. It was also the first Aerosmith album to be promoted by heavy music video airplay on MTV. Though Done with Mirrors was intended to mark Aerosmith's comeback, Permanent Vacation is often considered their true comeback, as it was the band's first truly popular album since their reunion. "Rag Doll", "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", and "Angel" became major hits (all three charted in the Top 20) and helped Permanent Vacation become the band's greatest success in a decade.

Permanent Vacation has sold over five million copies in the U.S.^[10]

In the UK, it was the first Aerosmith album to attain both Silver (60,000 units sold) and Gold (100,000 units sold) certification by the British Phonographic Industry, achieving these in July 1989 and March 1990 respectively.^[11]

Reception

The album received mixed-to-positive reviews. In a retrospective assessment AllMusic gave the album four stars, and said "despite the mostly stellar songwriting, which makes it a strong effort overall, some of the album's nooks and crannies haven't aged all that well because of Fairbairn's overwrought production, featuring an exaggerated sleekness typical of most mid-'80s pop-metal albums".^[3] Dave Reynolds from Metal Forces magazine called the album "a shit hot album and one I'm gonna play the hell out of".^[5] Robert Christgau graded the album a C+, saying Aerosmith were "running out of gas again already".^[4]

Loudwire ranked the album as Aerosmith's 6th best album explaining the ranking with, "its lavish '80s production has definitely dated, but 'Permanent Vacation' still ranks among the greatest musical comebacks of all time".^[9] Loudwire also placed the album at No. 4 on their 2017 list of the "10 Best Hard Rock Albums of 1987".^[12] Loudersound placed the album on their list of the 20 best albums from 1987 and called it a "collection of sublime pop-metal".^[13]

Track listing

*Permanent Vacation* track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Heart's Done Time"	Joe Perry Desmond Child	4:42
2.	"Magic Touch"	Steven Tyler Perry Jim Vallance	4:40
3.	"Rag Doll"	Tyler Perry Vallance Holly Knight	4:21
4.	"Simoriah"	Tyler Perry Vallance	3:22
5.	"Dude (Looks Like a Lady)"	Tyler Perry Child	4:23
6.	"St. John"	Tyler	4:12
7.	"Hangman Jury"	Tyler Perry Vallance	5:33
8.	"Girl Keeps Coming Apart"	Tyler Perry	4:12
9.	"Angel"	Tyler Child	5:10
10.	"Permanent Vacation"	Tyler Brad Whitford	4:52
11.	"I'm Down" (The Beatles cover)	John Lennon Paul McCartney	2:20
12.	"The Movie"	Tyler Perry Whitford Tom Hamilton Joey Kramer	4:00
Total length:			51:47

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes^[14] and AllMusic.^[15] Track numbers refer to CD and digital releases of the album.

Aerosmith

Steven Tyler – lead vocals, piano, harmonica, plunger mute
Joe Perry – guitar: lead guitar (all except 10 & 12), lead and rhythm guitar on track 1, backing vocals, pedal steel guitar on "Rag Doll"
Brad Whitford – guitar: lead and rhythm guitar on track 1, lead guitar on tracks 8, 10 & 12
Tom Hamilton – bass guitar
Joey Kramer – drums

Additional musicians

Drew Arnott – mellotron on "Angel" and "The Movie"
Tom Keenlyside – clarinet, tenor saxophone, horn arrangement on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll"
Ian Putz – baritone saxophone on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll"
Bob Rogers – trombone on "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll"
Henry Christian – trumpet
Bruce Fairbairn – trumpet, cello, background vocals, production
Scott Fairbairn – cello
Mike Fraser – plunger mute, engineering, mixing
Morgan Rael – steel drums
Jim Vallance – organ on "Rag Doll" and "Simoriah"
Christine Arnott – backing vocals on "The Movie"

Production

Bob Rock – engineering
Ken Lomas – assistant engineering
George Marino – mastering
Kim Champagne – art direction
Andy Engel – illustrations
Neal Preston – photography

Charts

Chart performance for *Permanent Vacation*
Chart (1987–1988)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[16]	42
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[17]	16
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[18]	50
UK Albums (OCC)^[19]	37
US Billboard 200^[20]	11

Certifications

Certifications for *Permanent Vacation*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[21]	5× Platinum	500,000^{^}
Japan (RIAJ)^[22]	Gold	100,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[23]	Gold	100,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[24]	5× Platinum	5,000,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ "RIAA certifications". Recording Industry Association of America.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Strong, Martin (2002) [First published in 1994]. The Great Rock Discography (Sixth ed.). United Kingdom: Canongate Books. ISBN 1-84195-312-1.
^ ^a ^b Franck, John. Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
^ ^a ^b Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
^ ^a ^b Reynolds, Dave (1987). "Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation". Metal Forces (25). Retrieved July 5, 2012.
^ ^a ^b Frost, Deborah (October 22, 1987). "Permanent Vacation". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
^ "Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
^ John Franck & Eduardo Rivadavia. "Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
^ ^a ^b Rivadavia, Eduardo (February 28, 2017). "Aerosmith Albums Ranked". Loudwire. Retrieved March 16, 2021. 2001's 'Push Play' was Aerosmith's fifth straight exercise in the sort of widescreen pop metal inaugurated by 'Permanent Vacation,' all of 14 years prior.
^ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
^ "Search for "Aerosmith"". Bpi.co.uk. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
^ Childers, Chad (January 4, 2017). "10 Best Hard Rock Albums of 1987". Loudwire. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
^ "The 20 best albums from 1987". loudersound. October 9, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
^ Big Ones (CD insert). Aerosmith. United States: Geffen Records. 1994. GEFD-24716.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith > Credits". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0907". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
^ "Canadian album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". Music Canada. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
^ "Japanese album certifications – エアロスミス – パーマネント・ヴァケイション" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1995年4月 on the drop-down menu
^ "British album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
^ "American album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 1, 2013.

[1] "RIAA certifications". Recording Industry Association of America.

[strong-2] Strong, Martin (2002) [First published in 1994]. The Great Rock Discography (Sixth ed.). United Kingdom: Canongate Books. ISBN 1-84195-312-1.

[AM-3] Franck, John. Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 7 April 2020.

[Christgau-4] Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.

[metalforces-5] Reynolds, Dave (1987). "Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation". Metal Forces (25). Retrieved July 5, 2012.

[RS-6] Frost, Deborah (October 22, 1987). "Permanent Vacation". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 14, 2012.

[7] "Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 21, 2011.

[AM1-8] John Franck & Eduardo Rivadavia. "Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2010.

[loudwire-9] Rivadavia, Eduardo (February 28, 2017). "Aerosmith Albums Ranked". Loudwire. Retrieved March 16, 2021. 2001's 'Push Play' was Aerosmith's fifth straight exercise in the sort of widescreen pop metal inaugurated by 'Permanent Vacation,' all of 14 years prior.

[10] "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2012.

[BPI-11] "Search for "Aerosmith"". Bpi.co.uk. Retrieved June 1, 2012.

[12] Childers, Chad (January 4, 2017). "10 Best Hard Rock Albums of 1987". Loudwire. Retrieved July 10, 2024.

[13] "The 20 best albums from 1987". loudersound. October 9, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2021.

[notes-14] Big Ones (CD insert). Aerosmith. United States: Geffen Records. 1994. GEFD-24716.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[AM2-15] "Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith > Credits". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 15, 2010.

[aus-16] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[group=-17] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0907". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 22, 2018.

[JPN-18] Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.

[ac_UK2_-19] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 22, 2018.

[Billboard_200-20] "Aerosmith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2018.

[CanadaAerosmithPermanent_VacationalbumCertRef-21] "Canadian album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". Music Canada. Retrieved February 1, 2013.

[Japanエアロスミスパーマネント・ヴァケイションalbumCertRef-22] "Japanese album certifications – エアロスミス – パーマネント・ヴァケイション" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1995年4月 on the drop-down menu

[United_KingdomAerosmithPermanent_VacationalbumCertRef-23] "British album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 1, 2013.

[United_StatesAerosmithPermanent_VacationalbumCertRef-24] "American album certifications – Aerosmith – Permanent Vacation". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 1, 2013.

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