Draw the Line (song)

"Draw the Line"
Single by Aerosmith
from the album Draw the Line
B-side	"Bright Light Fright"
Released	1977
Format	Record
Recorded	1977
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal, blues rock
Length	3:24
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Steven Tyler, Joe Perry
Producer	Jack Douglas
Aerosmith singles chronology
"Back in the Saddle" (1977) "Draw the Line" (1977) "Kings and Queens" (1978)

"Draw the Line" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, and was released in 1977 as the first single (and title track) from the album Draw the Line. It peaked at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was included in their album Greatest Hits.

Song information

The song encompasses many of the typical things Aerosmith is known for, including the strong rhythm backbeat by Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer, the back-and-forth interplay between guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. The song slows down before building to a climax showcasing Steven Tyler's trademark scream.

A stereo remix of this song is available on the "Oh Yeah! Ultimate Hits" compilation.

In concert

Lately in concert, however, the chief focus is on lead guitarist Joe Perry, who plays an extended guitar solo before the song's climax, and makes use of the open tuning used for the song by performing a number of tricks made possible by said tuning. These include placing the guitar on the floor & beating it with his shirt and having drummer Joey Kramer beat a rhythm over the strings with his drumsticks.

On more recent tours, he has also been known to employ a theremin in an extended breakdown of the song, often imitating Jimmy Page's use of one in Led Zeppelin's heyday. The band often follow with a brief snippet of Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" before returning into the song.

B-side

The b-side of some versions of the single, "Chip Away the Stone", was not on the Draw the Line album but eventually surfaced on Gems (a compilation of heavier, harder-edged Aerosmith album tracks that were largely not singles, though many were played live at one time or another). "Chip Away the Stone" was written by Richie Supa and received a fair amount of radio airplay after the release of Gems, and found its way into Aerosmith's live setlists for a while.

Many versions of the "Draw the Line" single also had "Bright Light Fright" as the B-side.

Cover versions

Thrash metal band Testament recorded a cover of "Draw the Line" for a greatest hits compilation of theirs, making it the second Aerosmith song they have covered, the first being "Nobody's Fault".