Pump cover art

  Studio Album · No. 10

Pump Songwriting Credits by Aerosmith

1989 Geffen Records 10 tracks 47 min

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn  ·  Engineered by Mike Fraser, Ken Lomas

Geffen Records Glam MetalHard Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Aerosmith carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Aerosmith 0 tracksoutside writers
Aerosmith's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
9
Lyricists
1
Producers
7 million
US Copies Sold
1989
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (for 'Janie's Got a Gun') (1991)
Data Insight

Pump kept the comeback machine running, and the outside writers stayed central even as the band's own collaboration produced its most celebrated track. Jim Vallance co-wrote 'Young Lust' and 'The Other Side,' while Desmond Child returned for 'What It Takes' and 'F.I.N.E.' The notable exception is the Grammy-winning 'Janie's Got a Gun,' written by Steven Tyler with bassist Tom Hamilton and no hired songwriter, proving the band could still deliver a landmark on its own. Producer Bruce Fairbairn and engineer Mike Fraser again gave the record its big, clean radio sheen.

Aerosmith's tenth studio album, released September 12, 1989. Widely regarded as the creative peak of their comeback era. 'Janie's Got a Gun' (Tyler-Hamilton) won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance with a Vocal. 'Love in an Elevator,' 'The Other Side,' and 'What It Takes' were all major hits. Tom Hamilton earns his most prominent writing credit with 'Janie's Got a Gun.' 'The Other Side' carries additional credits to Holland-Dozier-Holland for a musical interpolation. Desmond Child returns as co-writer on 'F.I.N.E.*' and 'What It Takes,' while Jim Vallance contributes to 'Young Lust' and 'The Other Side.' The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and went 7x platinum.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Young Lust
Steven TylerJoe PerryJim Vallance Steven TylerJoe PerryJim Vallance Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
2
F.I.N.E.*
Steven TylerJoe PerryDesmond Child Steven TylerJoe PerryDesmond Child Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
3
Love in an Elevator #5
Steven TylerJoe Perry Steven TylerJoe Perry Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
4
Monkey on My Back
Steven TylerJoe Perry Steven TylerJoe Perry Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
5
Janie's Got a Gun #4
Steven TylerTom Hamilton Steven TylerTom Hamilton Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
6
The Other Side #22
Steven TylerJim VallanceBrian HollandLamont DozierEddie Holland Steven TylerJim VallanceBrian HollandLamont DozierEddie Holland Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
7
My Girl
Steven TylerJoe Perry Steven TylerJoe Perry Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
8
Don't Get Mad, Get Even
Steven TylerJoe Perry Steven TylerJoe Perry Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
9
Voodoo Medicine Man
Steven TylerBrad Whitford Steven TylerBrad Whitford Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
10
What It Takes #9
Steven TylerJoe PerryDesmond Child Steven TylerJoe PerryDesmond Child Bruce Fairbairn Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 11 contributors

More from Aerosmith

Frequently Asked Questions Pump

Who produced Aerosmith's Pump?
Bruce Fairbairn produced Pump, with Mike Fraser engineering and mixing. Released in 1989 on Geffen, it was the follow-up to Permanent Vacation and continued Aerosmith's commercial resurgence. Fairbairn's polished production helped make it one of the band's best-selling albums.
Who wrote Janie's Got a Gun?
'Janie's Got a Gun' was written by Steven Tyler with Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton, with no outside songwriter involved. It stands apart from much of the comeback-era material precisely because it was an internal band composition. The song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award.
Did Janie's Got a Gun win a Grammy?
Yes. 'Janie's Got a Gun' won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, presented at the 1991 ceremony. It was Aerosmith's first Grammy win and remains one of their most acclaimed songs.
Did Aerosmith use outside songwriters on Pump?
Yes, though less than on some later records. Jim Vallance co-wrote 'Young Lust' and 'The Other Side,' and Desmond Child co-wrote 'What It Takes' and 'F.I.N.E.' The major exception was 'Janie's Got a Gun,' written internally by Tyler and Tom Hamilton.
What was the biggest hit from Pump?
'Love in an Elevator' reached number 5 and 'Janie's Got a Gun' reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, making them the album's biggest hits. 'What It Takes' followed at number 9, giving Pump three top-10 singles.
How many copies did Pump sell?
Pump was certified 7x Platinum in the United States, representing seven million copies sold. It is among Aerosmith's best-selling studio albums and a commercial high point of their late-1980s comeback.
What genre is Pump?
Pump is a glam metal and hard rock album. It carried the polished, hook-heavy sound of late-1980s arena rock while retaining Aerosmith's bluesy hard-rock roots, shaped by producer Bruce Fairbairn.

Sources