Permanent Vacation
Studio album by Aerosmith
Released	August 18, 1987
Recorded	March–June 1987
Genre	Hard rock, blues-rock
Length	50:43
Label	Geffen
Producer	Bruce Fairbairn
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Robert Christgau (C+) link Rolling Stone (mixed) link
Aerosmith chronology
Done with Mirrors (1985) Permanent Vacation (1987) Pump (1989)
Singles from Permanent Vacation
"Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" Released: 1987 "Angel" Released: 1988 "Rag Doll" Released: 1988 "Hangman Jury" Released: 1987 (promo only)

Permanent Vacation is the ninth studio album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released in 1987.

The album marks a turning point in the band's career. It is their first album to employ professional songwriters, instead of featuring material solely composed by members of the band.¹ 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 album, as it was the band's first truly popular album since their reunion. "Rag Doll," "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Angel" all became major hit singles (all three songs charted in the Top 20) and helped Permanent Vacation become the band's most successful album in a decade.

The album features their cover of "I'm Down", a piano-driven Paul McCartney song that appeared as a b-side to the Beatles' "Help" single in 1965. This was Aerosmith's second commercially-released Beatles cover, after "Come Together".

In limited production, the original album cover for Permanent Vacation did not feature the yellow Aerosmith wings logo. Instead, the album jacket only featured the black background covered in the red "Permanent Vacation" hula girl print. The yellow Aerosmith wings logo was actually on the outside of the plastic case rather than the inner album liner.

Permanent Vacation has sold over five million copies in the U.S.²

Track listing

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) – 3:21
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" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) – 2:20
12. "The Movie" [instrumental] (Tyler, Perry, Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer) – 4:00

Personnel

• Tom Hamilton – bass
• Joey Kramer – drums
• Joe Perry – guitar, backing vocals
• Steven Tyler – lead vocals, harmonica, piano, plunger mute
• Brad Whitford – guitar

Additional personnel

• Drew Arnott – mellotron
• Henry Christian – trumpet
• Bruce Fairbairn – trumpet, cello, background vocals
• Scott Fairbairn – cello
• Mike Fraser – plunger mute
• Tom Keenlyside – clarinet, tenor saxophone
• Margarita Horns – horns
• Ian Putz – baritone saxophone
• Morgan Rael – steel drums
• Bob Rogers – trombone
• Jim Vallance – organ
• Christine Arnott – Gaelic voice-over on "The Movie"

Production

• Producer: Bruce Fairbairn
• Engineers: Mike Fraser, Bob Rock
• Assistant engineer: Ken Lomas
• Mixing: Mike Fraser
• Mastering: George Marino
• Assistant: Joel López
• Arrangers: Tom Kennlyside, Jim Vallance
• Art direction: Aerosmith, Kim Champagne
• Illustrations: Andy Engel
• Photography: Neal Preston

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Certifications

See also

• Permanent Vacation 3x5
• Permanent Vacation Tour

External links

Permanent Vacation at MusicBrainz

References