Draw the Line (song)

"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, just missing the Top 40.

The song encompasses many of the typical things Aerosmith is known for, including the relative simplicity of the song and lyrics, 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.

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.

The b-side 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.

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've covered, the first being "Nobody's Fault."