Steven Tyler Thought His Career Was Ruined After Writing This Aerosmith Hit With Desmond Child

In 1988, Aerosmith released “Angel” as the debut single from their Permanent Vacation record. The Top 5 hit was written by Aerosmith’s lead singer, Steven Tyler, along with Desmond Child.

A sentimental song about admitting one’s true feelings, the chorus of “Angel” says, “You’re my angel / Come and save me tonight / You’re my angel / Come and make it all right.”

“Angel” became a Top 5 hit for Aerosmith and their most successful single from Permanent Vacation. So it’s surprising that Tyler actually thought his career was over when he wrote this song. But by the time Permanent Vacation, Aerosmith’s ninth album, was released, Tyler had already written plenty of hits either by himself or with his fellow band members, including “Walk This Way”,  “Last Child”, and more.

So when John Kalodner, an executive from Geffen Records, their record label at the time, suggested Tyler branch out with his songwriting partners, Tyler thought it was the beginning of the end for him.

What Steven Tyler Says About Writing “Angel” With Desmond Child

Kalodner vividly recalls what Tyler told him when Kalodner asked him to write with Child.

“Tyler says that I ruined his career by making him write ‘Angel’ with Desmond,” he says in Walk This Way, Aerosmith’s autobiography.

Of course, the opposite is true, although Tyler had no way of knowing it at the time. Still, it’s a bit surprising that Tyler and Child produced such a hit together, especially considering how their songwriting session began.

 “He said, ‘She’s my angel,’” Child recalls to Songfacts. “When he said ‘angel,’ I looked at him, and he has those big blubber lips like Mick Jagger, right? When he said ‘angel,’ it reminded me of Mick Jagger singing ‘Angie.’ I thought, ‘I want him to say the word ‘angel’ over and over again, so I can see those big lips flap in the wind, saying ‘angel.’”

“The song was autobiographical for him,” he continues. “I think that song has become a classic unto itself. For many years, they didn’t want to perform it in the show, because I think he wanted to rock harder than that. He saw it as pop. It was the next single, and it was very successful. It opened the door for them to do other ballads, like ‘Cryin”, ‘Crazy’, and ‘What It Takes’.”

Permanent Vacation also includes “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)”. Tyler and Child are the writers of that song, along with Aerosmith’s Joe Perry.

Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images