Love in an Elevator

"Love in an Elevator" is a song performed by American rock band Aerosmith, written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It was released in August 1989 as the lead single from their third album with Geffen Records, Pump, released in September.^[1] It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.^[8] The RIAA certified it gold.^[9]

"Love in an Elevator"
Original single artwork by Mark Ryden
Single by Aerosmith
from the album Pump
B-side	"Young Lust", "Ain't Enough"
Released	August 15, 1989 (1989-08-15)[1][2]
Recorded	April–June 1989
Studio	Little Mountain Sound (Vancouver)[3]
Genre	Glam metal[4][5] pop metal[6] funk metal[7] blues rock[7] hard rock[7]
Length	5:39 (album version) 3:38 (single version)
Label	Geffen
Songwriter(s)	Joe Perry Steven Tyler
Producer(s)	Bruce Fairbairn[3]
Aerosmith singles chronology
"Rag Doll" (1988) "Love in an Elevator" (1989) "F.I.N.E.*" (1989)
Music video
"Love In An Elevator" on YouTube

Background

According to Tyler, the song was based on an actual experience where he was making out with a woman in an elevator and the doors opened.^[10] Tyler said that "It felt like a lifetime waiting for those doors to close."^[10]

Recording

"Love in an Elevator", like the other tracks on Pump, was recorded some time in April to June 1989 at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver. The song was produced by Bruce Fairbairn and was engineered by Mike Fraser with Ken Lomas as second engineer, and in addition to Aerosmith – Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (guitars, backing vocals), Brad Whitford (guitars, backing vocals), Tom Hamilton (bass, backing vocals), and Joey Kramer (drums) – were Bob Dowd (backing vocals), Bruce Fairbairn (backing vocals), and Catherine Epps (elevator operator).^[3]

Track listing

7" 45 RPM

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Love in an Elevator"	Joe Perry, Steven Tyler

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Young Lust"	Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance

CD single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Love in an Elevator" (Edit)	Perry, Tyler	3:42
2.	"Ain't Enough"	Perry, Tyler	5:03
3.	"Young Lust" (LP Version)	Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance	4:22

Music video

The music video for "Love in an Elevator" was directed by Marty Callner.^[11] At the beginning of the video, Aerosmith are walking through luxury Los Angeles department store Bullocks Wilshire.^[12] An elevator operator (played by former Playboy model Brandi Brandt) suggestively asks Tyler if he is "going down". Tyler leaps into the elevator before the band begins playing the song onstage (with several flash cuts to scenes in the department store).^[13][14]

Reception

Award nomination

The song received a Grammy Award nomination in 1990 for Best Hard Rock Performance, but lost out to Living Colour.

Use in Disney World rollercoaster

A portion of the song plays within the ride sequence of Walt Disney World's Rock 'n Roller Coaster ride, which features different Aerosmith songs on each of its ride vehicles. The lyrics for the Disney World version were specially revised to say "love on a roller coaster" at the end of the ride.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1989) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[15] 33 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] 28 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] 13 Canada Retail Sales (RPM)[18] 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 14 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] 14 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 13 US Billboard Hot 100[23] 5 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[24] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1989) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[25] 99 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[26] 81

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[27]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.