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Classics Live and Classics Live II are albums by American rock band Aerosmith, released in 1986 and 1987, respectively. Together, they constitute the band’s second live offering, after Live! Bootleg. Classics Live I has gone platinum while Classics Live II has gone gold.

Classics Live

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStar[3]
Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal8/10[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStar[5]
Rolling StoneStarStar[6]

Classics Live! is drawn from concerts in 1978 and 1984. Some of the recordings feature guitarists Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay, who had replaced Joe Perry and Brad Whitford respectively. Different versions of most of its songs had been released on Live! Bootleg in 1978. Venues and dates are not listed on the sleeve; instead, it states, “These songs were recorded at various concerts between 1977 and 1983.” Which of the four guitarists play on which tracks is not noted.

The studio track “Major Barbra” was recorded for, but left off, the album Get Your Wings. An alternate version appears on the compilation Pandora’s Box.

Track listing

All songs recorded at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts, February 14, 1984[citation needed], except where noted.

All tracks are written by Steven Tyler, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.“Train Kept A-Rollin'“Tiny Bradshaw, Lois Mann, Howard Kay3:22
2.“Kings and Queens” (Boston Music Hall in Boston, MA March 28, 1978[citation needed] and re-recorded[clarification needed]. Original recording appears on the compilation Pandora’s Box)Steven Tyler, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Jack Douglas4:46
3.“Sweet Emotion” (Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV, Dec. 12, 1982[citation needed])Tyler, Hamilton5:13
4.“Dream On” (Capital Center, Largo, MD, Nov. 9, 1978[citation needed]) 4:50
5.“Mama Kin“ 3:41
6.“Three Mile Smile / Reefer Head Woman”Tyler, Joe Perry / Lester Melrose, J. Bennett, Jazz Gillum4:54
7.“Lord of the Thighs“ 7:05
8.“Major Barbra” (Studio Outtake) 4:02
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[7]
Christgau’s Record GuideB+[8]
Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal5/10[9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStar[5]
Rolling StoneStarStar[6]

Personnel

  • Paul O’Neill – producer
  • Tony Bongiovi – producer on “Major Barbra”
  • James Ball, Crey Russell, Thom Panunzio – engineers
  • Carol Cafiero, Paul Special, Teddy Treewella – assistant engineers
  • Jack Skinner – mastering
  • David Krebs, Steve Leber – executive producers

Charts

Chart (1986) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[10] 84

Certification

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[11] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Classics Live II

Classics Live! II mainly features tracks recorded at a New Year’s Eve show in 1984, with all five original members reunited. Also featured are the opening track of 1985’s Done with Mirrors, “Let the Music Do the Talking“, and a rendition of 1977’s “Draw the Line” from California Jam II. Band photography is by Paul McAlpine.

Track listing

All recorded at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts, December 31, 1984, except where noted.

All tracks are written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.“Back in the Saddle“ 4:40
2.“Walk This Way“ 4:21
3.“Movin’ Out“ 5:44
4.“Draw the Line” (California Jam Festival, Ontario Speedway, Ontario, CA, March 18, 1978) 4:46
5.“Same Old Song and Dance“ 5:45
6.“Last Child“Tyler, Whitford3:42
7.“Let the Music Do the Talking” (Worcester Centrum, Worcester, MA, March 12, 1986)Perry5:44
8.“Toys in the Attic“ 4:03

Certification

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[12] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Classics Live Complete

In 1998, Classics Live! Complete was released outside the U.S, compiling the two albums on one CD.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar [13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStar[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Huxley, Martin (2015). Aerosmith: The Fall and the Rise of Rock’s Greatest Band. St. Martin’s Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1250096531.
  2. ^ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1986/Music-Week-1986-09-06.pdf
  3. ^ Prato, Greg. “Classics Live! – Aerosmith review”. AllMusic. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  4. ^ Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector’s Guide Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
  5. ^ a b c Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  6. ^ a b “Aerosmith: Album Guide”. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  7. ^ Prato, Greg. “Classics Live!, Vol. 2 – Aerosmith review”. AllMusic. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  8. ^ Christgau, Robert (1990). “A”. Christgau’s Record Guide: The ’80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
  9. ^ Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector’s Guide Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
  10. ^ “Aerosmith Chart History (Billboard 200)“. Billboard. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  11. ^ “American album certifications – Aerosmith – Classics Live!”. Recording Industry Association of America.
  12. ^ “American album certifications – Aerosmith – Classics Live II”. Recording Industry Association of America.
  13. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. “Classics Live!: Complete – Aerosmith”. AllMusic. Retrieved February 9, 2012.

Bibliography