Kings and Queens (Aerosmith song)

"Kings and Queens" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, and Jack Douglas, their producer, who helped the band write many of the songs on Draw the Line. Douglas also played the mandolin featured in the song. The song first appeared on the album Draw the Line in December 1977 and was released as a single on February 21, 1978. The song was also used as a B-side to Aerosmith's version of The Beatles' "Come Together", released to promote the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band film and soundtrack.

Lyrical meaning

Steven Tyler said of "Kings and Queens" in the liner notes to Pandora's Box:

This one was just about how many people died from holy wars because of their beliefs or non-beliefs. With that one, my brain was back with the knights of the round table...

Reception

Cash Box said it has "a big production, driving beat and cymbal work, tight vocals, guitars and a piano-bass interlude." Record World said that "Steve Tyler's musings on European history make for an enjoyable hard-rock single."

Charts

Chart (1978)	Peak position
Canada (RPM100 Top Singles)	76
US Billboard Hot 100	70

In concert

The song was a staple of Aerosmith concerts in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and was included on the album Classics Live!. This version was also included on Pandora's Box. The band brought the song back into the set list during shows in Providence, Rhode Island and Anaheim, California in 2005 and 2006 on the Rockin' the Joint Tour, and in São Paulo, Brazil and Sölvesborg, Sweden in 2010 on the Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour. It was played during the 2014 Jones Beach show.

Covers and other versions

The song was included on the albums Aerosmith's Greatest Hits in 1980 and Greatest Hits 1973–1988 in 2004, but was considerably edited, with many of the guitar parts removed. This edited version is sometimes heard on radio, although many rock stations do play the full version.

"Kings and Queens" is a master track in the game Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and is unlocked upon beating the last song, "Train Kept A-Rollin".

Glenn Hughes recorded a version of the song in 2011.

References

^ Aerosmith's Greatest Hits (CD liner). Aerosmith. United States: Columbia Records. 1993 . CK 57367.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Pandora's Box (CD liner). Aerosmith. United States: Columbia Records. 2002 . C3K 86567.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
"Aerosmith Albums Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. September 1, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
"CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. March 4, 1978. p. 13. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
"Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 4, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
"RPM - Item Display : Top Singles - Volume 29, No. 5, April 29, 1978". Library and Archives Canada. March 31, 2004. Archived from the original (.Php) on October 20, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
"Aerosmith - Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 29, 2010.

v t e Aerosmith
Steven Tyler Tom Hamilton Joey Kramer Joe Perry Brad Whitford Ray Tabano Jimmy Crespo Rick Dufay
Studio albums	Aerosmith Get Your Wings Toys in the Attic Rocks Draw the Line Night in the Ruts Rock in a Hard Place Done with Mirrors Permanent Vacation Pump Get a Grip Nine Lives Just Push Play Honkin' on Bobo Music from Another Dimension!
Live albums	Live! Bootleg Classics Live I and II A Little South of Sanity Rockin' the Joint
Extended plays	Vacation Club Made in America
Singles	"Dream On" "Mama Kin" "Same Old Song and Dance" "Train Kept A-Rollin'" "S.O.S. (Too Bad)" "Sweet Emotion" "Walk This Way" "You See Me Crying" "Toys in the Attic" "Last Child" "Home Tonight" "Back in the Saddle" "Draw the Line" "Kings and Queens" "Get It Up" "Come Together" "Chip Away the Stone" "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" "Bitch's Brew" "Let the Music Do the Talking" "Shela" "My Fist Your Face" "Darkness" "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" "Hangman Jury" "Angel" "Rag Doll" "Love in an Elevator" "F.I.N.E.*" "Janie's Got a Gun" "What It Takes" "The Other Side" "Monkey on My Back" "Love Me Two Times" "Helter Skelter" "Livin' on the Edge" "Eat the Rich" "Fever" "Cryin'" "Amazing" "Shut Up and Dance" "Deuces Are Wild" "Crazy" "Blind Man" "Walk on Water" "Nine Lives" "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)" "Hole in My Soul" "Pink" "Taste of India" "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" "What Kind of Love Are You On" "Angel's Eye" "Jaded" "Fly Away from Here" "Sunshine" "Just Push Play" "Girls of Summer" "Baby, Please Don't Go" "Devil's Got a New Disguise" "Legendary Child" "Lover Alot" "What Could Have Been Love" "Can't Stop Lovin' You"
Compilations	Greatest Hits (1980) Gems Pandora's Box Pandora's Toys Big Ones Box of Fire Classic Aerosmith: The Universal Masters Collection Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits Devil's Got a New Disguise: The Very Best of Aerosmith Tough Love: Best of the Ballads Greatest Hits (2023)
Videos and DVDs	Aerosmith Video Scrapbook Permanent Vacation 3x5 Live Texxas Jam '78 Things That Go Pump in the Night The Making of Pump Big Ones You Can Look At You Gotta Move Rock for the Rising Sun
Concert tours	Back in the Saddle Tour Permanent Vacation Tour Pump Tour Get a Grip Tour Nine Lives Tour Just Push Play Tour Aerosmith World Tour 2007 Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour Global Warming Tour Let Rock Rule Tour Blue Army Tour Rock 'N' Roll Rumble Tour Aero-Vederci Baby! Tour Deuces Are Wild Peace Out: The Farewell Tour
Related articles	Discography Videography Songs Band members Concert tours Awards Super Bowl XXXV halftime show Toxic Twins The Strangeurs/Chain Reaction Whitford/St. Holmes The Joe Perry Project Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith Wherehouse Aero Force One Blue Army Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith Quest for Fame Revolution X Guitar Hero: Aerosmith songs "Boulevard of Broken Songs"
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