The Back-Burner: Aerosmith Outtakes & Demos

“Rubber Bandit” is an Aerosmith outtake written during the ’88/’89 sessions for their Pump album with producer Bruce Fairburn. It is most known for showing up in the “B list” (while Steven and Joe discuss demos) and the whiteboard behind Steven (during rehearsals) during the Making of Pump home video.

Bandit is a rocker, it features some good guitar riffs in places (but could get repetitive) and a nice guitar solo that sound reminiscent of Joe’s work during Janie’s Got a Gun. The verses are a bit non-descriptive as at times they struggle to fit in with the music and might contain unfinished lyrics. While being a guitar-heavy song, the chorus could very well be part of a ballad. Its sweet melody and repetitive nature would have made it a potential commercial success. The bridge might be the rocking highlight of the song featuring different chords and Steven’s trademark raspy screaming voice. At the end of the song is the chorus repeated some 4 times, so it is repetitive until it fades.

All in all, it’s a good and simple song. The verses sound like a typical happy rocker, and the chorus could fit in any romantic ballad talking about love being sweet. It was possibly rejected for having unfinished lyrics (hence only making the “B” list) and being too cheesy/pop at moments. While it has some good moments and great melodies, it failed to pop up from the rest of the songs of the session, perhaps just lacking production time to make it more remarkable and special.

A fan covered the song based on samples leaked, lyrics and independent research.

Rubber Bandit lyrics:

Verse1:
How kids love the kissing,
It make you jack at all the boys,
And what I get from the pro today,
And show to use a brand new toy,

Even more what you ain’t got,
Oh nobody can take our way,
Its just that when the canister,
Reminds me more of her, yeah,

Chorus:
Love, sweet sweet love,
Of making out, like a rubber bandit,
Love, sweet sweet love,
Of making out like a, oh, like a rubber bandit,

Verse 2:
Some kind of lucky,
Is what I’ve got inside,
If what those girls say they’ve asked before,
I’m way to much obliged,

Maybe it’s the kind of perfume,
That you put on right here,
Or maybe its in the all full moon,
Or just that time of year, boy,

Chorus:
Love, any sweet sweet love,
And I’m breaking out, just the way I planed it,
Love, honey sweet sweet love,
And I’m making out like a rubber bandit,

Brdige:
Love, it ain’t funny,
Love, it ain’t easy,
Love, from a Saturday night,
Love, in the hallway,
Love, on the selling,
Love, till you making it all right…

(solo)

Chorus:
Love, honey sweet sweet love,
And I’m breaking out, just the way I planed it,
Love, honey sweet sweet love,
And I’m making out like a rubber bandit,

Love, any sweet sweet love,
And I’m making out, honey just the way I planed it,
Love, honey sweet sweet love,
And I’m making out like a rubber bandit,

Love, any sweet sweet love,
And I’m making out, like a rubber bandit,
Love, honey sweet sweet love,
And I’m making out like a rubber bandit,

Love, any sweet sweet love,
And I’m making out, honey just like the way I planed it,
Love, any sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet…

Chords:
Verses:
E – A
Chorus:
E – A – C# – B – C# – B
Bridge:
D – F – C – F – B – F – A# – A