The Back-Burner: Aerosmith Outtakes & Demos

Sources of leaks are often diverse, but there’s nothing like having the band members taking studio demos directly to a radio station before their release. This has happened quiet a few times over the decades, but this is the first recorded evidence that we’ve found so far.

This recording is taken from a radio broadcast on KMET in Los Angeles as the band sits in with DJ Jim Ladd in April 07, 1979. It’s an almost complete version of “Chiquita” that is missing some of the guitar touches and horns heard on the final effort. The vocals here are complete, meaning this was one of the first, if not the first song completed for the “Night in the Ruts” album. Tyler was notorious for being the last of the band members to add his part: lyrics, but he had them here. The song would be featured at gigs in 1979.

Mark Prado, Aerosmith: Tapes From The Cellar 1970 to 1986, pag151. August 22, 2020

It’s clearly an early mix of the track (not great), and seems like we were only hearing 1 channel of the stereo mix, no horns, and what could be a few additional guitar arrangement (later buried in the mix), interesting. Quiet remarkable to hear an almost finished version of the track 7 months ahead of the album’s release. In the interview Steven also mentions playing it live before the album was out. Still, the final release of the track is superior.

The song was written by Tyler and Perry and the lyrics seem to be talking about a dream about woman they called “Chiquita”. Lyrics make reference to the Colombian city of Cartagena, known for its beautiful curvy woman. “Chiquita” is Spanish for “little girl”, baby, cutie, honey, doll, or any other number of pet names. Its unknown if the band ventured to tour Latin America in the 70’s.

Ooh, on the beach at Cartegena
she, salty baby with the name-a
oh, chiquita
oh, love chiquita
she, takes to walkin’ in the sunshine
she, she’ll be lovin’ till the moon shine
love chiquita
oh, love chiquita
she, got the poppy-eyed desire
tease, till the boys put out the fire
love chiquita
oh, love chiquita
oh no no, now don’t you wake me up i’m dreaming
no no no, if you shake me I’ll be screaming
love chiquita
oh love chiquita…