Love in an Elevator by Aerosmith Lyrics Meaning – The Ascent of Desire and the Mechanics of Passion
Lyrics
Oh, good morning Mr. Tyler, going down?”
Yeah
Workin’ like a dog for the boss man (oh)
Workin’ for the company (oh yeah)
I’m bettin’ on the dice I’m tossin’ (oh)
I’m gonna have a fantasy (oh yeah)
But where am I gonna look?
They tell me that love is blind
I really need a girl like an open book
To read between the lines
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
Love in an elevator
Lovin’ it up ’til I hit the ground
Jacki’s in the elevator (oh)
Lingerie second floor (oh yeah)
She said can I see you later (oh)
And love you just a little more? (oh yeah)
I kinda hope we get stuck
Nobody gets out alive
She said I’ll show ya how to fax in the mail room
Honey and have you home by five
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
Love in an elevator
Lovin’ it up ’til I hit the ground
In the air, in the air, honey one more time now, it ain’t fair
Love in an elevator
Lovin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
Lovin’ it
Elevator
Goin’ down
Love in an elevator
Lovin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I hit the ground
Gonna be a penthouse pauper (oh)
Gonna be a millionaire (oh yeah)
I’m gonna be a real fast talker (oh)
And have me a love affair (oh yeah)
Gotta get my timin’ right (oh)
It’s a test that I gotta pass (oh yeah)
I’ll chase you all the way to the stairway honey (oh)
Kiss your sassafras
Love in an elevator
Lovin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up ’til I hit the ground
Do you care?
Do you care?
Honey, one more time now it ain’t fair
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
Do you care?
Do you care?
Honey, one more time now it ain’t fair
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
In the air
In the air
Honey one more, one more, one more
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
In the air
In the air
Honey one more, one more, one more
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
In the air
In the air
Honey one more, one more, one more
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
In the air
In the air
In the air
In the air
Love in an elevator
Livin’ it up when I’m goin’ down
When the electric guitar licks of Aerosmith’s ‘Love in an Elevator’ first riffed through the airwaves in 1989, they carried with them more than just a catchy hook; they brought a layered narrative of desire, fantasy, and the pursuit of thrill in the most mundane of places. As with many great rock anthems, the surface-level reading is a story of risqué escapades, but demand a closer inspection to unveil the poetic and complex human feelings interwoven with Steven Tyler’s iconic vocal energy.
This track isn’t merely about finding love in a confined space but a commentary on the exhilaration of uncommon contexts for romance and the symbolism of elevators themselves—as mechanisms lifting us toward a higher, albeit temporary, state of being. We’ll delve deep into the gears of ‘Love in an Elevator,’ deciphering the innuendos and the truths about the human condition that Aerosmith so brilliantly encapsulates in this rock staple.
Climbing the Floors of Prosaic Life to Lusty Heights
On the surface, ‘Love in an Elevator’ sounds like a soundtrack to an impromptu romp in a mechanical closet. But it represents a metaphor for yearning to break free from the mundane—the boss man’s leash, the company grind—and finding those spontaneous moments where life grants an unexpected thrill. The elevator here is more than a moving cubicle; it’s the vessel of escape from the grey monochrome of work life to colorful rebellion.
As such, the song challenges us to find passion within the predictable patterns of daily existence. It’s a testament to Aerosmith’s understanding of the rock ‘n’ roll spirit—that underlying the 9-to-5 beats is the heart of a renegade seeking the heat of a fantasy-real moment, no matter where that might ascend.
Unveiling the Hidden Meaning: Beyond the Call Button
The repeated chorus of ‘Love in an Elevator’—living it up while going down—unwraps layers of irony and duality. Rising while falling is a physical impossibility in the literal sense, yet the band confronts us with the truth of emotional life where such paradoxes are the daily fare. Aerosmith serenades us into recognizing that the highs of love and lust can upturn reality, allowing for a joyous descent into the depths of raw desire.
But more intriguingly, the song suggests a hidden duality to our desires: that we crave both the ascendant thrill of the chase and the catharsis of the fall after climax. This thematic tightrope reminds us that in all gripping tales of passion, the journey and its end are interdependent, each giving the other its meaning.
Faxing in the Mailroom: A Wink to Corporate America
When Tyler teases about showing how to fax in the mailroom, the band throws a mischievous glance at the era’s corporate culture—a life of facsimiles and mundane tasks, infused with buzzing sexual tension. The line is a nod to the listeners who spend their day incubating in the office, urging them to seek exhilaration amidst the hum and whir of copying machines and cubicle walls.
This audacious inclusion of office jargon within the context of a rock song points to music’s transcendent power to inject magic into the gloom of daily routine and the hidden lives that employees lead beyond the confines of their desk jobs.
Penthouse Dreams and the Sassafras Kiss: Unpacking Memorable Lines
Aerosmith’s knack for lyrical flamboyance shines in the contrast between the penthouse’s opulence and a pauper’s simplicity. This speaks to the universal longing for a rags-to-riches transformation, but through the lens of romantic ambition—a man with dreams of grandeur in both financial and amorous adventures.
And lest we forget the clever charm of inviting someone to ‘kiss your sassafras,’ presenting a playful take on the dynamics of attraction and seduction. The term ‘sassafras’ itself, a plant known for its distinct aroma and varied uses, is representative of the many facets of love’s expression—a sensory multitude that only music can capture in a few short stanzas.
The Resonance of Risqué Romance in Rock History
Aerosmith, with their blend of swaggering guitars and innuendo-laden lyrics, perpetuate the tradition of rock music as the narrative canvas for the tempestuous and visceral elements of love and lust. ‘Love in an Elevator’ etches its name in the canon, offering itself as both a hallowed hymn and a raucous roar for those who find romance in adventure.
The song emerges as a decade-defining piece, its chorus a cultural echo through the years, reminding us that the passion for life—and an appetite for love that defies gravity—remains a central beat in the heart of rock ‘n’ roll.
