''Pandora's Box'' is a

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

, released on November 19, 1991, by

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

. Issued by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

to capitalize on the band's newfound success with Geffen, the

box set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...

consists of three discs that cover Aerosmith's output from the 1970s and early 1980s. Alongside alternate versions, previously unreleased songs, live renditions and remixes, ''Pandora's Box'' features previously released studio material. The original issue was as a long cardboard box, containing three CDs (each in its own jewel-case, with inserts) and a booklet that detailed the tracks and had comments from the band members. Later issues did away with the outer box, utilizing a cardboard slipcase, but reproduced the booklet in 'CD-size'. The

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of " Helter Skelter" is Aerosmith's third commercially released

Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

cover (after "

Come Together "Come Together" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song is the opening track on the band's 1969 studio album ''Abbey Road''. It was also a double A-side single in the U ...

" from the ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' soundtrack and "

I'm Down "I'm Down" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on a non-album single as the B-side to "Help!" in July 1965. The song originated in McCartney's attempt ...

" from '' Permanent Vacation''), despite being the first they recorded.

Track listing

Recording locations

*"When I Needed You" - Recorded at

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

Studios, New York City, New York, 10/5/66 *"Major Barbara" - Recorded at

Power Station A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...

, New York City, New York, May 20, 1971 *"On the Road Again" - Recorded at Intermedia Sound, 5/8/72 *"Dream On" - Recorded at Intermedia Studios,

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, 1972 *"Make It" - Recorded at Intermedia Studios, Boston, Massachusetts, 1972 *"Mama Kin" - Recorded at Intermedia Studios, Boston, Massachusetts, 1972 *"Movin' Out" - Recorded at Intermedia Studios, Boston, Massachusetts, 1972 *"One Way Street" - Recorded at Intermedia Studios, Boston, Massachusetts, 1972 *"Rattlesnake Shake" - Recorded at Counterpart Studios, Cincinnati, September 26, 1973 *"Walkin' the Dog" - Recorded at Counterpart studios, Cincinnati, September 26, 1973 *"Pandora's Box" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, between 12/17/73 and 1/14/74 *"Same Old Song and Dance" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, between 12/17/73 and 1/14/74 *"Seasons of Wither" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, between 12/17/73 and 1/14/74 *"Train Kept A-Rollin'" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, between 12/17/73 and 1/14/74 *"Helter Skelter" - Recorded at Great Northern Recording Studios, 1975 *"No More No More" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, February, 1975 *"Round and Round" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, February, 1975 *"Soul Saver" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, February, 1975 *"Sweet Emotion" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, February, 1975 *"Toys in the Attic" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, February, 1975 *"Walk This Way" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, February, 1975 *"You See Me Crying" - Recorded at Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, February, 1975 *"Back in the Saddle" - Recorded at the Wherehouse, Waltham, Mass. & Record Plant Studios,

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, Feb-March 1976 *"Last Child" - Recorded at the Wherehouse, Waltham, Mass. & Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, Feb-March, 1976 *"Lick and a Promise" - Recorded at the Wherehouse, Waltham, Massachusetts & Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, Feb-March, 1976 *"Nobody's Fault" - Recorded at the Wherehouse, Waltham, Massachusetts & Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, Feb-March, 1976 *"Rats in the Cellar" - Recorded at the Wherehouse, Waltham, Mass. & Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, Feb-March, 1976 *"Write Me a Letter" - Recorded on tour in Boston, Massachusetts, November 1976 *"Krawitham" - Recorded at the Cenacle, Armonk, New York, 5/2/77 *"Circle Jerk" - Recorded at the Cenacle,

Armonk, New York Armonk is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of North Castle, New York, North Castle, located in Westchester County, New York, United States. The corporate headquar ...

, & Record Plant Studios, NYC, June-Oct., 1977 (?) *"Critical Mass" - Recorded at the Cenacle, Armonk, New York, & Record Plant Studios, NYC, June-Oct., 1977 *"Draw the Line" - Recorded at the Cenacle, Armonk, NY, & Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, June-Oct., 1977 *"Milkcow Blues" - Recorded at the Cenacle, Armonk, New York, & Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, June-Oct., 1977 *"Kings and Queens" - Recorded live on tour in Boston, Massachusetts, 3/28/78 *"Chip Away the Stone" - Recorded at

Long View Farm Long View Farm Studios was a music recording studio located in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, North Brookfield, Massachusetts that was founded in 1974 by Gilbert Scott Markle, a professor at Clark University, on his farm property. It was the lo ...

, North Brookfield, Massachusetts, June 4, 1978 *"I Wanna Know Why" - Recorded on tour at the Cotton Bowl,

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, 7/4/78 *"Lord of the Thighs" - Recorded on tour at the Cottonbowl, Dallas, Texas, 7/4/78 *"Downtown Charlie" - Recorded at The Record Plant, New York City, New York, 8/19/78 *"Come Together" - Recorded at the Wherehouse,

Waltham, Massachusetts Waltham ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, and was an early center for the labor movement as well as a major contributor to the Technological and industrial history of the United States, American Industrial Revoluti ...

, 8/21/78 *"I Live in Connecticut" - Recorded at The Wherehouse, Waltham, Massachusetts, 3/10/79 *"Let It Slide" - Recorded at

Mediasound Studios Mediasound was an American independent recording studio facility located at 311 West 57th Street in New York City established in 1969 by Harry Hirsch and Bob Walters with financial backing from Joel Rosenman and John P. Roberts. History The st ...

, New York City, New York, March, 1979 *"Shit House Shuffle" - Recorded at Mediasound, New York City, New York, 5/30/79 *"Three Mile Smile" - Recorded at Mediasound and Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, 7/10/79 *"Cheese Cake" - Recorded at Mediasound and Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, May-Aug., 1979 *"No Surprize" - Recorded at Mediasound and Record Plant Studios, New York City, New York, May-Aug., 1979 *"Sharpshooter" - Recorded at Axis Studios,

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, 1980–81 *"Riff & Roll" - Recorded at Power Station, New York City, New York, 9/16/81 *"South Station Blues" - Recorded at Boston Opera House and Wherehouse, Waltham, Massachusetts, 1981 *"Jailbait" - Recorded at Power Station, NYC &

Criteria Studios Criteria Studios is a recording studio in North Miami, Florida, founded in 1958 by musician Mack Emerman. Hundreds of gold, platinum, and diamond singles and albums have been recorded, mixed or mastered at Criteria, for many notable artists and ...

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, 1982

Reception

"''Pandora's Box'' has 31 previously released songs and 21 live cuts, alternate takes and rarities," noted Mat Snow in '' Q''. "Will this latter stuff be made separately available for the fan doesn't fancy shelling out for tracks already owned? Probably not… Despite high times aplenty, ''Pandora's Box'' is a career overview which offers a patchy, expensive introduction to the newcomer, and falls irritatingly between the stools of rarities collection and definitive compilation."

Charts

Certification

Release history

References

External links

Aerosmith official website
with information about authors, order, and recording area * {{Authority control 1991 compilation albums Aerosmith compilation albums Albums recorded at Power Station Columbia Records compilation albums