Released: 1991
Put on your blue suede shoes, folks, because we’re about to do a deep dive into the labyrinthine world of Aerosmith’s “Come Together”. This is a cover of The Beatles’ track, but Aerosmith put their own spin on it. On the surface, it’s a raucous, rollicking number that talks about an enigmatic figure. Yet tucked within the bawling vocals and distorted strings, you’ll find layers of subtext hinting at unity, individualism, and atypical, larger-than-life characters.
The song opens with, “Here come ol’ flat top / He come grooving up slowly / He got juju eyeball / He one holy roller.” This stanza speaks of a character who’s a ‘holy roller’—a slang term for a zealous religious practitioner. This character seems to have a mesmerizing allure, or a ‘juju eyeball,’ drawing people in. Aerosmith’s depiction here is nothing short of an irreverent messiah, which is a meta-textual nod to Rock’s rebellious lineage.
Then the hook goes, “One thing I can tell you is you got to be free / Come together, right now, over me.” Here, ‘over me’ is more figurative than literal. It’s a clarion call for unity yet pays homage to individualism — a rock and roll ethos of personal freedom and collective resonance.
Moving on to the next verse, “He bag production / He got walrus gumboot / He got Ono side board”, it’s a symbolic salute to The Beatles and Yoko Ono. ‘Walrus’ and ‘Ono’ are familiar keywords in the Beatles mythos, speaking both to their music and their ethos. Aerosmith carries that torch, weaving an homage to their predecessors even as they give the song their own flavor.
Finally in the last verse, “He roller coaster / He got early warning / He got muddy water / He won mojo filter”, the muddy water suggests turbulent times, the early warning an anticipated change, the roller coaster the ride of life, and the mojo filter is an emblem of resilience and transformation.
Throughout the track, the recurring rallying cry “Come together, right now, over me” emerges as the central motif. It’s a call for unity and gathering while maintaining a sense of individuality. The phrase reappears like a mantra, driving home its urgent cry for communion.”Come together” isn’t just a song; it’s a state of mind, man. It’s rock n’ roll, distilled into its essence — raw, revolutionary, and resplendent.
