It's all about wrong numbers, girls who don't speak your language, and just being super into someone even if you're a mess about it. Tyler's singing makes it funny, not sleazy. Musically, it's not super complicated, just a catchy beat and some cool guitar. It was perfect for the radio and MTV back then. My favourite bit of the song is the bass line in the last section of the song, the chorus in particular.
• Album: Pump (1989)
• Track: 1
• Length: 4:19
• Writers: Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jim Vallance
• Genre: Hard Rock / Glam Metal
• Produced by: Bruce Fairbairn
What the Song Is About
• “Young Lust” is a straight-up rock anthem about raw desire, youthful energy, and reckless abandon.
• It doesn’t try to be subtle — it’s a celebration of sexual freedom, rebellious living, and the high of chasing thrills.
• The title says it all: it’s about lust over love, pleasure over consequences.
Key lyric:
“Young lust / Happy just to be in lust / Never have to eat no dust...”
— shows that the protagonist isn’t looking for depth, just release and freedom.
• There’s also a sense of nostalgia here — looking back on that time of life when emotions ran hot and responsibility didn’t exist.
Musical Style & Vibe
• Opens Pump with a bang — gritty guitars, a pounding rhythm section, and Steven Tyler in full swagger mode.
• Joe Perry’s guitar is raunchy and riff-heavy, channeling classic blues-rock with a modern edge.
• The song’s energy is unapologetically macho, but with Aerosmith’s signature mix of sleaze and finesse.
• The chorus is anthemic — built to be shouted live with fists in the air.
Themes
• Youth and hedonism – all about living in the moment, driven by hormones and hunger.
• Freedom and rebellion – rejecting restraint and basking in self-indulgence.
• No regrets – it’s not introspective or tragic; it’s rock and roll joyride.
Place in Aerosmith’s Catalog
• Pump was a massive comeback album for Aerosmith, cementing their ‘80s/’90s revival after years of turmoil and rehab.
• “Young Lust” sets the tone — pure adrenaline, leading into more complex tracks like Janie’s Got a Gun and What It Takes.
• While not released as a single, it became a fan-favorite album cut, often used to kick off live shows during that era.
“Young Lust” is a loud, fast, and unfiltered celebration of youthful desire. With dirty riffs and raw swagger, it’s Aerosmith doing what they do best — kicking down the door with sex, sweat, and rock and roll attitude.