I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

Reception

This song was Aerosmith's biggest hit, debuting at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for four weeks in September, and reaching number 1 in many countries around the world, including Australia, the Philippines, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Norway, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

The chorus of the song is highly reminiscent of an earlier song Diane Warren co-wrote, "Just Like Jesse James", which appeared on Cher's 1989 album Heart of Stone.

The song helped open up Aerosmith to a new generation and remains a slow dance staple.

It was one of many songs written by Warren in that time period. The original version was a collaboration between Chicago musician Phil Kosch of Treaty of Paris and Super Happy Fun Club, and nephew of chart topping writer Lou Bega. Bega introduced the two and they penned the initial track, but ultimately Kosch was left uncredited.

The song is notable for having been nominated for both an Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song.

Track listing

1. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" – 4:57
2. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (Rock Mix) – 4:30
3. "Taste of India" (Rock Remix) – 5:52
4. "Animal Crackers" – 2:35

The song appeared on the Argentine version and a European re-released version of the album Nine Lives. It also appeared on the Japanese version of Just Push Play.

1. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (Pop Mix) – 5:03
2. "Pink" (live) – 3:48
3. "Crash" – 4:30

"Crash" and the original "Pink" appeared as tracks 9 and 11, respectively, on all versions of Nine Lives.

1. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" – 4:57
2. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (Rock Mix) – 4:30
3. "Crash" – 4:30
4. "Animal Crackers" – 2:35

Music video

The music video for this song was shot at the Minneapolis Armory in 1998 and was directed by Francis Lawrence. It features the band playing the song intertwined with scenes from the film Armageddon. It features an appearance by Steven Tyler's daughter Liv, who plays Grace Stamper in the film. Steven Tyler injured his knee the day before the shoot, so they used a lot of close-ups because his movement was limited.

The video begins with shots of the moon in orbit and several asteroids passing by safely and then a view of Earth before zooming in to show Steven Tyler singing. The shots interchange between the band and Mission Control viewing the band singing via their monitors. As the video progresses it reveals that the band is playing in front of what appears to be the fictional Space Shuttle Freedom. Along with Aerosmith, a full hand orchestra plays in sync with the melody. Smoke surrounds the orchestra and Aerosmith as Freedom takes off from the launch pad. Finally, the screen goes out as a tearful Grace touches one of the monitors to reach out to her father (real life father Steven Tyler in the video; on-screen father Harry Stamper, played by Bruce Willis, in the film).

The video was highly successful and greatly contributed to the song's success, receiving heavy airplay on MTV and went on to become the second most popular video of 1998, only behind Brandy and Monica's "The Boy is Mine". It also won awards for MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film, and Best Video at Boston Music Awards.

Mark Chesnutt version

In late 1998, country music artist Mark Chesnutt recorded a cover version of the song. His rendition is the first single and title track from his 1999 album of the same name. Chesnutt's cover spent two weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts in early 1999, and is the last of his eight number ones on that chart. It is also the first of only two singles in his career to reach the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 17 in early 1999.

Other appearances