Pandora's Box (album) explained

Pandora's Box
Type:	box
Artist:	Aerosmith
Cover:	Aerosmith - Pandora's Box.jpg
Caption:	Original box cover, 1991
Released:	November 19, 1991
Recorded:	1966 ("When I Needed You"), 1971–1982
Genre:	Hard rock, blues rock
Length:	230:53
Label:	Columbia
Producer:	Various
Chronology:	Aerosmith compilation
Prev Title:	Gems
Prev Year:	1988
Next Title:	Pandora's Toys
Next Year:	1994

Pandora's Box is a compilation album, released on November 19, 1991,^[1] by Aerosmith. Issued by Columbia Records to capitalize on the band's newfound success with Geffen, the box set 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 of "Helter Skelter" is Aerosmith's third commercially released Beatles cover (after "Come Together" from the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band soundtrack and "I'm Down" from Permanent Vacation), despite being the first they recorded.

Recording locations

• "When I Needed You" - Recorded at CBS Studios, New York City, New York, 10/5/66
• "Major Barbara" - Recorded at Power Station, 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, Massachusetts, 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, 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, & 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, North Brookfield, Massachusetts, June 4, 1978
• "I Wanna Know Why" - Recorded on tour at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas, 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, 8/21/78
• "I Live in Connecticut" - Recorded at The Wherehouse, Waltham, Massachusetts, 3/10/79
• "Let It Slide" - Recorded at Mediasound Studios, 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, Georgia, 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, Miami, Florida, 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."^[2]

See also

• Pandora's Toys

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Tracks	Label	Catalog #	Barcode	Edition	Series	Notes
USA	Nov 19, 1991	CD x 3	53	Columbia/SMEI	C3K 46209	074644620924	Deluxe	—	Longbox; 64-page booklet^[3]
USA	Nov 19, 1991	Cassette x 3	53	Columbia/SMEI	C3T 46209	074644620948	Deluxe	—	Longbox; 64-page booklet^[4]
USA	Mar 18, 1997	CD x 3	53	Columbia/SMEI	C3K 67995	074646799529		—	Slipcase; double jewel case; 36-page booklet^[5]
USA	Aug 6, 2002	CD x 3	53	Columbia/SMEI	C3K 86567	696998656727	Deluxe	—	Digibook; booklet^[6]
USA	Feb 1, 2008	MP3 256k	53	Columbia/SBME	C3K 46209	074644620924	—	—	album only^[7] ^[8]
USA	Feb 1, 2008	MP3 256k	53	Columbia/SBME	C3K 86567	696998656727	—	—	album only^[9] ^[10]
USA	Jul 1, 2009	MP3 192k	53	Columbia/SME	C3K 86567	696998656727	—	—	album only^[11] ^[12]
USA	Oct 6, 2009	MP3 320k	53	Columbia/SME	C3K 46209	074644620924	—	—	indiv. tracks; approx. date; issued between Oct 6 - Nov 28, 2009^[13] ^[14] ^[15]
USA	Oct 6, 2009	MP3 320k	53	Columbia/SME	C3K 86567	696998656727	—	—	album only; approx. date; issued between Oct 6 - Nov 28, 2009^[16]
USA	Aug 26, 2011	MP3 256k	53	Columbia/SME	C3K 46209	074644620924	—	—	51 indiv. tracks, 2 album only^[17] ^[18]
USA	Aug 26, 2011	MP3 320k	53	Columbia/SME	C3K 46209	074644620924	—	—	52 indiv. tracks, 1 album only^[19]
USA	Sep 6, 2011	AAC 256k	53	Columbia/SME	C3K 46209	074644620924	—	—	51 indiv. tracks, 2 album only^[20] ^[21]
USA	Dec 2014	MP3 320k + AAC 320k	53	Columbia/SME	C3K 46209	074644620924	—	—	51 indiv. tracks, 2 album only; approx. date; issued between Dec 11 - 17, 2014
USA	Dec 2014	FLAC 44.1/16	53	Columbia/SME	C3K 46209	074644620924	—	—	51 indiv. tracks, 2 album only; approx. date; issued between Dec 11 - 17, 2014^[22] ^[23] ^[24]

External links

• Aerosmith official website
• 3-CD List of Songs in Pandora's Box, with information about authors, order, and recording area

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pandora's box. Amazon.
2. Mat. Snow. Mat Snow. Tough. Q. March 1992. 84.
3. Web site: Pandora's Box, Box Set. Amazon.
4. Web site: Pandora's Box, Box Set. Amazon.
5. Web site: Pandora's Box, Box Set. Amazon.
6. Web site: Pandora's Box, Display Box, Box Set. Amazon.
7. Web site: Pandora's Box. https://web.archive.org/web/20080215210705/http://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Box/dp/B00138H0LA. dead. 2008-02-15. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine.
8. Web site: Pandora's Box [BOX SET]]. https://web.archive.org/web/20090623043410/http://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Box-Aerosmith/dp/B00000274W. dead. 2009-06-23. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. 2021-01-02.
9. Web site: Pandora's Box (Display Box). Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20080420052601/http://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Box-Display/dp/B0013AWXB0. 2008-04-20.
10. Web site: Pandora's Box (Dlx) [BOX SET]]. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20080104113449/http://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Box-Dlx-Aerosmith/dp/B00006FN89. 2008-01-04.
11. Web site: Even More eMusic Features Disabled?. Masnick. Mike. Jul 2, 2009. techdirt.
12. Web site: Pandora's Box (Display Box. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20090706014656/http://www.emusic.com/album/Aerosmith-Pandora-s-Box-Display-Box-MP3-Download/11483751.html. 2009-07-06.
13. Web site: 7digital Launches In North America, With LA Head. October 6, 2009. socalTECH.com.
14. Web site: Aerosmith. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20091128131918/http://us.7digital.com/artists/aerosmith/. 2009-11-28.
15. Web site: Pandora's Box. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20100314215558/http://us.7digital.com/artists/aerosmith/pandoras-box-1/. 2010-03-14.
16. Web site: Pandora's Box (Display Box). Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20100409110547/http://us.7digital.com/artists/aerosmith/pandoras-box-display-box-1/. 2010-04-09.
17. Web site: MP3 Albums. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20111011151638/http://www.amazon.com/Aerosmith/e/B000AQ0F4K/digital. 2011-10-11. 2021-01-02.
18. Web site: Pandora's Box. Armadillo Music.
19. Web site: Pandora's Box. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20111102062515/http://us.7digital.com/artists/aerosmith/pandoras-box-1/. 2011-11-02.
20. Web site: Aerosmith's Classic Columbia Records Catalog (1973-1987) to Debut on the iTunes Store Tuesday, September 6. Sony.
21. Web site: Aerosmith. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20111226001334/http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/aerosmith/id115386?albumPage=2#albumPage. 2011-12-26.
22. Web site: Pandora's Box. 7Digital.
23. Web site: Tom Waits: Latest Releases. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20141211032502/http://us.7digital.com/artist/tom-waits. 2014-12-11.
24. Web site: 7DIGITAL UNITED STATES. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20141217181348/https://us.7digital.com/. 2014-12-17.