Janie 's Got a Gun - wikipedia Janie 's Got a Gun `` Water Song '' redirects here. For the young adult fantasy novels, see Watersong. For songs titled `` Water '', see Water ( disambiguation ) § Songs. `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' Single by Aerosmith from the album Pump B - side `` Voodoo Medicine Man '' Released September 20, 1989 Format Cassette, CD, 12 '' single, 7 '' single Recorded Genre Hard rock, blues rock Length 5 : 38 ( album ) 5 : 28 ( single ) Label Geffen Songwriter ( s ) Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton Producer ( s ) Bruce Fairbairn Aerosmith singles chronology `` F.I.N.E. '' ( 1989 ) `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' ( 1989 ) `` What It Takes '' ( 1989 ) `` F.I.N.E. '' ( 1989 ) `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' ( 1989 ) `` What It Takes '' ( 1989 ) Audio sample file help `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith and written by Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton. It was originally titled `` Danny 's Got a Gun '' after a close friend of Tyler, but was later changed. It was released as the second single from Pump in 1989. It peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990, and also made it to number 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song also reached number - one in Australia, their first number - one single there, and one of two number - one singles for the band in that country. It reached number 12 in Sweden. Contents 1 Song structure 2 Background and writing 3 Content 4 Music video 5 Covers and other versions 6 Awards 7 Charts 8 Rankings on lists 9 References 10 External links Song structure On the album, `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' is preceded by a 10 - second instrumental called `` Water Song '', which features the work of instrumentalist Randy Raine - Reusch, who uses a glass harmonica, wind gong, and bullroarers to produce the special effects heard at the start of the song. Tyler came up with the main riff of `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' using a low - tone setting on his keyboard. Hamilton then came up with the bassline. The guitars and drum parts were configured in later and Tyler wrote the lyrics. The guitar solo is played by Joe Perry and is accompanied by the main riff and rhythmic clapping. Background and writing Tyler said he came up with the title and melody before he knew what direction he wanted the song to take. It had taken nine months to finish the lyrics ; after Tyler read a Newsweek article on gunshot victims, he was able to connect the song with the theme of child abuse and incest. The singer declared that `` I got really angry that nobody was paying homage to those who were abused by Mom and Dad ''. The line `` He jacked a little bitty baby '' was originally `` He raped a little bitty baby, '' but was changed for commercial purposes. Tyler often sings the original line when performing live. In addition, the line ``... and put a bullet in his brain '' was sometimes changed to ``... and left him in the pouring rain '' for the radio airplay version to make the song sound less graphic. Content The song is one of few Aerosmith songs to deal with a heavy social issue. The lyrics are about a girl named Janie who takes revenge on her father after years of being sexually abused by him. Music video The video, released in 1989, was directed by noted video director and later film director David Fincher. The actress playing Janie is Kristin Dattilo of The Chris Isaak Show fame. Actress Lesley Ann Warren played Janie 's mother and actor Nicholas Guest played her father. Covers and other versions The song was parodied as `` Elmo 's Got a Gun '' by Tommy & Rumble, about Sesame Street character Elmo going on a gruesome killing spree. It is often erroneously attributed to `` Weird Al '' Yankovic. The song appears on the duo 's 1998 album Have a Cigar and has been featured in several fan - made music videos, mostly featured on YouTube. In the 2001 comedy film Not Another Teen Movie, main character Jake is told that in order to seduce a classmate, Janie Briggs, he should sing her a song that features her name. Unfortunately, he chooses to sing `` Janie 's Got a Gun '', which gets Janie tasered and arrested by campus police for suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon. The song title was parodied on The Daily Show on February 13, 2006 ; at one point, while Jon Stewart and his `` correspondents '' were mocking the Dick Cheney hunting incident, a placard displayed the caption `` Cheney 's Got a Gun. '' A parody song of that same name was written by Bob Rivers and was featured on the website AtomFilms. Three other `` Cheney 's Got a Gun '' parodies were submitted to the popular music parody website AmIRight, along with the Bob Rivers version of the parody. Steven Tyler re-recorded a version of the song for his 2016 solo studio album We 're All Somebody from Somewhere. Awards The song won the band a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1991. This was the band 's first Grammy win. The song 's video won the band an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video as well as MTV Video Music Award - Viewer 's Choice in 1990. These awards marked the band 's first VMA wins. Charts Charts ( 1989 - 1990 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) Italy ( FIMI ) 47 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 13 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 12 UK Singles ( The Official Charts Company ) 76 US Billboard Hot 100 US Billboard Album Rock Tracks End of year chart ( 1990 ) Position US Billboard Hot 100 61 Rankings on lists `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' ranked # 37 on VH1 's 100 Greatest ' 80s Songs. The video of `` Janie 's Got A Gun '' ranked at # 4 for the year of 1990 on MTV. In 1993, `` Rolling Stone : The Top 100 Music Videos '' included `` Janie '' at # 95. In 1999, `` MTV : 100 Greatest Videos Ever Made '' included it at # 48. In 2001, `` VH1 : 100 Greatest Videos '' included it at # 48. References Jump up ^ Raine - Reusch, Randy. `` Aeromsith, Yes, Cranberries ''. asza.com. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 23. Jump up ^ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/readers-poll-the-10-best-aerosmith-songs-of-all-time-20121107/8-janies-got-a-gun-0242863 Jump up ^ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/talk-this-way-rolling-stones-1994-interview-with-aerosmiths-steven-tyler-20110427?page=4 Jump up ^ 25th anniversary interview Jump up ^ `` Am I Right - Song Parody Lyrics, Search ''. Amiright.com. 2006. Retrieved July 20, 2006. Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Aerosmith -- Janie 's Got a Gun ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete : A ''. Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved July 6, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Aerosmith -- Janie 's Got a Gun ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Aerosmith -- Janie 's Got a Gun ''. Singles Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 1990 ''. Archived from the original on 2010 - 01 - 17. Retrieved 2009 - 09 - 15. External links `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' video on YouTube atomfilms.com -- Cheney 's Got a Gun Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` Love Shack '' by The B - 52 's Australian ARIA Singles Chart number - one single February 17, 1990 - February 24, 1990 Succeeded by `` Nothing Compares 2 U '' by Sinéad O'Connor Aerosmith Steven Tyler Joe Perry Tom Hamilton Joey Kramer Brad Whitford Ray Tabano Jimmy Crespo Rick Dufay Studio albums Aerosmith Get Your Wings Toys in the Attic Rocks Draw the Line Night in the Ruts Rock in a Hard Place Done with Mirrors Permanent Vacation Pump Get a Grip Nine Lives Just Push Play Honkin ' on Bobo Music from Another Dimension ! Live albums Live ! Bootleg Classics Live I and II A Little South of Sanity Rockin ' the Joint Extended plays Vacation Club Made in America Singles `` Mama Kin '' `` Dream On '' `` Same Old Song and Dance '' `` Train Kept A-Rollin ' '' `` S.O.S. ( Too Bad ) '' `` Sweet Emotion '' `` Toys in the Attic '' `` Walk This Way '' `` You See Me Crying '' `` Last Child '' `` Home Tonight '' `` Back in the Saddle '' `` Draw the Line '' `` Kings and Queens '' `` Get It Up '' `` Come Together '' `` Chip Away the Stone '' `` Remember ( Walking in the Sand ) '' `` Lightning Strikes '' `` Bitch 's Brew '' `` Let the Music Do the Talking '' `` Shela '' `` My Fist Your Face '' `` Darkness '' `` Dude ( Looks Like a Lady ) '' `` Hangman Jury '' `` Angel '' `` Rag Doll '' `` Love in an Elevator '' `` F.I.N.E. * '' `` Janie 's Got a Gun '' `` What It Takes '' `` The Other Side '' `` Monkey on My Back '' `` Love Me Two Times '' `` Helter Skelter '' `` Livin ' on the Edge '' `` Eat the Rich '' `` Fever '' `` Cryin ' '' `` Amazing '' `` Shut Up and Dance '' `` Deuces Are Wild '' `` Crazy '' `` Blind Man '' `` Walk on Water '' `` Nine Lives '' `` Falling in Love ( Is Hard on the Knees ) '' `` Hole in My Soul '' `` Pink '' `` Taste of India '' `` I Do n't Want to Miss a Thing '' `` What Kind of Love Are You On '' `` Angel 's Eye '' `` Jaded '' `` Fly Away from Here '' `` Sunshine '' `` Just Push Play '' `` Girls of Summer '' `` Baby, Please Do n't Go '' `` Devil 's Got a New Disguise '' `` Legendary Child '' `` Lover Alot '' `` What Could Have Been Love '' `` Ca n't Stop Lovin ' You '' Compilations Greatest Hits Gems Pandora 's Box Big Ones Pandora 's Toys Box of Fire Young Lust : The Aerosmith Anthology Classic Aerosmith : The Universal Masters Collection O, Yeah ! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits Devil 's Got a New Disguise : The Very Best of Aerosmith Tough Love : Best of the Ballads Videos and DVDs Aerosmith Video Scrapbook Permanent Vacation 3x5 Live Texxas Jam ' 78 Things That Go Pump in the Night The Making of Pump Big Ones You Can Look At You Gotta Move Rock for the Rising Sun Concert tours Rocks Tour Live Bootleg ! Tour Back in the Saddle Tour Done with Mirrors Tour Permanent Vacation Tour Pump Tour Get a Grip Tour Nine Lives Tour Roar of the Dragon Tour Just Push Play Tour Girls of Summer Tour Rocksimus Maximus Tour Honkin ' on Bobo Tour Rockin ' the Joint Tour Route of All Evil Tour Aerosmith World Tour 2007 Aerosmith / ZZ Top Tour Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour Back On the Road Tour Global Warming Tour Let Rock Rule Tour Blue Army Tour Rock ' N ' Roll Rumble Tour Related articles Album discography Singles discography Videography Songs Band members Concert tours Awards Toxic Twins The Strangeurs / Chain Reaction Whitford / St. Holmes The Joe Perry Project Walk This Way : The Autobiography of Aerosmith Wherehouse Aero Force One Blue Army Rock ' n ' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith Quest for Fame Revolution X Guitar Hero : Aerosmith songs Toxic Twin Towers Ball Book Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janie%27s_Got_a_Gun&oldid=799417850 '' Categories : Aerosmith songs 1989 songs 1989 singles Hard rock ballads Number - one singles in Australia Songs written by Steven Tyler Songs written by Tom Hamilton ( musician ) Music videos directed by David Fincher Song recordings produced by Bruce Fairbairn Geffen Records singles Songs about child abuse Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Sweden Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Euskara Français Italiano Português Русский Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 7 September 2017, at 16 : 20. 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Question: who is the girl in janie's got a gun
Answer: Kristin Dattilo