Steven Tyler killed it last night.

True Aerosmith fans are appalled that he would perform without the band, and on American Idol, no less.  But to see a 62 year old, recovering addict playing that haunting opening to “Dream On” on the piano, performing and screaming his heart out, was spellbinding.  And since I was never a big Aerosmith fan (they sort of slipped by me as a group), I simply applaud Steven Tyler for making everyone else on the finale, from Lady Gaga to Bono, look boring and formulaic.

I have spent the morning googling some of his past performances, and he was crazy.  His hair and clothes are pretty ridiculous, and definitely “Dude ( looks like a lady)”–like. But he could apparently really write, and sing, and scream when he chose to. And there was, and still is, an appeal in his vulnerability.

The last several seasons of American Idol have been forgettable, and this one was particularly so, but I did dial in from time to time, and found him to be intriguing.  A cleaned up rock star, turned TV personality and family entertainer, is an unlikely attraction.  But he was, dare I say, kind?  What a surprise.

I have always wanted to meet Mick Jagger or Eric Clapton or some of those other voices of my generation and see what they were really like in person. Watching him critique other young singers, and seeing him on live television for the past several months, I was touched at what a sympathetic character he was.  It certainly isn’t what I would have expected.

And I applaud him, further, for trying to straighten out his life, kick all the illegal, unhealthy habits and get a job.  I hope it sticks.

As for the lyrics to “Dream On,” take a look:

Every time I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It goes by, like dusk to dawn
Isn’t that the way
Everybody’s got their dues in life to pay

Yeah, I know nobody knows
where it comes and where it goes
I know it’s everybody’s sin
You got to lose to know how to win

Half my life
is in books’ written pages
Lived and learned from fools and
from sages
You know it’s true
All the things come back to you

Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, if it’s just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away

Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
sing with me, if it’s just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

Dream On Dream On Dream On
Dream until your dreams come true
Dream On Dream On Dream On
Dream until your dream comes through
Dream On Dream On Dream On
Dream On Dream On
Dream On Dream On

Sing with me, sing for the year
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
sing with me, if it’s just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away
Sing with me, sing for the year
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
Sing with me, if it’s just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away……

And for someone like me, who has always believed in the power of dreams, he made feel that power all over again.