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- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/guns-n-roses-songs/
The best Guns N’ Roses songs remind you of how monumental a change the band made to the rock landscape when they first came out. The hard-rock scene in 1987 was polluted with flashy hair-metal bands and pop-leaning pretty boys with guitars. GNR were neither. They were fierce, they were scary, they celebrated filth and they screwed your mama. We focus on this peak era and its lasting impact with our list of the Top 10 Guns N’ Roses Songs:
10. 'It's So Easy'
From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) 'It's So Easy' actually preceded 'Appetite for Destruction' by a month in the U.K. as the band's debut single. It was later overshadowed by the album's other hit songs, but it remains a standout moment on 'Appetite,' a punk-style rocker with a tour de force vocal performance by Rose, who covers the entire spectrum here.
9. 'Patience'
From: 'Lies' (1988) After 'Appetite for Destruction' became a monster hit, the band's record company began itching for a follow-up. No way a new album was coming any time soon from the notoriously slow moving band, so the suits cobbled together an LP made up of GNR's self-released 1986 EP 'Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide' plus four new tracks, including the acoustic power ballad 'Patience,' which hit the Top 5. A simple tonic to the usual bluster.
8. 'You Could Be Mine'
From: 'Use Your Illusion II' (1991) Like a few of the band's other tracks (including one on our list of the Top 10 Guns N' Roses Songs), 'You Could Be Mine' first appeared on something other than a GNR album. The song was originally released as the theme to the movie 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day,' preceding the two 'Use Your Illusion' albums by three months. It eventually ended up on the 'Use Your Illusion II' LP.
7. 'Don't Cry'
From: 'Use Your Illusion I' (1991) Guns N' Roses liked 'Don't Cry' so much, they released a different version on both of the 'Use Your Illusion' albums. Or maybe they couldn't figure out how to structure the verses. Either way, the song (the hit single comes from the first 'Illusion') reached the Top 10 -- their third power ballad to climb the charts.
6. 'Civil War'
From: 'Use Your Illusion II' (1991) The 'Use Your Illusion' projects were such a long, labored affair, tracks started leaking out long before the albums were ready (see No. 8 on our list of the Top 10 Guns N' Roses Songs). 'Civil War' was the first, showing up on the 1990 benefit compilation 'Nobody's Child.' It's a protest song, and a rather simple one at that. But it rocks. Hard.
5. 'Mr. Brownstone'
From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) One of Guns N' Roses' toughest songs draws inspiration from a couple of places. First, there's Slash's heroin addiction, which drives 'Mr. Brownstone''s not-so-thinly veiled lyrics. Then there's that Bo Diddley rhythm, a shuffling beat that erupts into a full-force torrent of guitars and howls by the song's end.
4. 'Paradise City'
From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) By the time 'Paradise City' was pulled as 'Appetite for Destruction''s fourth single, Guns N' Roses were the biggest hard rock band in the world. The song was made for stadium singalongs, cutting a razor-sharp path down the middle of the field and heading straight to the bleachers. Slash pulls off one of his sleekest solos, too.
3. 'November Rain'
From: 'Use Your Illusion I' (1991) Guns N' Roses were chin-deep in their invincibility when 'November Rain' was issued as a single in 1992. How else to explain the decision to release a nine-minute power ballad to radio? Maybe they were invincible at that point -- the track reached No. 3, the second-highest single of their career (see No. 2 on our list of the Top 10 Guns N' Roses Songs for the highest-charting). Plaintive piano notes + dramatic orchestral sweep = total awesomeness.
2. 'Sweet Child o' Mine'
From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) Slash's opening guitar riff in 'Sweet Child o' Mine' ranks as one of the greatest of the past 30 years. Rose's vocal acrobatics are pretty impressive too. But it's the way 'Sweet Child o' Mine' (the band's only No. 1) drifts from power ballad to gutsy rocker in the span of five-plus minutes that makes it one of the defining records of the '80s.
1. 'Welcome to the Jungle'
From: 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987) 'Welcome to the Jungle' is more than just Guns N' Roses' breakthrough song and the opening track to one of the most important albums of its day; it's an invitation to join in on the band's snorting, screwing and messing around over the next few years. Rock music hadn't sounded this brutal in years. It took a group of Sunset Boulevard punks to inject some life into a dying scene. Once the original group got started, only their own internal dysfunctions could destroy them. And they eventually did. But what a glorious run it was. It all starts here.
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
I'd say
1. Paradise City
2. Rocket Queen
3. Coma
4. Estranged
5. Welcome to the Jungle
6. Sweet Child O' Mine
7. One In A Million
8. Locomotive
9. Nightrain
10. Civil War
Although it's very hard not only to choose ten songs, but make an order. It's crazy that monsters like You Could Be Mine, November Rain, You're Crazy (acoustic) and Mr. Brownstone didn't even make my list... they have a small, but very impressive catalogue, for sure.
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
1. Welcome to the Jungle:
Over the years I think this song more than any other Guns' song has really not only stood the test of time but actually improved with time. It sounds like it could've been released last week let alone 25 years ago. When it comes on the radio its a breath of fresh air from all the cookie cutter mundane modern rock. It's as raw as ever and like I mentioned in another thread it's become the undisputed sports anthem champion. It just embodies everything that was Guns N' Roses.
2. Sweet Child O' Mine:
Almost on the same level as Jungle in terms of still sounding fresh. It's as good today as it ever was. Yeah the lyrics may be a bit soft but Axl's voice is great and Slash's guitar solo on this is off the charts in how it transforms a decent ballad into a pretty epic fucking rock song. Personally my favourite Slash solo. Considering that it's rammed down our throats on radio even still to this day and I haven't tired of it says a lot.
3. November Rain:
This charts fairly high on my list based on it's super nostalgia power. This song more than any Gn'R song takes me back to highschool. Not just school dances but everything. Back then it was THE song and again like SCOM the lyrics may be a tad soft but Slash's guitar solos are again the highlight and power the song. The outro to the song is the most unexpeced outro to any song ever in my opinion and it only added to the sheer grandness of the song. This song was in fact my favourite song of all time for years and years even after highschool. It's dropped a bit the last deceade but still classic.
4. Nightrain:
Just a badass rock song that I've always loved. It's got the energy to make it like a Jungle Part 2. I find it's the one Gn'R song that you can turn to after the "Big Three" on AFD and everyone will still know it and rock to it, yet it's a tiny tiny bit obscure(if that's even possible for an AFD song). It's not on the radio every single day which I think contributes to why I like it still so much.
5. You Could Be Mine:
Simply put this is the song that not only turned me onto Guns N' Roses but switched the lightbulb on in my head and made me into a legit music fan rather than just a casual radio listener. I remember where I was and who I was with the first time I heard this. I was in the basement at my cousin's place watching Much Music with my brother and my cousins Michelle and Brad. The video for YCBM came on and I was was blown away. It was the coolest sound I'd ever heard and the band looked so badass. I was hooked. Bought the single on cassette the next day.
6. Civil War:
The B side to the YCBM single was probably as important as YCBM when it came to converting me into a diehard GnR fan. Though today I do enjoy YCBM more, back then Civil War was my favourite of the two. I love the desperation in the song. I've found over the years that Civil War is the one Guns N' Roses song that people who dislike Guns N' Roses actually like.
7. Rocket Queen:
The first part of the song is decent but the last 3:30 of the song are in my opinion arguably the best 3:30 minutes in all of the Guns N' Roses catelgogue. Rocket Queen is truely 2 songs in one. If "song 2" was slightly modified with a opening intro and made into an actual song on it's own I'd probably rank it #1.
8. Estranged:
A lost epic/classic in my opinion and one that may have been as popular as November Rain had it been released as a single at the time NR was instead. This is another song where Slash is the star for sure. There are more highs and lows in this song than any other Gn'R song and though lyrically as a whole it doesn't do much for me the melody and finally two versses are among Axl's best. Along with Rocket Queen this is a song where I can't wait to get to the ending
9. Dead Horse:
In my opinion Gn'R's most classic rock sounding song. I love the way the intro kicks in and tempo of the song from there on out is great. Musically it's not anything special in the Gn'R catelogue, Axl's voice is good, lyrics are alright but the result is greater than the sum of the parts. It's just always been one of my very favourite Gn'R tunes.
10. Think About You:
The most underrated Gn'R song in my opinion. I'm not sure why people don't like this song but it's always been one of my favourites. I really dig the lyrics and Axl's voice on this one yet his voice to me has a different..... feel, vibe or tone to it during the chorus. It's less aggressive but not in SCOM way. I can't explain it. It's like there's a a newness to it. Almost like Axl sounds younger on this song. What's also weird about this song is that it reminds me of Guns N' Roses. No shit. It is Guns N' Roses so I can't explain why it has that effect on me either. Also during the chorus the guitars have a more melodic rock vibe to them that is more my typical taste in music so..... It's GnR at their most U2ish I guess.
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Just missed the cut:
One in a Million:
Vocally it's Axl's best song in my opinion. Musically I love it and think it's one of Slash's best solos. Lyrically though it's garbage. When I was younger I think I was more willing to overlook the lyrics but as I get older, more and more I just see how lame they are and it really does ruin what could've been an all time classic rock song, not just classic Gn'R song.
Coma:
Awesome song, crazy lyrics at the end, but it's just not something I'm always in the mood for. Maybe it's a bit too long, maybe there's a bit too much going on..... when I'm in the mood though I can honestly say I'd be hard pressed not to consider it in the top 5 Gn'R songs.
Paradise City:
Classic tune, GREAT for parties, but I've never been a huge fan of the long outro and I tend to lose interest a bit by the end of it if I'm listening by myself. If I'm at party I think this might be Gn'R's best song.
*I hadn't even looked at the list in the article before I started on mine so after I posted this I found it ironic that my top 3 were identical to what the article had.
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
Pretty boring list. They could have at least have had one daring choice to show they know what they're talking about and not just going by chart positions.
Just 10 songs is impossible without feeling you're betraying a family member. 13 is the best I can do.
Indispensables from each album:
Welcome To The Jungle - Probably the coolest opening in a rocker in all of history.
Nightrain - Best rocker overall.
Rocket Queen - Magnificent outro and tasty dueling in the riffs by Slash and Izzy.
You're Crazy (acoustic) - Axl's strongest vocal performance.
One In A Million - Just a beautiful song.
Don't Damn Me - Never played live. Their most underrated song by far.
Coma - Simply an amazing epic with some very strong lyrics by Axl.
Breakdown - Brilliant lyrics and structure. Underrated.
Locomotive - A monster. 7 minutes of badass rock turns into the most brilliant and beautiful outro.
Estranged - Axl's magnum opus, crusted with some of the best solos Slash ever produced.
You Could Be Mine - In almost any other band this would be the ultimate staple. In GN'R it's just another 10/10 rocker.
Catcher In The Rye - Tender rock like only Axl can do it. Great soloing.
There Was A Time - Best solo in a Gn'R song? Also contains some of my favorite Axl wailing.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
I like seeing Brownstone in there. I don't really have a problem with any of the choices, but it seems hard to imagine that Rocket Queen, Nightrain, and Estranged didn't make the cut.
- Smoking Guns
- Rep: 330
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
Rocket Queen might be the ultimate GNR song. It has every thing. Great vocals, a rocker, ballady at the end. You can dance to it. Tempo changes. Its like 2 songs in one. Raunchy and dirty in first party, pretty and sweet in second. Guns N Roses, first part of song is Guns, second part is Roses. Its beautifu.
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
One In A Million - Just a beautiful song.
I understand why people love this song. The performances vocally and musically kick ass but I really question the word "beautiful" to describe the song especially when you leave it just at that. You gave reasons for the other songs, yet the most controversial song in their catelogue, one that borders on hate speech and you simply refer to it as "Just a beautiful song"? I must be missing something but to me a "beautiful song" should be beautiful "inside and out". The "inside" of this song is anything but beautiful. In fact it's rather ugly.
- Smoking Guns
- Rep: 330
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
OIAM is an honest look at life from a red neck from Indiana moving to the city. Doesn't mean he hates blacks, just how he was raised. I don't agree with it, but in 1984 or 85, that is probably what he was actually thinking, so I respect his "realness" and "honesty". Musically it is awesome. Great guitar solo.
Re: Top 10 GN’R Songs by Ultimate Classic Rock
OIAM is an honest look at life from a red neck from Indiana moving to the city. Doesn't mean he hates blacks, just how he was raised. I don't agree with it, but in 1984 or 85, that is probably what he was actually thinking, so I respect his "realness" and "honesty". Musically it is awesome. Great guitar solo.
Oh well that makes more sense. I was unaware of what the song was about. So much more beautiful now. 
Axl is a smart guy right? At least that's what everyone likes to suggest. I don't care where he's from or where he moved to or how honest he's being. Fact is the words he used and message he conveyed were that of a racist biggot even if he's not.
There's honesty and there's being a fucking douche and in this particular song Axl chose to use lyrics that made him sound like fucking douche regardless of honesty. The same message could've been conveyed with more intelligent lyrics which Axl is/was capable of. That's the sad part about it. The song coudl've been a massive hit had he pulled his head out of his ass and been just as honest with a tad less biggotry and racisim involved.
I just don't understand how one could describe a song with lyrical content that borders on, if not is, hate speech as beautiful. It's pretty much as ugly as it gets despite the amazing vocal performance and effort by the band.
