Guns N’ Roses

Released: September 17, 1991

Songwriter: Axl Rose Izzy Stradlin

Producer: Mike Clink

[Intro]
Yeah

[Verse 1]
I'll take a nicotine, caffeine, sugar fix
Jesus, don't you get tired of turnin' tricks?
But when your innocence dies, you'll find the blues
Seems all our heroes were born to lose
Just walkin' through time, you believe this heat?
Another empty house, another dead-end street
Gonna rest my bones, sit for a spell
This side of heaven is close to hell

[Chorus]
Right next door to hell why don't you write a letter to me?
I said, "I'm right next door to hell" and so many eyes are on me
Right next door to hell, I got nowhere else to be
Right next door to hell feels like the walls are closin' in on me

[Verse 2]
My mama never really said much to me
She was much too young and scared to be
Hell, Freud might say that's what I need
But all I really ever get is greed
And most my friends, they feel the same
Hell, we don't even have ourselves to blame
But times are hard, and thrills are cheaper
As your arms get shorter, your pockets get deeper

[Chorus]
Right next door to hell, why don't you write a letter to me?
'Cause, I'm right next door to hell and so many eyes are on me
Right next door to hell, I never thought this is where I'd be
But I'm right next door to hell, thinking time will stand still for me

[Bridge]
Fuck you, bitch

[Outro]
Not bad kids, just stupid ones, yeah
Thought we'd own the world an' getting used was havin' fun
I said we're not sad kids, but lucid ones, yeah
Flowin' through life, not collecting anyone
So much out there, still, so much to see
Time's too much to handle, time's too much for me
It drove me up the wall and drove me out of my mind
Can you tell me what this means, come on?

Guns N' Roses was the most dangerous band in the world in the late 80s and early 90s. Led by singer Axl Rose and stylish guitarist Slash, they mixed the passion of blues, the heaviness of rock, and the attitude of punk, bringing forth a breath of fresh air to a music scene dominated by cheesy hair metal bands.

Their debut album, Appetite for Destruction, is the best selling debut of all-time. They outsold a headlining Aerosmith on their first major tour, released two double albums (Use Your Illusion I & II) simultaneously, and soon would play to audiences in excesses of 20,000 people.

However, cracks started forming in the band, as classic era drummer Steven Adler was fired from the band before the “Use Your Illusion” releases and founding rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin left abruptly during the ensuing tour. They were replaced by Matt Sorum and Gilby Clarke, respectively, with keyboardist Dizzy Reed joining the band and expanding the group’s sound.

more tracks from the album

Use Your Illusion I

From the album

Use Your Illusion I (1991)

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Use Your Illusion I