Music Blog

A Band In Name Only

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Today in Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday post
entitled ‘Band Reunion’ he has asked us to
write about a song(s) played by a band that
got together for a reunion. Written for
Song Lyric Sunday, here is my song.

As fans, we love the drama and excitement that surround our musical heroes. Even more exciting is when our favorite groups pull it together for a comeback reunion and rock the world once more. History is full of examples of legendary bands coming back from the brink to do great things. Here’s my choice for this edition of Jim’s Song Lyric Sunday called Band Reunion.

Guns N’ Roses formed in 1985 in Los Angeles, California. The lineup, when first signed to Geffen Records in 1986, consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. From the moment their first album was released in 1987, GNR was destined for greatness. They took the world by storm, making millions of dollars. GNR went straight to the top, dominating MTV, radio stations, concert venues, record sales, and the hard rock scene.

But Guns N’ Roses was falling apart and wasn’t going to make it through the ’90s as key members began their infamous exit from what was one of rock and roll’s greatest groups. It was 1994’s album called The Spaghetti Incident ….. Guns N’ Roses’ fifth studio album consisting of covers of their older songs ….. which pushed stalwart lead guitarist Slash to quit the group, leaving them a band in name only.

What followed was 22 years of poor showings from Axl Rose’s “band” (under the name Guns N’ Roses), including the release of the now notorious Chinese Democracy album. Chinese Democracy was the most expensive rock album ever produced at the time, with Geffen Records spending over $13 million (equalling $21 million today). This was due to the album being in the works for over a decade with the band recording more than 50 songs. Chinese Democracy was also delayed multiple times due to lineup changes and Axl Rose’s difficulty finding a producer. Some say the album was a solo project by Axl Rose, with other musicians brought in to round out the band by taking the place of those band members who quit. The album was plagued by leaks, legal and personal disputes and personnel upheavals. Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy Tour, which promoted the album, was notorious for riots and canceled shows.

The tide changed dramatically for Guns N’ Roses at that fateful Coachella festival in 2016, which would see the band reuniting to great success. Thanks to Coachella founder Paul Tollett (who diligently promoted Guns N’ Roses during the 80s), the festival was the perfect location to relaunch the band. Guns N’ Roses started a 3-year tour following their performance at Coachella, which earned hundreds of millions of dollars.

After a skyrocketing start and a downward spiral that saw the band members bailing like rats on a sinking ship with only Capt. Axl Rose remaining at the helm, Guns N’ Roses is back! Their upcoming world tour ….. “Because What You Want and What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things” ….. will begin in May with performances in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

My songs today are from Guns N Roses’ debut album, 1987’s Appetite for Destruction. These early recordings have the look and sound of GNR that I enjoy the most. Besides, Axl Rose was full of piss and vinegar and so damn cute back then!

“Welcome to the Jungle,” centered around leaving a small town and adapting to the bright lights, big nights, and debauchery of a new life in Hollywood. It was about true life on the streets. Despite being just the second single from a debut album, “Welcome to the Jungle” signaled from the get-go that this was a band destined for superstardom. It took GNR three hours to write the song but they created everything you could ever want in a hard rock anthem.

This is “Welcome to the Jungle”. Crank it up!

LYRICS

Jump!
Welcome to the jungle
We got fun and games
We got everything you want
Honey, we know the names

We are the people that can find
Whatever you may need
If you got no money, honey
We got your disease

In the jungle, welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your, sha-na-na-na-na-na-na, knees, knees
Ooh-ah, I, I wanna watch you bleed

Welcome to the jungle
We take it day by day
If you want it, you’re gonna bleed
But that’s the price you pay

And you’re a very sexy girl
Who’s very hard to please
You can taste the bright lights
But you won’t get them for free

In the jungle, welcome to the jungle
Feel my, my, my, my serpentine
I, I wanna hear you scream

Welcome to the jungle
It’s worse here everyday
You learn to live like an animal
In the jungle where we play

You got a hunger for what you see
You’ll take it eventually
You can have anything you want
But you better not take it from me

In the jungle, welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your, sha-na-na-na-na-na-na, knees, knees
Ooh-ah, I’m gonna watch you bleed

And when you’re high, you never
Ever wanna come down
So down, so down, so down
Yeah
Aw!

You know where you are?
You’re in the jungle, baby
You’re gonna die

In the jungle, welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your, sha-na-na-na-na-na-na, knees, knees
In the jungle, welcome to the jungle
Feel my, my, my, my serpentine

Jungle, welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your, sha-na-na-na-na-na-na, knees, knees
In the jungle, welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring to your
It’s gonna bring you down, huh

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Steven Adler/Izzy Stradlin/W. Axl Rose/Duff Rose McKagan/Saul Hudson
Welcome To The Jungle lyrics © Guns N’ Roses Music, Black Frog Music

Everything about “Sweet Child o’ Mine” is genre-defining. That guitar lick is iconic. Rose’s lyrics are world-famous. And the video ruled MTV for years. Rose’s then-girlfriend, Erin Everly, inspired this loved-up megahit. Rumors spread that the guitar riff was originally a warmup exercise that Slash devised; he denied that on The Eddie Trunk Show, stating “I was playing around and just came up with this riff. It was just me putting notes together like any riff you do. It wasn’t a warm-up exercise.” Once he played it in front of his bandmates, it was the first step towards the 80s’ biggest rock & roll banger.

This is “Sweet Child o’ Mine”

LYRICS

She′s got a smile that, it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything was as fresh
As the bright blue sky

Now and then when I see her face
She takes me away to that special place
And if I stared too long
I’d probably break down and cry

Whoa, oh-oh
Sweet child o’ mind
Whoa, oh-oh-oh
Sweet love of mine

She’s got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I’d hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain

Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place
Where as a child I’d hide
And pray for the thunder and the rain
To quietly pass me by

Whoa, oh-oh
Sweet child of mine
Whoa-whoa, oh-oh-oh
Sweet love of mine

Whoa, oh-oh-oh yeah
Whoa, oh-oh-oh, sweet child of mine
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, sweet love of mine
Whoa, oh-oh-oh, sweet love of mine

Ooh, yeah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, sweet love of mine

Where do we go? Where do we go now?
Where do we go? Mm-mm, oh-oh……..

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Izzy Stradlin/Steven Adler/Saul Hudson/Duff Rose McKagan/W. Axl Rose
Sweet Child o’ Mine lyrics © Guns N’ Roses Music, Black Frog Music

Just for fun, this is First to Eleven, one of the best cover bands I’ve ever heard, doing their rendition of “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. Check it out!

Band Reunion

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to some tunes.

See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy ~ The Sicilian Storyteller, Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller), The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, and The Rhythm Section, and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

47 thoughts on “A Band In Name Only”

  3. Nancy what a great write up on Gins n Roses! You are always so thorough and I learned something more about them today. Yes he was so cute wasn’t he? ☺️💕 I also loved the cover band so thanks for sharing it too.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for your very kind comments, Christine. GNR really had it going on for sure. Yes, Axl was adorable; starting in with plastic surgery was the beginning of his downfall. Tying to avoid the aging process and he ended up unrecognizable. What a shame.

      You mentioned covering GNR also; did I miss something? I only saw your feature on Fleetwood Mac.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. In the 1980s…I wasn’t a fan of most mainstream music and I was a teen. There are 3 bands I was happy to see come. The Georgia Satellites, Guns and Roses, and The Black Crowes…they were all throwback bands that could have fit in the 1970s….so I liked all three. Guns and Roses helped move a generation away from the hair metal and synth to regular rock. That was a long answer! But yes I like all of these songs.

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  8. So much fun to see and hear these songs. I always liked GNR and hear their songs on the radio quite often, but seeing the videos makes it much better. And the cover by First 2 Eleven is excellent! 🙂

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  10. Guns N Roses made some great music, and it was nice to listen to them again Nancy, but since they haven’t written any new songs, people are saying that they are a BINO a Band In Name Only. Going on tour and playing their old hits is much easier than writing music and recording a new album.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. You are absolutely right about that, Jim! If that’s true, Slash can’t be happy about that; it’s a repeat of The Spaghetti Incident and the reason Slash left the band in the first place! I have read that GNR was writing and recording new songs in 2024 but whether any of the new stuff will be featured in this year’s tour is yet to be seen. As far as I’m concerned, if I went to a GNR concert now and they played their songs from their first album (and sounded as good), I’d be very happy. The big problem is that Axl is not the same Axl I fell in love with back in 1987.

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  13. I picked G.N’.S too this week as one of my choices. Such a great band …so many memories .

    Nancy you always give us such a great write up …I am always amazed and there is always something new to gleam from this prompt 💜💜💜

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    Reply

    1. Did you? I haven’t checked out Jim’s site yet. The more music the better! 🎶

      Thanks so much for your awesome comment, Willow. I’m passionate about my music and love writing about it almost as much as I love listening to it. I’m happy to know you enjoy my music blogs. Thanks, Sis! 🩶🩶

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  14. Great choice for the theme, Nancy. I was going to mention First To Eleven if you hadn’t – my favourite covers band too. And Audra was just 16 when they made that video – so much talent in that band.

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    Reply

      1. I’ve done several posts of covers – I find it interesting to see what people do with a song. F2E are a band I’ve featured several times, including with this song. They have a great backstory and, as you, say, oodles of talent.

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