Estranged (song)

"Estranged"
"Estranged"
Song
A-side	"Estranged" (LP version)
B-side	"The Garden" (LP version)

"Estranged" is a power ballad and music video by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It is from the second part of their two-part Use Your Illusion album, Use Your Illusion II.

Background

At over nine minutes long, "Estranged", also known for its music video, is the longest song on Use Your Illusion II and Guns N' Roses' second longest song overall (after "Coma" from Use Your Illusion I). It has many verses, no set chorus, and several distinguished guitar and piano solos. Use Your Illusion II's liner notes thank lead guitarist Slash for "the killer guitar melodies", which captured Axl Rose's vision. Slash has specifically stated that recording the guitar parts for this song was very intensive for him; he recorded it using a Les Paul Gold Top, using the rhythm pickup with the tone turned all the way down.^[1]

According to Slash, the song was written while the band was rehearsing for an extended period of time in Chicago.^[2] Axl revealed that he wrote the song during a more "bummed out" time in his life when his marriage with Erin Everly was annulled.^[3]

Music video

Released in December 1993, the official music video (directed by Andy Morahan) is the third part of an unofficial Del James series of videos (preceded by "Don't Cry" and "November Rain") from the Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II albums.^[4] The estimated budget was US$4 million.^[5] The video is similar in style to the previous two in the trilogy.

Live performances

"Estranged" was played live very frequently during the Use Your Illusion Tour from 1991 to 1993. During performances of this song, Dizzy Reed would play piano instead of Axl Rose. A live version of this song can be heard on Live Era: '87-'93. During the Chinese Democracy Tour, a riff from the song was sometimes included in Ron Thal's solo interpretation of the Pink Panther Theme. In December 2008, Axl spoke of his desire to bring Estranged back into the live set.^[6]The song was featured with regularity on the tour from 2012-2014.

Formats and track listing

Germany and Australia CD
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Estranged" (LP version)	W. Axl Rose	9:23
2.	"The Garden" (LP version)	Axl Rose, West Arkeen, Del James	5:22

Personnel

W. Axl Rose – lead vocals, piano
Slash – lead guitar
Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, additional lead guitar
Duff McKagan – bass
Matt Sorum – drums

References

^ Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. Harper Entertainment: New York. p. 316
^ Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. Harper Entertainment: New York. p. 262
^ Del James (1992), "I, Axl - Part III"
^ "Guns 'n' Roses - "Estranged"". mvdbase.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
^ Mick O'Shea. (2008). The Guns n' Roses encyclopaedia. New Malden, Surrey, UK: Chrome Dreams. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-84240-423-2.
^ "Guns N' Roses News". Here Today... Gone To Hell!. December 14, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2011.

External links

[1] Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. Harper Entertainment: New York. p. 316

[2] Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. Harper Entertainment: New York. p. 262

[3] Del James (1992), "I, Axl - Part III"

[mvdbase-4] "Guns 'n' Roses - "Estranged"". mvdbase.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.

[5] Mick O'Shea. (2008). The Guns n' Roses encyclopaedia. New Malden, Surrey, UK: Chrome Dreams. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-84240-423-2.

[6] "Guns N' Roses News". Here Today... Gone To Hell!. December 14, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2011.

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