Estranged is a song by Guns N’ Roses, included on their 1991 album Use Your Illusion II. Described as a ballad, the song was released as a single in January 17, 1994. At over nine minutes long, “Estranged“, also known for its music video, is the longest song onUse Your Illusion II andGuns 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 aLes Paul Gold Top, using the rhythm pickup with the tone turned all the way down.
According to Slash, the song was written while the band was rehearsing for an extended period of time in Chicago. Axl revealed that he wrote the song during a more “bummed out” time in his life when his marriage with Erin Everly was annulled.
Of the song, Axl in the early ’90s said:
“November Rain is a song about not wanting to be in a state of having to deal with unrequited love. Estranged is acknowledging it, and being there, and having to figure out what the f* to do. It’s like being catapulted out into the universe and having no choice about it, and having to figure out ‘What the f* are you gonna do?’ Because the things you wanted and worked for just cannot happen, and there’s nothing you can f***ing do about it.”
Tracklist:
- Estranged (LP version) W. Axl Rose
- The Garden (LP version) Rose, West Arkeen, Del James
First aired 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. The estimated budget was $4 million. The video is similar in style to the previous two in the trilogy. Its live scenes were shot at Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany.
Credits:
W. Axl Rose: lead vocals, piano
Slash: lead guitar
Izzy Stradlin: rhythm guitar, additional lead guitar
Duff McKagan: bass
Matt Sorum: drums
