Album: Use Your Illusion II (1991)

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• When you're talkin' to yourself
  And nobody's home
  You can fool yourself
  You came in this world alone
  (Alone)
  
  So nobody ever told you baby
  How it was gonna be
  So what'll happen to you baby
  Guess we'll have to wait and see
  One, two
  
  Old at heart but I'm only twenty eight
  And I'm much too young
  To let love break my heart
  Young at heart but it's getting much too late
  To find ourselves so far apart
  
  I don't know how you're s'posed to find me lately
  An what more could you ask from me
  How could you say that I never needed you
  When you took everything
  Said you took everything from me
  
  Young at heart an it gets so hard to wait
  When no one I know can seem to help me now
  Old at heart but I musn't hesitate
  If I'm to find my own way out
  
  Still talkin' to myself
  And nobody's home
  (Alone)
  
  So nobody ever told us baby
  How it was gonna be
  So what'll happen to us baby
  Guess we'll have to wait and see
  
  When I find out all the reasons
  Maybe I'll find another way
  Find another day
  With all the changing seasons of my life
  Maybe I'll get it right next time
  An now that you've been broken down
  Got your head out of the clouds
  You're back down on the ground
  
  And you don't talk so loud
  An you don't walk so proud
  Any more, and what for
  
  Well I jumped into the river
  Too many times to make it home
  I'm out here on my own, an drifting all alone
  If it doesn't show give it time
  To read between the lines
  
  'Cause I see the storm getting closer
  And the waves they get so high
  Seems everything we've ever known's here
  Why must it drift away and die
  
  I'll never find anyone to replace you
  Guess I'll have to make it through, this time - oh this time
  Without you
  I knew the storm was getting closer
  And all my friends said I was high
  But everything we've ever known's here
  I never wanted it to die Writer/s: (usa 2) Slash, Darren A Reed, Duff Mc Kagan, Izzy Stradlin, Matt Sorum, W. Axl Rose
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 47

• R.j. from South CarolinaI've heard it is about the end of his marriage to Erin....I've heard it is also sort of a long-distance message to Stephanie Seymour's son (whom Axl got close to when they were dating). As far as Chris Cornell's comments go: he is forgetting one of the things that made GnR great, their honesty. Axl is not going to pretend he is poor (like the Seattle guys). He said himself (not too long after Appetite came out) something like: "I'm not going to write about starving on the streets anymore, because I am not there anymore." Some of the songs off the Illusion records were dealing with their lives after their success.
• Colleen from Melbourne AustraliaNot at all, its about someone breaking your heart,using & abusing you & after the seperation in a state of depression you begin to hear voices & appears you are talking to yourself but during this state of emotional turmoil & distress & conversations with people & voices you cannot see you begin to reveal every deepest dark hought & memory of people places & things which & thats dangerous because you are revealing other ppps secrets too ( hence look out for yourself you came in this world alone) then in the clip it shows police, because he knows criminal secrets ,then they are all dressed in white becausd he is on a spiritual warfare & awakening process, then it shows him in the water because that is his state of turmoil & in the flood of tears & drowing in the storm spiritually because he is still talking to the voices & others in the underworld dont appreciate it so he is in a state of hell. Once he has battled through his fears,letgo of his pain & forgiven his past & the traumas & " doesnt talk so loud doesnt walk so proud anymore" Its his choice, take the mystic route ( hence the visit to the psychic in the clip) & join the underworld secret society of rock n roll ( hence why the bands in black) or go the spiritual religious route with those dressed in white) & when hes found peace in the drowning process ( hence the dolphins & he can accept,forgive,forget,learn,evolve ) then someone pulls him out of the storm & the sea water. otherwise he can die in the despair of the storm Its just my perspective on the meaning of this music film clip & lyrics
• Stella from TexasMy dad sent me this song last month. He died last week. I can't stop listening to it
• Sean Black from ClevelandOne of the best G n R songs. One of the best rock n roll songs, period! Heavy on the "Wings" influence, or even "Queen", with all the layers n such. Killer American rock n roll. I wish it would come back, cuz we sure need it now.
• Ivo from NuthAxl is like a god
• H from EnglandWhat a amazing song this is! everything about it is just brilliant! The vocals, guitars, bass, drums piano. the song is a rock song perfection. axl, slash, issy, Matt, Duffy, thank you for this masterpiece.
• Andrew from GaThis song means so much to me. The first CD I ever owned, and now that I am getting divorced it brings so much perspective. Favorite song of all time, fantastic video, and Slash... perfect.
• Ivona from TorontoAfter the first time I heard estranged, I thought it was about Erin and ever since I've been wondering if I was correct. Now that I read some of the comments I'm more than satisfied :D
  Anyways, it's a great song... One of my favourites
• Arian from Chittagong, Bangladesh I don't think this comment box can contain any of the greatness of this song :)
• Nayeem from Dhaka, BangladeshThis song is too long for my life, I almost suicided... then I heard this song. It's so powerful a lyric and definitely a lifesaver, G'N'R ever and ever, Never gets old :))
  
  
• Ron from Greeley CoAny idea if Charles Manson on his shirt means anything... Of course it does...they control every aspect of the production of these videos...they are too short and a statement needs to be made in a 10 min movie. I am not thinking that anything nefarious is happening. But would just like to know.
• Richard from Margate, United KingdomI just love this song, one of their best without doubt. The new line up have been playing it and did a really good job in Rio in 2011, check out the video on Youtube.
• Joe from Brooklyn, NyI am shocked & disappointed that this song was left off of their 1994 Greatest Hits album.
  It is a great piece of music and I would think that the band would consider this one of
  their greatest musical efforts. If anyone knows why this was not included in their Greatest Hits
  album please post. It sounds like a record label issue but I just don't know.
• Bob from Augusta, MeEstranged is my all time favorite song by GNR (my favorite band). The lyrics are deep and meaningful. Whenever I've gone through rough periods in my life, I've listened to the song over and over. A message of sadness that offers some hope at the end.
• Rudy from Hk, Hong KongGuns N' Roses is great! Estranged is great too!
• April from Birmingham, AlThe song, quite simply, is about estrangement from a loved one. It's self-explanatory, even without the title: in fact, I don't understand why there's any question about it's meaning. And Jay, if you're going to insult the band, at least spell AXL'S name right.
• April from Birmingham, AlStephan: preach it, brother. I personally find SCOM boring and overplayed, and while I like WTTJ, it's not my favorite. Songs like Locomotive and Move To The City, however; now those are some goodies.
• Kay from New York, Nyto cati, i thought that too about the video, aand that as they band grew it became more about money and them and stuff, but then i saw the Making the F'n Videos dvd and it means a lot more now. the videos always seemed really silly to me but the dvd showed be a lot about how it had to do with axl feelings and stuff.
  
  "estranged" means leaving something intentionally pretty much, and axl says it can be applied to some of his past relationships. basically its about leaving something een though you dont want to, because you know itd be better for them/you. like with erin, stevie and his drugs, stuff like that. to everyone who said its about the divorce, its not entirely about that, but the feeligns like loneliness, making mistakes, leaving something, that comes with things like that.
  
  
  and about the dolphins, with the story a heaven scence would have been ideal, but axl didnt want to shoot a heaven scene, and that feedback solo always reminded the band of whales, so they used dolphins instead
• Stephan from Cary, Ncsomeone posted that this is their longest song, which isn't true. there longest song is Coma at 10:16, just thought i'd let u know. also if ur saying that sweet child o' mine and welcome to the jungle are there best songs, your not a true fan. go buy Guns N' Roses Lies, or listen to all the other songs on Appetite for Destruction, and use your illusions, those r there real music
• Morgan from My Backyard, Ondaivd from australia, they were definitely fans of dylan, they covered knockin on heavens door remember??
• Kike from Laredo, TxI remember back when this video came out, this song was just too personal for me. How many times didn't I feel like going to the edge and jumping into the ocean/water, this song is deep, too deep
• Aline from Brasilia, BrazilI almost forget to say ! The little blonde blue-eyed boy who apears playing in Axl's garden during the video is Dylan Seymour, Stephanie Seymour's son, aged 3 at the time.
• Aline from Brasilia, BrazilIn fact, the song is about Erin and the painful divorce Axl had been through. Del James said this was written to be the soundtrack of his short story "Without You", which is also based in the relationship between Axl and Erin. Anyway, "Without You" inspired the video for November Rain.
• Juditha from Ashtabula, OhTo me this song feels like lonliness and abandonment...including being isolated from ones own innerself and I love it!!!
• Cati from Atlanta, GaI love the song, but I never really liked the music video. It's not that it isn't good, its just that this vid and dont cry always made Axl look kind of full of himself to me. Like, the WHOLE thing is him.
  
  I heard this song is about Erin, Axl's ex? Is that true?
• Jesus Of Suburbia from Frinton On Sea, AlThis is an amazing song it is there second best after Sweet Child 'o Mine its also the longest i think at 9:19 and the solo at 6:02 is incredible it just comes out of nowhere just like in Sweet Child o' Mine also there second best solo This song is deffinately up there with Fix You Sweet Child o' Mine Stairway to Heaven Jesus of Suburbia and severall Meat Loaf songs I'm a super fan of him too
• Nishit from Mumbai, IndiaOne of GnR's greatest songs..The trilogy of Dont Cry, November Rain and Estranged is just perfect..
• Joey from Westville, NyI love how the guitar and music, rather than the vocals, control this song. great title to a great song.
• John from Pittsburgh, PaWhen you're talkin to yourself...
  just the way he whispers is awsome
• Brian from Vancouver, Canadathis song means a lot to me.
• David from Queensland, AustraliaHey you know the "you dont talk so loud and you dont walk so proud" is very similar to a line of "Like a Rolling Stone", was Axl a fan of Dylan or just coincidental...anyone know?
• Lena from Portland, OrDude, this song rocks, love it! I have to admit that the dolphins were sweet!
• Helena from Estonia, FinlandThe song Estranged talks about Axl, hi's suffering for bipolar disorder, it is a psychiatric condition defined as recurrent episodes of significant disturbance in mood. Individuals suffering from bipolar disorder typically experience fluid states of mania, hypomania or what is referred to as a mixed state in conjunction with depressive episodes.
  So Axl was in the middle of divorcing and he was depressed, he's just explaining his feeling and mood as a bipolar
• Steve from Calgary, CanadaThis song, in my opinion is one of the best songs ever recorded. Ever. I can listen to this song to the end of time and not get sick of it like everything else. Yes, it does deserve more attention, no radio station here will touch it.
  
  Now, does anyone honestly have an answer as to what it's about? Someone told me it was about divorce at the time.
  
• Harv from CambridgeAnyone know what this song is actually about? It says to me it's kinda about someone contemplating suicide after a bust up relationship. Oh and if you do love this song, the live version is just amazing.
• Danny from New Britain, Ctaxl also said that the band would never repeat the success they had with appettite for descruction, which was 1 of the reasons why he said the band would go nowhere
• Danny from Des Moines, IaYes! I'm so glad other people like this song. My friends just stick with the songs that are played on the radio, but I enjoy the epics like "Coma," and the awesome, yet completely uncalled for, "Back Off B*tch." I love my Guns!
• Jay from Atlanta, GaIn a March 1987 Axel Rose admitted the band had no talent and would eventually go nowhere.
• Mayank from Ranchi, IndiaAgreed. I rate this as GNR's best after November Rain in song as well as video. Really - amazing stuff. I think it deserves much more applause than the (also) deserving Sweet Child O' Mine, Don't Cry, etc.
• Joseph from Canton, Gai agree with yall. iy should have gotten way more attention. great song. one of my favs
• Bill from Allentown, PaThis song is the Greatest song by G&R and definitely way underated. I cannot believe this song doesn't get the attettion it deserves. I've listend to this song countless times on repeat and never get sick of it. The Video is also the greatest of all time. Still waiting for G&R to come back. Its a shame.
• Andrey from Beclean, RomaniaThis song can save your life! Simply brilliant!!
• Danielle from Boston, MaI've loved this song for years. It seems everytime I listen to it, I seem to find more meanings to the lyrics. Axl is a brilliant song writer- to just listen to the words to this song... Its just incredible.
• Ryan from Mobile, AlAND THE VIDEO HAS DOLPHINS!!!
• Matt from Angus, Canadai just heard this song today its amazing how come there is only 2 comments the video is sweet 2
• Jeeves from Dc, Dcthis other person that left a comment is so awesome this is the greatest song ever but were talking to ourselves here and nobodys home
• Paul from Christchurch, New Zealand'Estranged' is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. One of the few songs where the riff so perfectly fits the lyrics. Slash's first solo in this song (6:02) always brings me to tears.

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