Sunday, June 30, 2013

Song Meaning: Nightrain by Guns N' Roses

ARTIST: GUNS N' ROSES | ALBUM: APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION | RELEASED: 1987
"Nightrain", after doing some Googling, is a cheap, but effective, alcohol GNR used to consume in their early days when money was not so commonplace. So the song is about drugs, and only drugs, just like Mr. Brownstone.

Guns N' Roses and drugs went hand-in-hand. For example, on a typical day back in the 80s, bassist Duff McKagan would consume a gallon of vodka! To put that in perspective, when I first had a "shot" of vodka, I had to run to the washroom, and projectile vomit soon insured. :-( Duff's lifestyle was not different from any of four other band members. Slash, for instance, was ALWAYS high. Steven Adler was fired from the group for being too alcoholic. Mr McKagan has written a book about his past "adventures" entitled It's So Easy. It's a very good read. I'd highly recommend you check it out, even if you aren't a Guns N Roses fan.

Slash, who was synonymous with drugs in the 80s, describes in his autobiography "Nightrain" as his favorite song to perform live. "That song has a rhythm to it in the verses that from the start always made me go crazy. The first time we played it, even, I started jumping up and down - I couldn't help it. When we had our huge stage later on, I'd run the length of it, jump off the amplifiers, and lose it just about every single time we played it. I'm not sure why, but no other song we've ever played live made me move like that."


  1. Loaded like a freight train
  2. Flyin' like an aeroplane
  3. Feelin' like a space brain
  4. One more time tonight
  5. Well I'm a west coast struttin'
  6. One bad mother
  7. Got a rattlesnake suitcase
  8. Under my arm
  9. Said I'm a mean machine
  10. Been drinkin' gasoline
  11. And honey you can make my motor hum
  12. I got one chance left
  13. In a nine live cat
  14. I got a dog eat dog sly smile
  15. I got a Molotov cocktail
  16. With a match to go
  17. I smoke my cigarette with style
  18. An I can tell you honey
  19. You can make my money tonight

  20. Wake up late
  21. Honey put on your clothes
  22. Take your credit card
  23. to the liquor store
  24. That's one for you and
  25. two for me by tonight
  26. I'll be loaded like a freight train
  27. Flyin' like an aeroplane
  28. Feelin' like a space brain
  29. One more time tonight

  30. I'm on the nightrain
  31. Bottoms up
  32. I'm on the nightrain
  33. Fill my cup
  34. I'm on the nightrain
  35. Ready to crash and burn
  36. I never learn
  37. I'm on the nightrain
  38. I love that stuff
  39. I'm on the nightrain
  40. I can never get enough
  41. I'm on the nightrain
  42. Never to return-no

  43. Loaded like a freight train
  44. Flyin' like an aeroplane
  45. Speedin' like a space brain
  46. One more time tonight
  47. I'm on the nightrain
  48. And I'm lookin' for some
  49. I'm on the nightrain
  50. So's I can leave this slum
  51. I'm on the nightrain
  52. And I'm ready to crash and burn
  53. Nightrain
  54. Bottoms up
  55. I'm on the nightrain
  56. Fill my cup
  57. I'm on the nightrain

  58. Whoa yeah
  59. I'm on the nightrain
  60. Love that stuff
  61. I'm on the nightrain
  62. An I can never get enough
  63. Ridin' the nightrain
  64. I guess I
  65. I guess, I guess, I guess
  66. I never learn

  67. On the nightrain
  68. Float me home
  69. Ooh I'm on the nightrain
  70. Ridin' the nightrain
  71. Never to return
  72. Nightrain

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