Template:Use American English Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox song
"November Rain" is a song by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. Written by the band's lead vocalist Axl Rose, the power ballad was released in February 1992 as the third single from the band's third studio album, Use Your Illusion I (1991). The song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was the longest song to enter the top ten of the chart at the time of its release. Template:As of, it was the fourth longest song to enter the Hot 100 chart.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Additionally, "November Rain" reached number two on the Portuguese Singles Chart, number four on the UK Singles Chart, and the top 10 on several other music charts around the world.
BackgroundEdit
Slash states in his autobiography that the band recorded in 1986 an 18-minute version of "November Rain" at a session with guitarist Manny Charlton (of rock band Nazareth) the year prior to beginning sessions for Appetite for Destruction.<ref name=Bozza/>Template:Rp
According to a story Axl Rose reported during the 2006 leg of the Chinese Democracy Tour, no other band members wanted to participate in the production of this song (or the other notable ballad "Estranged"). Slash and Duff McKagan were opposed to the band's drift to symphonic ballads, feeling their choice of more direct rock songs were being overlooked by Rose. Eventually, Rose persuaded the others during work at Can-Am Studios (where some of the album was recorded and mixed). Slash disputed Axl's claims of harsh musical differences in his autobiography released the next year.<ref name=Bozza/>Template:Rp
Slash reported that his guitar solo in the song's album version developed directly from an improvisation.<ref name=Bozza/>Template:Rp<ref>Select, November 1996</ref>
Writing and compositionEdit
"November Rain" is the third-longest song by Guns N' Roses, behind "Coma" (10:14) from the same album, and "Estranged" (9:24) from Use Your Illusion II. It was the longest song ever to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 until November 2021, when surpassed by Taylor Swift's extended rerecording of "All Too Well".<ref>2000 Guinness World Records Template:ISBN</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The song's composition was influenced by Elton John's 1973 opus "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding".<ref name=rollingstone/>
Its distinct symphonic overtone owes to a sweeping string arrangement, orchestrated by Rose.<ref name=Bozza>Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. New York: Harper Entertainment.</ref>Template:Rp<ref>Template:YouTube</ref> "We call it 'the Layla song'," joked Slash, referencing a similarly-constructed rock song with a long, instrumental second part.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> It was later preceded by the coda from Layla on the Not in This Lifetime... Tour.
On November 4, 2022, the original track was re-released on a Use Your Illusion reissue, but with newly recorded orchestration replacing the sampled sounds used on the original mix. The orchestration consists of a real 50-piece orchestra, conducted and arranged by Christopher Lennertz.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> The track was mixed by Steven Wilson.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref><ref name="stevenwilson-mix">Template:Cite tweet</ref>
Critical receptionEdit
Robert Hilburn from Los Angeles Times wrote, "This sweeping ballad – reminiscent of Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s most majestic work – underscores the ambition and range of the best and most volatile American hard-rock group in a decade."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Dave Jennings from Melody Maker said, "There's probably no other band who can match the Gunners' ability to sound frighteningly real and then laughably crass in rapid succession. [...] On "November Rain", they fit both extremes into one nine-minute epic ballad."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Another editor, Simon Reynolds, declared it as "a lush, swoony, mock-orchestral epic mid-way between Trevor Horn, Jim Steinman and 'Purple Rain'."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel viewed it as "a schlocky, over-produced ballad".<ref>Gettelman, Parry (September 27, 1991). "Guns N' Roses". Orlando Sentinel.</ref> Richard Harrington from The Washington Post felt that in the wake of their breakthrough power ballad "Sweet Child o' Mine", Guns N'Roses "have wisely chosen to play to their female constituency" with "November Rain". He explained that the song "finds Axl in an Elton John mood with a piano, synthesized strings and the realization that while 'It's hard to hold a candle/ in the cold November rain,' we should 'never mind the darkness/ we can still find a way/ cause nothin' lasts forever/ even cold November rain.' On the other hand, at almost nine minutes, this song comes close."<ref>Harrington, Richard (September 15, 1991). "Guns N'Roses, Back in Fighting Form". The Washington Post. p. G01.</ref>
Chart performanceEdit
In the United States, the song peaked at number three for two weeks in 1992, making it Guns N' Roses' sixth and last top-10 hit. It stayed in the top 10 for 10 weeks and on the Hot 100 for 30 weeks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The song also peaked at number nine in Germany and remained on the chart for 51 weeks.<ref name="ger"/> In Australia, "November Rain" was ranked at number two on the 1992 end-of-year chart despite only reaching number five on the ARIA Singles Chart.<ref name="aus"/> It was included on ARIA's year-end charts in two consecutive years (1992 and 1993, when it appeared at 36).<ref name="ausye92"/><ref name="ausye93"/> A similar situation took place in New Zealand, where the song peaked at number seven but stayed in the top 20 for 24 non-consecutive weeks, ending 1992 as New Zealand's second-best-selling single.<ref name="nz"/><ref name="nzye"/>
Music videoEdit
The accompanying music video for "November Rain", directed by Andy Morahan,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was inspired by Del James's short story "Without You", for which he is credited in the long version of the video. The short story portrays a rock star struggling to come to terms with the loss of his girlfriend, who died by suicide (gunshot) after he repeatedly strayed from their relationship. November Rain is one of the most expensive music videos ever.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The video tells a story reminiscent of "Without You", and features a live performance footage from Los Angeles' Orpheum Theater.<ref name=kerrang>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> First, in a silhouette, Rose's character is seen going to bed and taking pills; a bottle of whisky is also visible next to him. The scene, now in color, changes to the wedding of the main characters, played by Rose and his then-girlfriend Stephanie Seymour. The other band members are among the many guests.
Slash's character realizes he forgot the wedding rings, when McKagan's character offers his rings as a substitute. After the wedding couple leaves the church, we see the wedding reception which is later interrupted by sudden, heavy rain, causing everyone to run for shelter.
The next scene shows a funeral at the same church. Rose's character grieves at the death of his wife, now inside a casket with a mirrored object obscuring half of her face. A heavy rain falls upon the cemetery when the casket is laid to rest.
A final scene shows Seymour's character back at the wedding, tossing her white bouquet, which turns red in the air and lands on her coffin. Black and white scenes of Rose's character's nightmares show a mix of wedding and funeral scenes. The music video ends with Rose's character kneeling beside her grave and the bouquet turns back to white as the rain washes the red color away.
For the outside shots of Slash's first guitar solo, Rose had originally envisioned it taking place in a "cool field". However, since the video was shot in winter, there were no good-looking fields around, and the band decided to film in New Mexico, where they had a church building transported specifically for the shoot.<ref name=kerrang/> The larger church, for the wedding scenes, is Los Angeles' St. Brendan Catholic Church.<ref name=kerrang/>
The music videos for "November Rain", "Don't Cry" and "Estranged" form an unofficial trilogy of sorts. While never specifically confirmed by the band, Del James' short story "Without You" served as inspiration for the video, and received recognition in the video's end credits.
In July 2018, the music video became the first video created prior to YouTube to surpass one billion views.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In February 2023, the music video reached another milestone after it surpassed two billion views and remaining the oldest song (from the early 1990s) to achieve that feat.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The video was re-released in November 2022, with the newly-synced orchestration, to promote the Use Your Illusion (Super Deluxe Edition) box set.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>
Live performancesEdit
The band performed a nearly nine-minute live version of the song with British musician Elton John on piano at the end of the 1992 VMAs ceremony.<ref name=rollingstone>Template:Cite magazine</ref> On January 22, 2023, Rose performed a shortened, solo version of "November Rain" during the memorial service of Lisa Marie Presley in Graceland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Retrospective responseEdit
"November Rain" was voted number one on the Rock 1000 2006, an annual countdown of the top 1,000 rock songs by New Zealand radio listeners. It was voted number two on the 2007 version, beaten by "Back in Black" by AC/DC.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The song topped the "album tracks" section of a 1993 readers' poll in GN'R fanzine Controversy, beating "Coma". The top ten was completed by "Estranged", "Civil War", "Paradise City", "Sweet Child o' Mine", "Don't Cry", "Welcome to the Jungle", "Patience" and "Mr. Brownstone".<ref>Controversy #6, p8, 1993</ref>
The song placed number 140 on Pitchfork's "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Chile, the song placed at number 73 on Chilean radio Rock & Pop.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2017, Paste ranked the song number nine on their list of the 15 greatest Guns N' Roses songs,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and in 2020, Kerrang ranked the song number six on their list of the 20 greatest Guns N' Roses songs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
NPR described the song as "one of the ultimate hard-rock power ballads",<ref name="npr"/> while VH1 added that the song "is the sprawling, cosmic-reaching, just-so-insane-it-works hard rock epic toward which every previous single-track hard rock epic had led and from which every subsequent single-track hard rock epic has emerged".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Glide Magazine named the song at second in their list of "Favorite Hair-Metal Power Ballads".<ref name="glide">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
As of October 2024, November Rain is the most viewed song on YouTube released in the 1990s.
Track listingsEdit
PersonnelEdit
Guns N' Roses
- W. Axl Rose – lead and backing vocals, piano, string synthesizer, choir
- Slash – lead guitar, backing vocals, choir
- Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, choir
- Duff McKagan – bass guitar, backing vocals, choir
- Matt Sorum – drums, backing vocals, choir
- Dizzy Reed – backing vocals, choir
Additional musicians
- Stuart Bailey – backing vocals, choir
- Shannon Hoon – backing vocals, choir
- Johann Langlie – synthesizer programming
- Reba Shaw – backing vocals, choir
ChartsEdit
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
Weekly chartsEdit
Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chart| Chart (1992–1993) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 11 | |
| Finland (The Official Finnish Charts)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> | 7 | |
| Portugal (AFP)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 2 | |
| Spain (AFYVE)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> | 19 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
1 |
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|
Year-end chartsEdit
| Chart (1992) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)<ref name="ausye92">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
2 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 56 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 53 | |
| Germany (Media Control)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
13 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
13 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
12 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref name="nzye">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
17 |
| Chart (1993) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)<ref name="ausye93">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
36 |
CertificationsEdit
Template:Certification Table Top Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Bottom
Release historyEdit
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Template:Abbr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | February 1992 | Template:Hlist | Template:Hlist | <ref>Template:Cite magazine Note: The source says the single was released on March 2, but it first charted in the UK on March 1. It is therefore likely that it was released in late February.</ref> | |
| Japan | April 21, 1992 | Mini-CD | Geffen | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| United States | June 2, 1992 | Template:Hlist | Template:Hlist | <ref name="riaa"/> |