A few months ago, the November Rain music clip reached a billion views on YouTube. It is now one of the most successful rock music clip ever and the first song, which arrived a billion views in the 20th Century.
The Rock ballad was published on the 24th of February 1992 and takes place on the album "Use Your Illusion 1". It was recorded in 1991 at the A&M studios by Geffen Records.
In 1988, the lable Waggle Records released a two-LP set titled November Rain/In Concert and Beyond of an unidentified concert. But the quality was very bad. It was the early version of "November Rain", using acustic guitars, Axl on vocals and a chorus for the background vocals. The guitar solos are missing in this version.
Slash said, that they were recording a 18-minute version of "November Rain" in 1986, before they started with their "Appetite for Destruction" album. The band members weren't really convinced to record the song and finally realease it on one of their albums. Axl tried to convince them, especially Duff and Slash, who wanted to make more direct rock songs instead of ballads and he did it...luckily.
The song is dedicated to a woman as declaration of love.
For the song they used an orchestra and Axl played on the piano. The clip was realized with a budget of 1.5 million dollars and was one of the 20 most expensive music videos ever. Only the song "Estranged" by Guns N 'Roses was even more expensive with $ 4.6 million.
At the beginning, there's Axl swallowing some pills and lying back down in his bed.
The video changes between different scenes. One part is a live concert, in which the orchestra is also included and the other part is the story about Axl and his earlier girlfriend Stephanie Seymor getting married. When Axl and Stephanie marry in the church, Slash leaves the church for a brief moment and plays the first solo of the song right in front of it, in the desert (in New Mexico).
After Axl and Stephanie get married, they continue to celebrate with the guests outside. After a while, a violent storm set in and the whole party ends in a chaos.
In the last scene you see the church again, but now with an open coffin where Stephanie lies in. The guests mourn and Axl is devastated. Now Slash plays the last solo and a certain drama becomes clear. In the end, Axl wakes up and later you can see him kneeling in front of the grave.
Why Stephanie died in the video at the end remains still unclear.
"November Rain" reached number 3 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 charts, making it the longest song in history to enter the top ten. Since it was released, the song has sold over one million copies worldwide.
Axl Rose was working since 1983 on the song. In an Interview his earlier friend Tracii Guns (from the band L.A Guns) said the following:
"When we were doing that EP for L.A. Guns, like '83? He was playing "November Rain" - and it was called "November Rain" - you know, on piano. The guitar solo is amazing. Way back then. It was the only thing he knew how to play, but it was his. He'd go, "Someday this song is gonna be really cool." And I'd go, "It's cool now." "But it's not done", you know, he used to say. And, like, anytime we'd be at a hotel or anywhere, there'd be a piano; he'd just kinda play that music. And I'd go, "When are you gonna finish that already", you know? And he'd go, "I don't know what to do with it."
Guns N' Roses played the song in a piano version 1986, before it was released in 1992.
Here is also an acustic guitar version
Lyrics:
When I look into your eyes
I can see a love restrained
But darlin' when I hold you
Don't you know I feel the same
Nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain
We've been through this such a long long time
Just tryin' to kill the pain, oo yeah
But love is always coming and love is always going
And no one's really sure who's lettin' go today
Walking away
If we could take the time
To lay it on the line
I could rest my head
Just knowin' that you were mine
All mine
So if you want to love me
Then darlin' don't refrain
Or I'll just end up walkin'
In the cold November rain
Do you need some time on your own
Do you need some time all alone
Everybody needs some time
On their own
Don't you know you need some time all alone
I know it's hard to keep an open heart
When even friends seem out to harm you
But if you could heal a broken heart
Wouldn't time be out to charm you
Sometimes I need some time on my
Own
Sometimes I need some time all alone
Everybody needs some time
On their own
Don't you know you need some time all alone
And when your fears subside
And shadows still remain, oh yeah
I know that you can love me
When there's no one left to blame
So never mind the darkness
We still can find a way
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
Even cold November rain
Don't ya think that you need somebody
Don't ya think that you need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody
Don't ya think that you need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody
Don't ya think that you need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody
Don't ya think that you need someone
Everybody needs somebody
