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November Rain
"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, by Geffen Records, as the third single from the band's third studio album, Use Your Illusion I (1991). The song peaked at number one on the US Cash Box Top 100 and number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and at almost nine minutes long it was the longest song to enter the top ten of the chart at the time of its release. As of 2019[update], it was the fourth longest song to enter the Hot 100 chart. 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. The accompanying music video was directed by Andy Morahan.
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.
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.
Slash reported that his guitar solo in the song's album version developed directly from an improvisation.
"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". The song's composition was influenced by Elton John's 1973 opus "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding".
Its distinct symphonic overtone owes to a sweeping string arrangement, orchestrated by Rose. "We call it 'the Layla song'," joked Slash, referencing a similarly constructed rock song with a long, instrumental second part. It was later preceded by the coda from "Layla" on the Not in This Lifetime... Tour.
On November 4, 2022, the track was re-released with newly recorded orchestration on a re-issue of the Use Your Illusion album. A 50-piece orchestra conducted and arranged by Christopher Lennertz played the parts that had been sampled audio in the original mix. The track was mixed by Steven Wilson.
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." 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." Another editor, Simon Reynolds, declared it as "a lush, swoony, mock-orchestral epic mid-way between Trevor Horn, Jim Steinman and 'Purple Rain'." Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel viewed it as "a schlocky, over-produced ballad". 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."
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November Rain AI simulator
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November Rain
"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, by Geffen Records, as the third single from the band's third studio album, Use Your Illusion I (1991). The song peaked at number one on the US Cash Box Top 100 and number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and at almost nine minutes long it was the longest song to enter the top ten of the chart at the time of its release. As of 2019[update], it was the fourth longest song to enter the Hot 100 chart. 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. The accompanying music video was directed by Andy Morahan.
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.
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.
Slash reported that his guitar solo in the song's album version developed directly from an improvisation.
"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". The song's composition was influenced by Elton John's 1973 opus "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding".
Its distinct symphonic overtone owes to a sweeping string arrangement, orchestrated by Rose. "We call it 'the Layla song'," joked Slash, referencing a similarly constructed rock song with a long, instrumental second part. It was later preceded by the coda from "Layla" on the Not in This Lifetime... Tour.
On November 4, 2022, the track was re-released with newly recorded orchestration on a re-issue of the Use Your Illusion album. A 50-piece orchestra conducted and arranged by Christopher Lennertz played the parts that had been sampled audio in the original mix. The track was mixed by Steven Wilson.
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." 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." Another editor, Simon Reynolds, declared it as "a lush, swoony, mock-orchestral epic mid-way between Trevor Horn, Jim Steinman and 'Purple Rain'." Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel viewed it as "a schlocky, over-produced ballad". 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."