Use Your Illusion I cover art

  Studio Album · No. 3

Use Your Illusion I Songwriting Credits by Guns N' Roses

1991 Geffen Records 16 tracks 76 min

Produced by Mike Clink, Guns N' Roses  ·  Engineered by Mike Clink, Jim Mitchell, Allen Abrahamson, Bill Price

Geffen Records Hard rockArt rockGlam metal
94%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 15 of 16 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 15 / 16 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 16 tracks with documented writers, by whether Guns N' Roses carries a lyricist or composer credit.

94%
15 trackswritten by Guns N' Roses 1 trackoutside writers
Guns N' Roses's roles on this album

Share of the 16 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist94%
Composer94%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

16
Tracks
11
Lyricists
2
Producers
5.5 million
US Copies Sold
1991
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance (1992, Nominated)
Data Insight

Use Your Illusion I was written by the Guns N' Roses lineup of the early 1990s, with songwriting credited across Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and the band. It contains the epic ballad "November Rain," written by Rose, alongside the band-credited "Don't Cry" and a cover of Wings' "Live and Let Die." Aside from that one cover, the album is self-written.

Use Your Illusion I is the third studio album by Guns N' Roses, released on September 17, 1991 through Geffen Records as one of two simultaneous albums. Produced by Mike Clink with the band, it pushed their hard rock sound toward longer, more ambitious arrangements, anchored by the orchestral ballad "November Rain" and the reworked "Don't Cry." The record also features a cover of Paul McCartney and Wings' "Live and Let Die" and "The Garden," a duet with Alice Cooper. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, just behind its companion Use Your Illusion II, and was certified multi-platinum. The album marked the arrival of drummer Matt Sorum and keyboardist Dizzy Reed as Izzy Stradlin neared his departure from the band.

Track Listing & Credits 16 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Right Next Door to Hell
Axl RoseIzzy StradlinTimo Kaltio W. Axl RoseJeffrey Dean IsbellTimo Kaltio Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
2
Dust N' Bones
SlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKagan Saul HudsonJeffrey Dean IsbellDuff McKagan Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
3
Live and Let Die
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
4
Don't Cry
Axl RoseIzzy Stradlin W. Axl RoseJeffrey Dean Isbell Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
5
Perfect Crime
Axl RoseSlashIzzy Stradlin W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonJeffrey Dean Isbell Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
6
You Ain't the First
Izzy Stradlin Jeffrey Dean Isbell Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
7
Bad Obsession
Izzy StradlinWest Arkeen Jeffrey Dean IsbellWest Arkeen Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
8
Back Off Bitch
Axl RosePaul Tobias W. Axl RosePaul Tobias Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
9
Double Talkin' Jive
Izzy Stradlin Jeffrey Dean Isbell Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
10
November Rain #3
Axl Rose W. Axl Rose Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
11
The Garden
Axl RoseWest ArkeenDel James W. Axl RoseWest ArkeenDel James Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy ReedAlice Cooper
12
Garden of Eden
Axl RoseSlash W. Axl RoseSaul Hudson Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
13
Don't Damn Me
Axl RoseSlashDave Lank W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonDave Lank Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
14
Bad Apples
Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKagan W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonJeffrey Dean IsbellDuff McKagan Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
15
Dead Horse
Axl Rose W. Axl Rose Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed
16
Coma
Axl RoseSlash W. Axl RoseSaul Hudson Mike ClinkGuns N' Roses Axl RoseSlashIzzy StradlinDuff McKaganMatt SorumDizzy Reed

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 19 contributors

AR
Axl Rose
Writer
On this album11 written
WA
W. Axl Rose
Writer
On this album11 written
IS
Izzy Stradlin
Writer
On this album8 written
JD
Jeffrey Dean Isbell
Writer
On this album8 written
SH
Saul Hudson
Writer
On this album6 written
S
Slash
Writer
On this album6 written
DM
Duff McKagan
Writer
On this album2 written
WA
West Arkeen
Writer
On this album2 written
DL
Dave Lank
Writer
On this album1 written
DJ
Del James
Writer
On this album1 written
LM
Linda McCartney
Writer
On this album1 written
PM
Paul McCartney
Writer
On this album1 written

More from Guns N' Roses

1987 100%
Appetite for Destruction
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12 tracksProd. Mike Clink
1988 75%
G N' R Lies
Geffen Records
8 tracksProd. Guns N' Roses
1991 93%
Use Your Illusion II
Geffen Records
14 tracksProd. Mike Clink
1993 0%
"The Spaghetti Incident?"
Geffen Records
13 tracksProd. Mike Clink
2008 100%
Chinese Democracy
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14 tracksProd. Axl Rose

Frequently Asked Questions Use Your Illusion I

Did Guns N' Roses write Use Your Illusion I themselves?
Yes, almost entirely. Use Your Illusion I was written by the band, with credits shared among Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, and Duff McKagan. The only cover is Wings' "Live and Let Die."
Who wrote "November Rain" by Guns N' Roses?
"November Rain" was written by Axl Rose, who had developed the epic ballad over several years. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the band's signature songs.
Is "Live and Let Die" by Guns N' Roses a cover?
Yes. "Live and Let Die" is a cover of the Paul McCartney and Wings song written for the James Bond film. It is the only non-original track on Use Your Illusion I.
How well did Use Your Illusion I by Guns N' Roses sell?
Use Your Illusion I was certified 7x Platinum in the United States, with around 5.5 million copies sold there. It and its companion album were released simultaneously in 1991 to massive sales.
What genre is Use Your Illusion I by Guns N' Roses?
Use Your Illusion I is a hard rock album with art rock ambition and glam metal roots. It expanded the band's sound with longer, more orchestrated songs.
Was Use Your Illusion I nominated for a Grammy?
Yes. Use Your Illusion I was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 1992 Grammy Awards. The single "Live and Let Die" earned a nomination in the same category the following year.

Sources

Wikipedia: Use Your Illusion I Wikipedia: November Rain MusicBrainz: Use Your Illusion I release group Cover Art Archive: Use Your Illusion I front cover Cover Art Archive: Use Your Illusion I by Guns N' Roses