Why Estranged is so underrated?

[axlsalinger]

I agree that Estranged is a masterpiece, in fact it is probably my favourite song ever. It has a lot going for it, fantastic lyrics, great guitar, piano and vocals, and real emotion.

I also like the video a lot. I know a lot of people dislike it, but I love all the stuff with the dolphins, the SWAT team, Axl's house etc. Jumping off the ship was a bit over the top.  Axl has said that they really had to change a lot of things because originally Stephanie was going to be in this video as well, so who knows what it could have been.

It was a tumultuous time for the band, and one hell of an expensive video to put out at that time. Amazing song.

[D]

Most people are unable to interpret songs...... normally the most simple songs are the ones that are hits, the ones u have to think about and u have actually had to have some type of life experience to appreciate are normally not hits cause Estranged and songs like that are for a cult following who GET IT and its message of hope.

[dodger girl]

I love the song but I hate the video.. well, not hate, but it's certainly not my favorite.. I dislike the fact that most of the escenes were stunts, I believe the Slash coming out of the water is a stunt and not the real Slash.. so that takes away some of the excitment of the video for me

Estranged the song is amazing as it can be.. a genuine masterpiece.. the lyrics touch me deeply, the Slash solos are beautiful, the part around the middle ("when I find out all the reasons..") always gets to me.. really beautiful

I agree with Buddah about the video though..

[metallex78]

I love the live band performance parts of the filmclip the best, that looks like it would've been an awesome gig, and the band looks as cool as ever

[liesin]

great song and a good video. It's a frewaking powerfull song and I really like it.

As you gyus allready said it's a very long tune and that will never fit with our fucked up radio standards.

[babydolls]

this song never fails to give me goosebumps - i find it so moving in so many different ways.  it is a masterpiece no doubt.  the video probably did however alienate the "masses" who were then in the midst of the Seattle sound and the stirrings of Britpop over here in the UK.  people were being encouraged to dislike "rock stars" per se by the more popular bands then. Kurt Cobain slagged off Axl numerous times and he (kurt) was very much king of the castle then.

I like the video - there's bits that I find a little OTT, but fk it - it was their vision at the time, so credit to them for releasing it and doing it their way.

a friend of mine watched the video and the Makin' vid of it when it came out and was in floods of tears afterwards, "one of the most moving things she had ever seen" - and she is really not into GnR at all.  takes all sorts.

[SkiX]

Man, I love this song... how can anyone hate it?

[gilee7]

"Estranged" is my favorite song of all time, not just by GNR, by any band/musician ever. Although the first time I heard "Estranged" I wasn't a big fan of it. After a few listens, I started to see just how brilliant the song is. The lyrics are Axl's best; I haven't related to a song more than I have that one. It's gotten me through a lot of tough times.

As for the video, I love it. I don't care if it's over the top. Rock N Roll is supposed to be over the top anyway. I was just a little kid during the early 90's, so I didn't know who GNR was back then and I don't remember anything about the grunge movement. But "Estranged" and "November Rain" are my two favorite videos, probably because they are over the top. They're like ... mini-movies.

I don't think Axl cares for his videos anymore, though. Not the UYI ones. During the Eddie Trunk interview, Eddie Trunk talked about how much he loved the videos off UYI, and Axl said he thinks they're just "corny" now.

[Yesterday]

I think because of being over 9 minutes and the hey day of grunge killed this song.  The video alienated alot of fans to.  I loved the trilogy concept, but it became to bloated by this video.

As far as the song, it is Axl/Slash at there best.  Looking back a swan song for them?

[pollyblue]

release estranged in the 70's and it's a hit. just like deep purple's "child in time" or golden earring's "radar love" were. great rock songs were the shit back then.

[jimb0]

I just hope the Twat Video doesn't have dolphins.  I love Estranged, video ain't so rock n' roll, but I think Axl should have hired an actress to play Steph.  I  might have been sick of another Steph video though

[marknroses]

Because Axl Rose played the ballad card one too many times on UYI (November Rain, Don't Cry, Yesterdays). Estranged followed & it didn't stick out as well.
Estranged is the 2nd greatest song (in my opinion) ever made by GNR & its great that they released it. But for credibility with the alt-rock movement in the early 1990s, they should have put out COMA or Civil War instead, complete with videos. Those songs were harder, more "grungiish". It would have boosted sales, perhaps ending UYI with a bang rather than with a whimper that was Estranged.

MNW

[nygiants82]

I remember the video being on MTV alot. Not as often as NR was, but quite a bit. It seems like it was their last video that got heavy rotation.

[Verse Chorus Verse]

I know why it's underrated. Axl swam with dolphins.

[Kaleigh]

Estranged the song is amazing as it can be.. a genuine masterpiece.. the lyrics touch me deeply, the Slash solos are beautiful, the part around the middle ("when I find out all the reasons..") always gets to me.. really beautifu.

I completely agree, the same part does it for me.  Estranged is one of my favorite songs to sing along to. I've always liked the song, but what made it finally click was the piano demo.  It made me appreciate the song a whole lot more.  I haven't watched the video in months, so I'll have to come back and post my thoughts on that when I do.

[ppbebe]

some guy said he hates the song cos to him, it's too close to home.

I don't think it's so underrated tho.

[codenameninja]

For all the great aspects of Estranged (guitar parts etc) the song does come across as too long. Towards the end it goes on for about one section too many. Maybe if they had spent and extra five years making the UYI albums it would have hit home that Estranged needed trimming back by a few minutes?

On a positive note. Estranged is one of the highlights of the UYI albums?


I have sometimes wondered why SCOM was made shorter for the video version? i'm so used to hearing the AFD version, that on the few occasions that SCOM gets played on the television it catches me out by sounding different 

[melissa]

Estranged is one of my favourites songs ever. I still rememeber when i first heard it. i was 28.
i don't know if it's underrated, don't really care. some don't want to hear it cause it's a very complex song. they have no idea what they are missing.