My 'Welcome to the Jungle' essay

[gangs_n_robbers]

found that here:  http://www.gnrsource.com/songinfo/afd/wttj.htm

that site has info on all of the albums and all of the songs, could be a good reference for your paper

thanks for that link i didnt even know about that, thats awesome.

[gangs_n_robbers]

As far as the content, I dont really agree with the remarks about how illusions is how it is because the band became wealthy and no longer represented the voice of the 'streets' or whatever. Illusions has those raw, dirty riffs accompanied with immature angry lyrics, like appetite, the band just purposefully tried to outdo appetite and that meant a double album with many styles n tastes. Many of the tunes predated appetite infact so its not like they changed direction.. they just beefed the sound up with keyboards n stuff on many songs.

Thats still how i see it. its ironic i know because alot of the bigger songs from the illusions were from the appetite era. so you would assume they are just as legit. but i find the illusions songs lack the raw street cred that appetite had. the illusions are amazing albums but i dont think you can parallel illusions and appetite. shotgun blues isnt welcome to the jungle. To me its like apples and oranges. they are both great, but just not the same.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

You should mention that Jungle was the first song they used on Noriega.

[gangs_n_robbers]

good point. thats a sweet story too haha.

[freedom78]

erm... let me get this straight... at Universities in the US you write essays on why a particular rock band is the best in the world..... 

erm...let me get this straight... at Universities in the UK they don't teach you that Nova Scotia is a part of Canada, and not the US...

Anyway, regarding the value of this course and assignment, I'd say they're just fine.  Rock n' roll has played a huge part in social movements, both by driving social/political beliefs and by reacting to others.  It plays an important role, and is worth studying in that context.  The value of the assignment is obvious to me.  If forces students to make a strong argument and to provide evidence for their positions.  Just because the subject matter is rock n' roll, rather than, say, French colonialism, doesn't mean it's invalid as a means to teach students to better their communication skills.   

Anyway, regarding the actual essay, here are a few pointers:

1.) You try to introduce too much in your introduction, talking about the GNR image, their musical roots, and their historical context.

2.) Your intro also makes it seem as though your paper is about GNR, and not WTTJ.  And, in truth, your paper focuses on GNR a lot, at the expense of WTTJ.  Obviously, you can't divorce the two, but you focus on the history of GNR a lot, when that isn't really what the assignment asks of you.

3.) So, focus more on WTTJ, and then tie it in with the following:
---a combination of blues rock, punk, and metal sensibilities
---ABOUT the rock n' roll life, so a reflection of reality
---historical context of WTTJ changing the direction of rock from pseudo-glam to something more aggressive and raw
---any other changes, in music or otherwise, that can be tied in to WTTJ

4.) The song conveys an attitude, and it's easily exemplified.  You mention it being played at sporting events, but be more specific.  From 2002-2003, LA Dodgers closer Eric Gagne took over the MLB consecutive saves record with 63.  He was DOMINANT.  And he always came onto the field (in home games) to WTTJ.  And the other team's players knew they were about to lose. 

5.) I would recommend pulling yourself back from the writing a little.  You're obviously enthused about GNR and WTTJ...so much so, in fact, that you jump from one familiar GNR image to another...but readers might not be familiar with the imagery.  So, be specific, use examples, and give details. 

[joscott]

I wrote a essay last year about comparing GNR with Nirvana and how GNR was better. I get an A lol

[freedom78]

I wrote a essay last year about comparing GNR with Nirvana and how GNR was better. I get an A lol

Well, you had a strong thesis!

[EstrangedReality]

erm... let me get this straight... at Universities in the US you write essays on why a particular rock band is the best in the world..... 

erm...let me get this straight... at Universities in the UK they don't teach you that Nova Scotia is a part of Canada, and not the US...

Anyway, regarding the value of this course and assignment, I'd say they're just fine.  Rock n' roll has played a huge part in social movements, both by driving social/political beliefs and by reacting to others.  It plays an important role, and is worth studying in that context.  The value of the assignment is obvious to me.  If forces students to make a strong argument and to provide evidence for their positions.  Just because the subject matter is rock n' roll, rather than, say, French colonialism, doesn't mean it's invalid as a means to teach students to better their communication skills.   

Anyway, regarding the actual essay, here are a few pointers:

1.) You try to introduce too much in your introduction, talking about the GNR image, their musical roots, and their historical context.

2.) Your intro also makes it seem as though your paper is about GNR, and not WTTJ.  And, in truth, your paper focuses on GNR a lot, at the expense of WTTJ.  Obviously, you can't divorce the two, but you focus on the history of GNR a lot, when that isn't really what the assignment asks of you.

3.) So, focus more on WTTJ, and then tie it in with the following:
---a combination of blues rock, punk, and metal sensibilities
---ABOUT the rock n' roll life, so a reflection of reality
---historical context of WTTJ changing the direction of rock from pseudo-glam to something more aggressive and raw
---any other changes, in music or otherwise, that can be tied in to WTTJ

4.) The song conveys an attitude, and it's easily exemplified.  You mention it being played at sporting events, but be more specific.  From 2002-2003, LA Dodgers closer Eric Gagne took over the MLB consecutive saves record with 63.  He was DOMINANT.  And he always came onto the field (in home games) to WTTJ.  And the other team's players knew they were about to lose. 

5.) I would recommend pulling yourself back from the writing a little.  You're obviously enthused about GNR and WTTJ...so much so, in fact, that you jump from one familiar GNR image to another...but readers might not be familiar with the imagery.  So, be specific, use examples, and give details. 

^ Excellent advice.

To the OP: I would take all this to heart. Very good stuff, freedom.

[freedom78]

erm... let me get this straight... at Universities in the US you write essays on why a particular rock band is the best in the world..... 

erm...let me get this straight... at Universities in the UK they don't teach you that Nova Scotia is a part of Canada, and not the US...

Anyway, regarding the value of this course and assignment, I'd say they're just fine.  Rock n' roll has played a huge part in social movements, both by driving social/political beliefs and by reacting to others.  It plays an important role, and is worth studying in that context.  The value of the assignment is obvious to me.  If forces students to make a strong argument and to provide evidence for their positions.  Just because the subject matter is rock n' roll, rather than, say, French colonialism, doesn't mean it's invalid as a means to teach students to better their communication skills.   

Anyway, regarding the actual essay, here are a few pointers:

1.) You try to introduce too much in your introduction, talking about the GNR image, their musical roots, and their historical context.

2.) Your intro also makes it seem as though your paper is about GNR, and not WTTJ.  And, in truth, your paper focuses on GNR a lot, at the expense of WTTJ.  Obviously, you can't divorce the two, but you focus on the history of GNR a lot, when that isn't really what the assignment asks of you.

3.) So, focus more on WTTJ, and then tie it in with the following:
---a combination of blues rock, punk, and metal sensibilities
---ABOUT the rock n' roll life, so a reflection of reality
---historical context of WTTJ changing the direction of rock from pseudo-glam to something more aggressive and raw
---any other changes, in music or otherwise, that can be tied in to WTTJ

4.) The song conveys an attitude, and it's easily exemplified.  You mention it being played at sporting events, but be more specific.  From 2002-2003, LA Dodgers closer Eric Gagne took over the MLB consecutive saves record with 63.  He was DOMINANT.  And he always came onto the field (in home games) to WTTJ.  And the other team's players knew they were about to lose. 

5.) I would recommend pulling yourself back from the writing a little.  You're obviously enthused about GNR and WTTJ...so much so, in fact, that you jump from one familiar GNR image to another...but readers might not be familiar with the imagery.  So, be specific, use examples, and give details. 

^ Excellent advice.

To the OP: I would take all this to heart. Very good stuff, freedom.

Thanks.  I'm currently teaching an international relations course that meets an advanced composition requirement, so I'm very used to looking at what's written and assessing how well it meets the assigned criteria (hell, I'm grading at this very moment...or at least I will be when I finish typing!).

[Loaded NightraiN]

erm... let me get this straight... at Universities in the US you write essays on why a particular rock band is the best in the world.....?

Wow if you werent so eager to slag the US, like so many around here do, you'd know where Nova Scotia
is... 

[Jackamo!]

erm... let me get this straight... at Universities in the US you write essays on why a particular rock band is the best in the world..... 

Wow if you werent so eager to slag the US, like so many around here do, you'd know where Nova Scotia
is... 

Canada's Ocean Playground

I live close to the infamous "Tar Ponds"


Nothing I can say about the WTTJ essay, it's good, not as good as a Silkworms essay I read a while back, but good.

[gangs_n_robbers]

1.) You try to introduce too much in your introduction, talking about the GNR image, their musical roots, and their historical context.

2.) Your intro also makes it seem as though your paper is about GNR, and not WTTJ.  And, in truth, your paper focuses on GNR a lot, at the expense of WTTJ.  Obviously, you can't divorce the two, but you focus on the history of GNR a lot, when that isn't really what the assignment asks of you.

4.) The song conveys an attitude, and it's easily exemplified.  You mention it being played at sporting events, but be more specific.  From 2002-2003, LA Dodgers closer Eric Gagne took over the MLB consecutive saves record with 63.  He was DOMINANT.  And he always came onto the field (in home games) to WTTJ.  And the other team's players knew they were about to lose. 

5.) I would recommend pulling yourself back from the writing a little.  You're obviously enthused about GNR and WTTJ...so much so, in fact, that you jump from one familiar GNR image to another...but readers might not be familiar with the imagery.  So, be specific, use examples, and give details. 

in regards to 1 and 2 the assignment is to write about a band and one of their songs. it isnt supposed to focus completely on the song. i know i titled the subject 'my welcome to the jungle essay' so thats my fault but really its 'my guns n' roses / welcome to the jungle' essay. We are supposed to argue for the band in general, then focus on a specific song. Also i think the context is pretty useful. I really don't say why the band in general is important. i might go over that again. I was thinking that the context is a big part of the song, like who the band was at that point. if Cinderella sang welcome to the jungle it would not be the same song at all (note, i know nothing about Cinderella, i am assuming they suck though because they named themselves Cinderella).

4) I didnt know Gagne used it, good suggestion. ill put that in.

5) yeah thats always the hardest part when you write an essay on something your passionate about. it goes from being an objective view to a fan letter. I was aiming for a semi personal view on this one because the class is very informal (we were encouraged to use the first person in the paper) and really its in the spirit of the assignment and the class. we are supposed to argue for the artist, its alright to have some passion in there.


When you say i jump from one gnr image to the other are you taking about going from the appetite days to the illusions?

[gangs_n_robbers]

5.) I would recommend pulling yourself back from the writing a little.  You're obviously enthused about GNR and WTTJ...so much so, in fact, that you jump from one familiar GNR image to another...but readers might not be familiar with the imagery.  So, be specific, use examples, and give details. 

i added some context for the illusions stuff. that was a good point.