Inside the song: THERE WAS A TIME

[rockNroses]

I agree with your thought process, and man thats pretty deep.
I also apllaud you with your knowledge and enthusiasim for Guns n Roses.
Also your language is very good, for English not being your first.

His english seems too good. The incite seems too good.

Axl is that you??

I am not Axl only a fan of the music.

[Ines_rocks!]

In simple terms its the one song that makes my scrotum tighten when i hear it, it blew me away far more than IRS, Madagascar, Chinese Democracy and Better.Its closest rival is Catcher In The Rye.

Just my opinion.

I second that (although the scrotum stuff dont happen to me ). TWAT for me is the best new Guns song... and can?t be compared to any "Better" or "IRS".

[vanilie]

How many times did they play this song live? At the concert where I was they did not play this song. I only know they played it in New York and Madrid, New York had fire but Madrid had the best sound and vocals. The studio recording combines both and is my favourite version so far.

But I don?t understand why so many prefer a music video on MTV and a physical CD over the personal real life experience of seing the band in concert. Please explain

do you understand now ...?

[rockNroses]

How many times did they play this song live? At the concert where I was they did not play this song. I only know they played it in New York and Madrid, New York had fire but Madrid had the best sound and vocals. The studio recording combines both and is my favourite version so far.

But I don?t understand why so many prefer a music video on MTV and a physical CD over the personal real life experience of seing the band in concert. Please explain

do you understand now ...?

I hear you, but the second quote is from another post on another topic and has nothing to do with this one.

It was mostly directed at the people who whine about no album but do not even go to the concerts, like "I want the album because my bootlegs sound so shit."

As for sound quality of course studio is better than live but then again listen to The Blues and how much better this song sounds live.

[horsey]

live is allways good.if you like who you are going to see.i don't really think live is all that bad.mostly looking and hearing axl.i never had problems to look at a nice looking band.but studio is much better to hear the lyric's i think.mostly live sounds muffled sometimes.but the music sounds better live.so who knows both ways are good.

[Sillything]

I love this interpretation and of course the song Good work!

[oldgunsfan]

Has anybody considered that this song is about Slash?

Maybe I am reading too much into it but the lyrics to me dont seem to be about Stephanie rather that he is talking about a male.

I think that Axl is singing about Slash and saying that he gave everything he had to GNR and Slash was on a magical mystery tour of playing with other artists such as Michael Jackson and the like, and that he was so out of it on drugs that he cant remember what Axl actually did for him.

I think that the solo's are deliberately Slashesque in order to make a point here. Anyone agree?

i thought IRS was more about Slash/former band members but this could be too/along with better

[ppbebe]

To me it's a sort of a requiem. For someone/ something the narrator once left behind.
Aren't some of the lines like 'sleeping like an angel' inferring death?
That's my take until I know the real lyrics.

BTW, rockNroses, FYI, check this link

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/board/index.php?PHPSESSID=78847da2b6b0b5ef58193575dccc9f62&topic=44531.0

[madagas]

sleepin' like Angel refers to Stephanie and the Victoria Secret stuff....the song is clearly about her.

[horsey]

i would think so.

[gunns1]

sleepin' like Angel refers to Stephanie and the Victoria Secret stuff....the song is clearly about her.

Well lets face it, it wouldnt be about Beta  ,

only yankin my chain ..

Ever since I heard the 2 opening verses of the song,
I loved it, yes the solos are good, but to me, the song lyrics, and the melody/flow of the song,
created a feeling in me like it was a nice sunny day in Las angeles or somewhere Like that,

Its a kick ass song, with a nice 90's feel about it,

However As much as I love the solo, I do find it a  bit long, especially the outro
and
"you didnt want to know it all, I dont want to know it now  x 50 times I think it is,
That gets on my nerves a bit,

and I can do without the tribal bird calls at the start of the newest demo that we all have


And yes, ill have fries with that!

[Apollon]

[...]
However As much as I love the solo, I do find it a? bit long, especially the outro
and
"you didnt want to know it all, I dont want to know it now? x 50 times I think it is,
That gets on my nerves a bit,

Remember that song called "Paradise City"?

[gunns1]

[...]
However As much as I love the solo, I do find it a? bit long, especially the outro
and
"you didnt want to know it all, I dont want to know it now? x 50 times I think it is,
That gets on my nerves a bit,

Remember that song called "Paradise City"?

Is that a trick question  ,

I just think that when that happens, its like Axl got lazy, and he just couldnt be bothered writing any more lyrics,
but then again, you look at 90% of songs out their today, and they all are so repeptitive,

Wat can you do

[Annie]

I thought the original post was very deep and insightful Great art speaks to a  person's soul.  I love discussing literature and its' meanings like the people in the movie THE JANE AUSTEN  BOOK CLUB! Also your analysis of the song makes me think of a relationship that i had over 20 years ago. All I can say now is THANK GOD I DIDN"T END UP MARRIED TO THAT GUY! but 20 years ago I felt like he stuck a knife through my heart when he said that he was marrying somebody else.

[ppbebe]

sleepin' like Angel refers to Stephanie and the Victoria Secret stuff....the song is clearly about her.

I don't think so. she was a Victoria Secret angel awake.
the person in the song had to sleep to be angel-like.
and what about the reaper near them?

[AxlsMainMan]

It's impossible not to feel eager for the release of Chinese Democracy while listening to this song, no matter how many times you've heard it.

The subtle hints of orchestration, the astounding guitar work, Axl's singing and lyrics..

The song is simply heavenly to the ears

[leatherebel]

"...but looks like I'm about to see for myself"

The realization of the situation and that it is all over and irreversible, hurts. Everything that you believed in, trusted in, planned your life around. All gone. Shattered to pieces. But even the denial period is over now. You've decided not to die. To live. To try to move on. You probably think you'll never be happy again or that you'd always feel the pain and carry the scars. Regardless. Let's just face it. Even if that means just floating in life for years to come just so you can collect your broken self and heal to some extent.


"If I could go back in time to the place in my soul"

Yet, the thoughts of hope for going back in time and trying to save your future are always tempting. Will always chase you. It may be naive, it may be childish, it may be stupid. But it is only human. Mind slavery in a way.

"There all alone, lonely tear drops, ooh, are calling you"

Looking at it though from the current perspective, you can't escape the feeling of loneliness and sorrow. It's a torn feeling. Pointless. Hopeless. But still, you can't really avoid thinking about it...as strong as you are trying to be.

"But I don't wanna know it now"

But you keep trying. Fighting. Even forcing yourself to get away from it all and trying to stop thinking about it...

"...'cause knowing you it won't change a damn thing"

That's right. But can you really just forget everything all of a sudden? Can you just control or change your feelings and start all fresh and healthy when you had lost your soul by losing what you believed was your soulmate for many years? And in the sickest of ways. And there was nothing in your power you could do to prevent it...
Well, you could keep trying. That's all you are left with.

Yet, the thoughts:

"but there was a time I would do ANYTHING for you..."

will be always there to hunt you...and to remind you....of a situation that is inexplicably wrong and hurtful. That no one needs in their lives. Ever.
A tragedy with the magnitude of a lifetime.

Yet, you are not bitter. You are not angry any more. You acknowledge and accept the facts. You don't believe in stupid consolations like "what goes around...comes back around". That's for the mean people. For the ones that seek revenge. The ones that insanely believe that other people's pain will somehow comfort them.
You are way above that. And even wish well to that person. Wish them to be happy and that in the end it is all worth for them. Because they sacrificed alot to get there...including other people's lives and dreams...

But if they ever ask for forgiveness or to come back in your life in whatever capacity, would you respond?

NEVER!
Not, in this lifetime...

Would you still love them?
Always. But that's irrelevant...

All you need from now is just some peace of mind....




Exactly one year and 2 hours ago the band took stage for their last (to this day) US show. It was probably the longest and most emotional and best performace of the entire 2006.


Happy Holidays and God bless!

[Axl4Prez2004]

^leatherebel...great f'ing post^

What an incredible song.   

[Axl4Prez2004]

Has anybody considered that this song is about Slash?

Maybe I am reading too much into it but the lyrics to me dont seem to be about Stephanie rather that he is talking about a male.

I think that Axl is singing about Slash and saying that he gave everything he had to GNR and Slash was on a magical mystery tour of playing with other artists such as Michael Jackson and the like, and that he was so out of it on drugs that he cant remember what Axl actually did for him.

I think that the solo's are deliberately Slashesque in order to make a point here. Anyone agree?

i thought IRS was more about Slash/former band members but this could be too/along with better

I forgot to reply.  No.  Absolutely not.  This song has nothing to do with Slash.  Seriously, the lyrics have nothing to do with Slash...unless Slash was a chick.   

[Duffio]

In my other post yesterday, I challenged the fans to make up their mind about the songs. And I want to practise what I preach and give (hopeully good) example of what I mean with giving my impression of the song ?There Was A Time?. In regards to my other post yesterday, I would appreciate this not being merged or deleted so we can have a new discussion quality with more substance among the fans. Thank you.

The party is over. Birds in the morning, ?broken glass and cigarettes??, a reflection about what went wrong, about disorientation and losing touch because of fears, doubts and living in denial and a fake world that you build around yourself to protect yourself from reality (?up and sitting pretty on a pedestral of fear?) and the lack of trust, all the could have beens if only there was faith and trust and love. But the woman that cheated on him, in the end is her own victim because she is sleeping ?like an angel? (= innocent, not knowing, not meaning harm) ?in another WOMANS bed? (= the same will happen to her, she will be cheated on, she will reap what she sew).

As the protagoist of this morning after stumbles across the deserted battlefield of his house, his place to live, with all the memories, maybe searching for the coffee machine, his mind becomes clearer. Then realising it was ?the wrong time for anyone? and that he has ?got to see for myself?. And that is the turning point, the wake up call.

The rhythm guitar wakes him up where it plays the ?wrong? thing also, going hand in hand with the lyrics with a dissonant powerchord that contrasts all the beautiful but false (= synth strings, drum computer, child piano, fake birds etc.) harmonies until the sigh of relief (Robin? guitar break) leads onto the real thing, to the man being honest to himself, saying ?There was a time I would do anything for you? and the guitars (real instruments) taking over, getting more intense as the protagonist begins to realise he has learned a lesson but can?t help the other because everyone has got to see for oneself.

Now there?s real drums that play no more loop but something real, and no more birds and the strings (calm) lift off to the horizon and make room for the guitars (energy) to take over the ground. No more lyrics except the truth ?There was a time I would do anything for you? and that?s it. All is said and done and the truth becomes a mantra, a chant.

You have to love someone very much and at the same time give yourself up a lot do to ?anything? for her. Every man knows women are beautiful and healing power for the soul but sometimes they can be quite difficult too and even blind you with their beauty, both their body and their soul, when you don?t see the real person behind what you wish to see. Or maybe it was just ?the wrong time? then for both of you. Maybe you will even meet again and things will work out, but this is not the time. I think every man knows what I mean.

After the beautiful Buckethead climax with the amazing tapping (= all is said and done musically at this part and the same can be said about the relationsship that is reflected in this song) the song ends on the same drum lick as Metallica?s ?Sad But True?. I?m not sure if that was intended but that is one hell of a statement too. Because the bottom line of this songs reads ?sad but true?. But it also says things are not so fucked up because in the end you will see and live with more wisdom so life will be better for you, even when the party is over. You can start a new party, but first you have to clean up the place a bit. That?s what the song does. The first (fake) half is a mess, but then the second (honest) half is so beautiful it hurts. But to get to that beauty, first you have to survive the mess to get there. You have to learn a lesson. You have to see for yourself.

The statement, the message of the song for me is actually how it is put together, the duality, the contrast between the controlled but fake "beauty" described in the first half and the wild, less structured but more naturally and honest beauty in the second half. Good and bad, right and wrong, night and day, guns and roses.

I have to say this is a fucking great piece of music and Axl sure is a brilliant lyricist, he has his own style and I love how he creates actual poetry with normal language. Also, I have to say my respect to Robin and Buckethead for the beautiful guitar solos. Robin is the right guitar player for Guns N? Roses because he brings in the same vunerability on the guitar that Axl brings in with his lyrics and vocals. It?s not about perfection, it?s about expression. Buckethead is a genius in a different way. I do not mean his speed and skill. I think he could acutally tell some life stories like Axl too, something to relate to, but he is not as good with words and instead just puts his poetry and emotion all into the guitar playing. I think his perfection is a statement that maybe he is very faulted and weak as a human being (like all of us) but he is learning too and he makes up for imperfection with his guitaring as Axl makes up for imperfection with lyrics and song craft, both inspire. Really, the song is so good it hurts.
 
How many times did they play this song live? At the concert where I was they did not play this song. I only know they played it in New York and Madrid, New York had fire but Madrid had the best sound and vocals. The studio recording combines both and is my favourite version so far. I once wrote to Richard and expressed my appreciation for this song. He seemed to be very proud of it. He said he likes this song a lot. But you know what he also said? He said ?wait til you hear the rest of the album?. So I guess they must have even better songs than that. I would not worry about the album or when it comes out. I would enjoy this great music as much as I can.

This is how I see and understand the song. I don't say this is how the band meant it, I could be totally wrong with my impression, but that's how I see it. How about you? Enough time has passed to connect and flow with the music, just let it sink in and see what happens. I believe most people here did not even sratch the surface of the new material. It is ok and important to just rock out and have a good time energy blast and all. But sometimes it is worth to look beyond that. Some lyrics and art, how a song is put together, that can be energy blast too. And the insight you get answers a lot of questions about the band and maybe for some also about yourself.

Sorry for so much writing again but I am not a man of small-talk.

this type of overanalyzation probably  makes axl not want to release CD lol

write a book.  i think it would be more appreciated than this LOOOOOOONG rant using your inner thoughts about a GNR song. 
FYI i didn't read your entire post; but it looks like you put waaaaaaaay too much time into it man.  go out and live a little.  This isn't supposed to be a flame post, not trying to flame you or whatever.  Just relax and try not too worry too much about a band's lyrical substantial content.