Use Your Illusion I (First Half vs Second Half)

[The Dog]

I think there is more filler on UYI 1.  2 has its fair share but overall if I HAD to rid my brain of one of the other, I'd pick UYI 2 as the one to keep, you have some amazing rockers like YCBM, pretty tied up and then just the epic songs like estranged, KOHD and civil war. 

shotgun blues is just pure crap.  Get in the Ring is a fun song, but only for "real" GNR fans I think.

[Six Strings]

What a stupid thread...I always thought that it was personal. I, for example, think that Perfect Crime is one of the best GN'R songs.

[AdZ]

I.. kind of like the whole album?

[von]

Ok, so I was listening to Use Your Illusion I the other day and I couldn?t believe what an awesome record it was. But as I was listening to it, I noticed that the second half of the record was infinitely better then the first half of the record.

If you take a look at UYI I?s track listing, you will know what I mean.

1st Half:

1. Right Next Door to Hell ? Horrible song, and bad way to start a record
2. Dust N Bones ? Great Izzy song, one of the best of the 1st half
3. Live Let Die ? The is a cover so I consider it filler, not a great cover at that
4. Don?t Cry (Original Lyric?s) ? a GNR classic, but I prefer the UYI II version better
5. Perfect Crime ? Horrible song
6. You Ain?t the First ? Ok song, but still filler
7. Bad Obsession ? Great song, this one along with Dust N Bones are the only two great songs of the 1st half of UYI I.
8. Back Off Bitch ? Bad song, to me this is a gimmick song, (muck like ?Get in the Ring? on UYI II) Total filler and a track that I skip most of the time.
________________________________________________________________________
2nd Half:

9. Double Talking Jive ? Good song, I like the way it goes all acoustic at the end
10. November Rain ? Kind of played out, but still a GNR classic
11. The Garden ? Great Song!
12. Garden of Eden ? Great Song (Love the video)
13. Don?t Damn Me ? This is one of my personal favorites ? Great song
14. Bad Apples ? Another killer song ? I love this track
15. Dead Horse ? Another of my personal favorites ? This is a rocken? track
16. Coma ? This is one of the best GNR songs EVER and it?s also one of the most under rated. I love the guitar parts and the lyrics are some of the best Axl has ever written

So, as you can see, I think the 2nd half is way better then the first. I really don't understand the track listing for this record. Shouldn?t the great songs come at the beginning of the record, and all the filler songs come at the end? To me, this record is all upside down.

I know everyone has there one opinion, and this is just mine, but I?d like to see if anyone else agrees with me. (You can disagree too, that's ok)

Ben

I'm sorry, but I do disagree. Rather strongly. "Back Off Bitch" is one of GN'R's strongest songs, period. I'll never get some of the hate thrown at it. "Right Next Door to Hell" is a kick in the balls and a badass way to open a rock album. I do agree on "Don't Cry," as I prefer the alt. lyrics as well, but I find that it fits here and I enjoy having both versions to tie this album together. Yes, I do consider the Illusions one album. If I had to split them as separate releases, my preference has always been towards Use Your Illusion I. I think overall these make for a flawless album. I don't think there's any real filler here. Even "My World" is a strange experiment that somehow manages to work amidst all the excess and madness. The Illusions are my favorite album, GN'R or otherwise.

[COMAMOTIVE]

While I do agree that the 2nd half is a little better, I would strongly disagree about you saying Perfect Crime is anything but a great rock song - I think it's classic Axl to say the least

[bodine]

While I do agree that the 2nd half is a little better, I would strongly disagree about you saying Perfect Crime is anything but a great rock song - I think it's classic Axl to say the least

Same (IMO) for Right Next Door...  I personally think either of these songs is far better than Garden of Eden...

[Millions]

 
I agree with your general point, but not with some of the song choices you've chosen to make it.

Back Off Bitch is a fantastic song, in my opinion. One of the best on both Illusion albums.

[Lostrose]

I think you're high.  Back off  Bitch is one of my favorites on the albumn.  And the only song that i skip (and the only one that i don't know ALL the lyrics to) is Garden of Eden.  I hate that damn song.

That and My world are the only two bad songs that GnR ever did. 

[Axl4Prez2004]

I think you're high.? Back off? Bitch is one of my favorites on the albumn.? And the only song that i skip (and the only one that i don't know ALL the lyrics to) is Garden of Eden.? I hate that damn song.

That and My world are the only two bad songs that GnR ever did.?

Ouch, I have to disagree.  Garden of Eden's lyrics kick serious ass. (I am a big lyrics guy).  "Most organized religions make a mockery of humanity, our governments are dangerous and out of control..."  Nothings changed in the past decade and a half, in fact it's become even more true. 

[Megaguns]

i havent listened to any gnr in a while, but i do remember thinking the 2nd half of uyi1 was better than the beginning...

hope that helps

[DeN]

Bad Apples ? Another killer song


this thread is an entire joke, right ? 

[COMAMOTIVE]

Just imagine the similar conversations we could be having over a triple-album Chinese D

[clau68]

In general I like both UYI1 and UYI2 and Perfect Crime is one of the songs that I like more. I love breakdown too but I don?t like the final part.

[CheapJon]

Just imagine the similar conversations we could be having over a triple-album Chinese D

my god you're right, damn shame some people are this lame

[Bodhi]

Ok, so I was listening to Use Your Illusion I the other day and I couldn?t believe what an awesome record it was. But as I was listening to it, I noticed that the second half of the record was infinitely better then the first half of the record.

If you take a look at UYI I?s track listing, you will know what I mean.

1st Half:

1. Right Next Door to Hell ? Horrible song, and bad way to start a record
2. Dust N Bones ? Great Izzy song, one of the best of the 1st half
3. Live Let Die ? The is a cover so I consider it filler, not a great cover at that
4. Don?t Cry (Original Lyric?s) ? a GNR classic, but I prefer the UYI II version better
5. Perfect Crime ? Horrible song
6. You Ain?t the First ? Ok song, but still filler
7. Bad Obsession ? Great song, this one along with Dust N Bones are the only two great songs of the 1st half of UYI I.
8. Back Off Bitch ? Bad song, to me this is a gimmick song, (muck like ?Get in the Ring? on UYI II) Total filler and a track that I skip most of the time.
________________________________________________________________________
2nd Half:

9. Double Talking Jive ? Good song, I like the way it goes all acoustic at the end
10. November Rain ? Kind of played out, but still a GNR classic
11. The Garden ? Great Song!
12. Garden of Eden ? Great Song (Love the video)
13. Don?t Damn Me ? This is one of my personal favorites ? Great song
14. Bad Apples ? Another killer song ? I love this track
15. Dead Horse ? Another of my personal favorites ? This is a rocken? track
16. Coma ? This is one of the best GNR songs EVER and it?s also one of the most under rated. I love the guitar parts and the lyrics are some of the best Axl has ever written

So, as you can see, I think the 2nd half is way better then the first. I really don't understand the track listing for this record. Shouldn?t the great songs come at the beginning of the record, and all the filler songs come at the end? To me, this record is all upside down.

I know everyone has there one opinion, and this is just mine, but I?d like to see if anyone else agrees with me. (You can disagree too, that's ok)

Ben

ummm Guns N Roses dont make any "bad" songs...so im confused by this whole topic...

[Drew]

The only songs from the first half of Use Your Illusion I that I would categorize as filler songs would be...You Ain?t the First, Dust N Bones, & Bad Obsession.

From the second half of Use Your Illusion I, filler songs would include...Double Talking Jive & The Garden.

[mpkline]

So 16 years and 3 months ago two of the most ambitious albums ever made at that point were released. I remember waiting in line to get the albums for many hours at my local record store, a sight rarely seen these days. Opinions vary on the songs, but if your a true fan of guns n' roses then you go with where the band went. I like the faster songs more, but I can appreciate the slower more introspective songs as the guys needed to vent some different emotions. Anyway i was bored tonight and my wife is asleep, so I put together a little project that many of us probably have over the years, and I just want your opinion about it. Use Your Illusion the way it could have been. I put the older songs onto UY1 and teh more progressive songs on to UY2. to me it follows a more probable route that? the band would have gone. If UY1 was released in December 1989 like the world had hoped, and then UY2 (would have been called something else maybe) in 1991 What do you think of the list. Again older songs on the first album where they belonged, and songs showing a new direction on the later album. Discuss, and think, and have some fun. Another fun one is to try and make a perfect Illusions Record like Walmart did in 1998. Try that if your bored.
Use Your Illusion- December 1989? ? ? ?Some other title - September 1991
01.) You Could Be Mine? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?01.) Pretty Tied Up
02.) Perfect Crime? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?02.) Shotgun Blues
03.) Dust N' Bones? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 03.) 14 Years
04.) Bad Obsession? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 04.) Civil War
05.) Yesterdays? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?05.) Double Talkin' Jive
06.) Back Off Bitch? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 06.) Don't Cry - Alt. Lyrics
07.) Dead Horse? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 07.) Right Next Door To Hell
08.) Don't Cry? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?08.) So Fine
09.) The Garden? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 09.) Bad Apples
10.) Don't Damn Me? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 10.) Breakdown
11.) November Rain? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 11.) Live And Let Die
12.) You Ain't The First? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 12.) Estranged
13.) Garden Of Eden? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?13.) Get In the Ring
14.) Knockin' On Heaven's Door? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 14.) Locomotive
15.) Coma? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 15.) My World

[D]

The first album would've been a fantastic hit with YCBM, DC and NR as the 3 big singles.


The 2nd album however, really wouldn't have had a whole lot of single power.............................

[mcalldp]

So 16 years and 3 months ago two of the most ambitious albums ever made at that point were released. I remember waiting in line to get the albums for many hours at my local record store, a sight rarely seen these days. Opinions vary on the songs, but if your a true fan of guns n' roses then you go with where the band went. I like the faster songs more, but I can appreciate the slower more introspective songs as the guys needed to vent some different emotions. Anyway i was bored tonight and my wife is asleep, so I put together a little project that many of us probably have over the years, and I just want your opinion about it. Use Your Illusion the way it could have been. I put the older songs onto UY1 and teh more progressive songs on to UY2. to me it follows a more probable route that  the band would have gone. If UY1 was released in December 1989 like the world had hoped, and then UY2 (would have been called something else maybe) in 1991 What do you think of the list. Again older songs on the first album where they belonged, and songs showing a new direction on the later album. Discuss, and think, and have some fun. Another fun one is to try and make a perfect Illusions Record like Walmart did in 1998. Try that if your bored.
Use Your Illusion- December 1989       Some other title - September 1991
01.) You Could Be Mine                                             01.) Pretty Tied Up
02.) Perfect Crime                                                     02.) Shotgun Blues
03.) Dust N' Bones                                                    03.) 14 Years
04.) Bad Obsession                                                    04.) Civil War
05.) Yesterdays                                                         05.) Double Talkin' Jive
06.) Back Off Bitch                                                    06.) Don't Cry - Alt. Lyrics
07.) Dead Horse                                                        07.) Right Next Door To Hell
08.) Don't Cry                                                           08.) So Fine
09.) The Garden                                                        09.) Bad Apples
10.) Don't Damn Me                                                  10.) Breakdown
11.) November Rain                                                  11.) Live And Let Die
12.) You Ain't The First                                              12.) Estranged
13.) Garden Of Eden                                                 13.) Get In the Ring
14.) Knockin' On Heaven's Door                                14.) Locomotive
15.) Coma                                                                15.) My World

Great post.
[small rant] I don't get it when some people start babbling about it being a bad thread because it's all just opinion. If you're on a message board expect to have discussions that range from  official news (yea right) to rumors and plenty of speculation in-between. If you don't like anything but official news threads then why post? [rant over]

I like the list above, I agree with the previous poster that the second album would have lacked in singles compared to the first but I like the play order better  like this for my personal listening pleasure.

I like UI2 better overall but both are good albums. However, I'd take AFD or Lies and then maybe a burnt CD of the best of the illusions stuff before ever listening to either of the Illusion albums. There is some filler, it's very obvious (to my ear anyway). There are a couple songs that are straight out bad and a few that are just alright and a bunch of great ones.

Still my main problem is the mix. Others have said it before but it's too processed in a horrible "arena rock" way. AFD is older and it's mix hasn't aged bad on my ears at all, sounds classic to me. UYI wasn't a great mix to my ears when it came out but it's aged even worse. I have a hard time listening to much of it anymore. Like I said, I throw on AFD, Lies or a mix CD of some UYI material and can't remember the last time I actually put the whole CD on for either I or II.

Well, that's my opinion. If I include the new stuff we've had a peek at, I think the music is stronger now (the writing) Most of what I have heard ranks in my top favorites of any GNR with TWAT being my favorite and IRS my least favorite.

So, the biggest problems I have with Illusion material is the overall cohesiveness of the album as a whole and the mix.

[AxlsMainMan]

Trying to condense the Use Your Illusion albums into one disc is essentially impossible, unless sacrifices are made.

A compact disc can only store 80 minutes of music, and the total running time of November Rain, Coma, Civil War, Locomotive, and Estranged is just over 45 minutes..