Chinese Democracy: "original tracklist sequence" vs. the final release

[Jecoma]

For just a week or so (back in the Fall of 2008) the "definitive" tracklist sequence was published as followed:

1. Chinese Democracy
2. Scraped
3. Shackler's Revenge
4. Street Of Dreams
5. If The World
6. Better
7. This I Love
8. There Was A Time
9. Riad N' The Bedovins
10. Sorry
11. I.R.S.
12. Catcher
13. Madagascar
14. Prostitute

In retrospect, how does the final release sequence hold up against the "original" one (not actually sure if Axl ever intended CD to be sequenced this way)?

For me, the final sequencing is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. Not only is the music stunning and great, but also the whole production of the album is fantastic.

[LIGuns]

interesting..

[LunsJail]

I think I like the final release better than this

[ppbebe]

ditto to both LunsJail and LiGuns

i didn't know of the tracklist jecoma posted.interesting. im happy with what i got.

[Lostrose]

I dont think it makes much difference.  its all the same songs...  either way, i like them all.  (cept for CITR.  that neverending duck is sooooo long)

[MrMojoRa]

In the end, when you have 14 of the best songs ever created, it wouldn't have made a difference.

[kunzerd]

i posted my original track list a long time back, and it was pretty close to what came out with the exception that i included oh my god early on, and i wrapped with if the world.

either way, its nice to eventually have gotten the album, and i sit in anticipation for US dates.

could i be seeing both Faith No More and GNR this year?
that would be awesome.

[bigcash2002]

the official track listing seems perfect to me

[Funkadelic]

I actually prefer this one. When I play CD I usually skip Scraped cause it feels really out of place. A fast song like that should really be played when you are cracking the first beer of the evening

[Continental Drift]

To me the "This I Love"/"Prostitute" close to Chinese Democracy is absolutely essential and I couldn't possibly comprehend the album without it. That alone makes Chinese Democracy an all-time classic album IMHO.

VERY happy with the track order we got. Wouldn't change a thing.

[Jecoma]

I agree 100%. I think the final sequence is great.

Just for the record: the tracklisting I posted in the first post of this thread is NOT my own creation or whatever. At one point back in 2008 this was published as being THE tracklisting for CD. It's too close to the final tracklisting to assume the tracks were put just in random order.

Many websites still have the news item with the original tracklisting published. Look here for example:

SPIN: http://www.spin.com/articles/chinese-democracy-songlist-and-album-art-unveiled

ArtistDirect: http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4848024,00.html

Stereogum: http://stereogum.com/archives/album-art/guns-n-roses-chinese-democracy-album-art-tracklist_028421.html

[TomFriend]

The final tracklisting is definitely the best. For all the complaining about Axl's obsessive tweaking of the album, it's funny how much difference a last minute change ended up making to the final piece.

[Ashba Rocks]

I like to first 3 in the original track listing, But that'd be most the main rockers out of the way after 3 songs 

[Halo69]

I think the final listing makes more sense

[Alfie Bones]

Final sequence is perfect.