The second album we’re looking at for #GnRWeek is G N’ R Lies. I tend to think of Lies as an EP, and I think it technically is an EP but it is often referred to as their second album. It only had four new songs though and was really just a stop gap to appease the fans. One side had all the live cover songs that were on Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide, and the four new acoustic songs were all recorded in one session in one day with the whole band sitting down together in the studio at the same time. It sounds so easy and yet it’s a pretty cool EP.
I only discovered a few years ago that the ‘live’ songs on this EP were in fact recorded in a studio and they added crowd songs on after. Sneaky.
I feel a bit bad having most of the acoustic songs highest in my list below. Not sure why. Maybe because Guns are such a loud rock band normally. I just love the sound of these songs. Two of the live songs are great though.
I also really like the cover and I have the vinyl LP cover hanging up on my wall as we speak.
Here is my personal ranking of the eight tracks.
8. Nice Boys – (Rose Tattoo cover) Slightly basic and repetitive.
7. Reckless Life – Good song, not a huge fan of Slash’s solo though.
6. You’re Crazy – I’ve never really loved either version of this song. Either this one or the faster one on Appetite, but I prefer the Appetite one to this one.
5. Mama Kin – (Aerosmith cover) I really like this song but feel it could be developed more. It just seems a little rough round the edges. Would have loved to hear this one redone for Use Your Illusion.
4. Move to the City – Good intro. Funky song. I believe written by Rob Gardner, the drummer in Axl’s original band Hollywood Rose? I think Steve Adler’s book said that but he’s not credited. It appears on the soundtrack for American Ninja 3!
3. I Used To Love Her – I often struggled with how I felt about this song. I just always found the lyrics a bit repetitive and of course a bit random, but the song is so good with such a great sound and played really well so I do really enjoy it.
2. One In A Million – I love this song. Starts off sounding like a western cowboy song, which is always good, and then the bongos come in. Even better. This is of course the song where the lyrics caused a lot of controversy, but I just enjoy the song for what it is.
1. Patience – A classic. One of their best hits. Easily top ten GnR. Possibly top five.