Guns N’ Roses “Paradise City” charted

Paradise City Guns N’ Roses

Writer(s): Slash, Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, Steven Adler (see lyrics here) Released: November 30, 1988 First Charted: January 14, 1989 Peak: 5 BB, 4 CB, 9 GR, 4 RR, 14 AR, 6 UK, 10 CN, 48 AU, 15 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 1.2 UK, 1.59 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 821.89 video, 1038.08 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Guns N’ Roses formed in 1985 in Los Angeles, California. 1987’s Appetite for Destruction became the best-selling debut album in U.S. history, selling 18 million copies. It has sold around 30 million copies worldwide. It wasn’t an overnight success, however. The band didn’t really take off until “Sweet Child O’ Mine” hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 – more than a year after the album’s release. Then “Welcome to the Jungle” was re-released and hit the top 10. The album had seemingly run its course by then since the group released GN’R Lies, a collection of four new songs and the group’s four-song EP Live Like a Suicide. However, after reaching the top-ten a third time with the power ballad “Patience,”Guns N’ Roses dipped back into the Appetite album for “Paradise City,” which became the album’s third top-ten hit. Slash, the lead guitarist for the band, says the song was written in the back of a rental van. The group were returning from a gig in San Francisco and playing acoustic guitarist. Slash came up with the intro and Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin joined in. After Slash started humming a melody, singer Axl Rose chimed in wit the line, “Take me down to the paradise city.” Slash responded with the line “Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.” WK According to McKagan, the song grew out of one of their first rehearsals and some lyrics from one of his notebooks. SF Verses about “the rough life on the streets” were inspired by Los Angeles, but “the chorus was based on Axl Rose’s memories of the Midwest, with images of green grass, innocence and possibility.” SF Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 4/10/2024.

AC/DC song “Highway to Hell” charted

Highway to Hell AC/DC

Writer(s): Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young (see lyrics here) Released: July 27, 1979 First Charted: September 1, 1979 Peak: 47 US, 57 CB, 57 HR, 1 CL, 2 AR, 14 UK, 24 AU, 4 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.5 US, 1.2 UK, 3.86 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 419.6 video, 1269.83 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The hard-rock band AC/DC formed in Australian in 1973. They released six albums in the 1970s before tragedy struck and lead singer Bon Scott died of alcohol poisoning on February 19, 1980 at 33 years old. 1979’s Highway to Hell, Scott’s final album, became the group’s most successful up to that point, selling seven million copies in the United States. The song “Highway to Hell” became a heavy metal classic. Guitarist Angus Young referred to the band’s gruelling tour schedule and the generally arduous nature of life on the road as “a highway to hell.” WK It was also a nickname for the Canning Highway in Australia. One end of the highway, near a pub called the Raffles, was known as a deadly spot where people were killed driving too fast. When Scott said he was on a highway to hell, it meant he was heading down Canning Highway to the Raffles to party. SF Author Dave Thompson said “AC/DC have ripped out some of modern rock’s most remarkable anthems and timeless riffs. ‘Highway to Hell’ is the pinnacle of both.” DT Cashbox called the song a “bone crunching, gut-wrenching exercise in primal guitar rock.” WK Record World said that “growling vocals join a raunchy guitar assault for simple, high voltage, rock ‘n’ roll abandon.” WK Up until that point, AC/DC’s albums had all been produced by Harry Vanda and George Young, brother of bandmates Malcolm and Angus. For Highway to Hell, the record company forced the band to work with Eddie Kramer, best known for working with Jim Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Kiss. When the band didn’t get along with him, Mutt Lange – best known for working with Boomtown Rats and Graham Parker – came on board. With his help, AC/DC was able to showcase their double-guitar sound. It became even more of a factor on Back in Black, the blockbuster album which came after Bon Scott’s death and the arrival of new lead singer Brian Johnson. Resources: SF Songfacts DT Dave Thompson (2011). 1000 Songs That Rock Your World. Krause Publications: Iola, WI. Page 83. WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 7/24/2023.