BELIEVE IN ME

(Duff McKagan)

"Recorded basically in one day, (drum tracks morning, then bass, rhythm guitars, then vocals). Slash came in that night and did
the guitar solo. - Duff

When I was a young boy
Said some man parted some sea
They said believe in us
Why should they lie to me

Now I'm not a young boy
What I believe is what I believe
But I still get fooled sometimes
It's so goddamned easy

Now that I'm a grown man
Be the best that I can be
Been down every rocky road
And I'm bloodied at my knees
But I treat you like a princess
Never ask to be the king
Just believe in me
Believe in me
Believe in me
Yeah yeah
Where does it leave me
When you don't believe in me
Where does it leave me
When you don't believe in me

I'd climb any mountain
Yeah I'd cross any sea
I might break down and cry
But I'd drop down my bottle of rye
If you'd just believe in me
Believe in me
Believe in me
Where does it leave me
When you don't believe in me
Where does it leave me
When you don't believe in me

But I'm still my own man
Yeah I'm still my own man
And I do what I can
And while you're treating me raw
I still make my own law
I still make my own law

Come on
Believe in me
Believe in me
Yeah....me
Believe in me
Yeah
Come on
Believe in me
Can't you see just believe in me
Come on
Believe in me
Yeah yeah
Believe in me

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Drums, Bass, 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Slash: Lead Guitar, Bobbie Brown-Lane: Backing Vocals)

"A very wry (objective?!!) view of a relationship gone bad. Again I recorded the whole song in a day...myself!!" - Duff

It's been four months since
You gone away
My bed is empty and my heart
Still feels the pain yeah the pain

I see your picture in a magazine
I look away still see you starin' at me
At me

Chorus
I walk the streets at night
And there's no one else in my sight
but you
In my mind

Cause I still love you
Yeah I still love you
I

Buy a ticket to a subway train
A one-way token just to end my pain
From you yeah from you
Ticket says destination unknown
The car stops and I'm back at home
all alone
Without you without you

Chorus
I walk the streets at night
And there's no one else in my
sight but you
In my mind

Cause I still love you
Yeah I still love you
I

I saw you at a restaurant down on
42nd Street
Drinkin' red wine and laughin'
I kept walkin' by myself with a bottle
of rye
I don't need you baby

And you're foolin' yourself when
you say
You don't need me
I said you're foolin' yourself
When you say you don't need me

And I'm lyin' fallin' down in the alley
Yeah I'm lyin' to myself as I'm
screamin'

Chorus

I saw some chick the other day
She had a smile that looked so cool
It looked like you so I walked away

My eyes are tired but I still look cool
My tears are past
And I don't need you, don't need
you, need you

"If you thought I needed you why
would I be lookin' at chicks and
lookin' at French fashion magazines"

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Drums, Bass, 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Leslie Guitar)

"Did drum tracks w/West playing 12 string ovation...finished the rest of the song that day!! Teddy came in later and played keys. For Todd...." - Duff

Extra extra read all about my
Loss of sanity
I have often wondered what my
Life really means to me
Wasted days and broken dreams
Let it all slip away from me
And if you pick up the pieces of
A broken man, you'll find a
Fan of the family
Yeah the family

Chorus
Now you're all alone
In the meadow
Sedate your lonely soul
With the man in the meadow
No need to telephone
When you're out in the meadow
Cause you live your life alone
With the man in the meadow
And me

Saw a friend of mine
Guess he just didn't see me
Looked into his eyes
And he walked right through me
He lived a life of alibies and
Broken ties that set him free yeah
free, yeah free

And why'd this dream fade so
Fast
And why am I lookin' towards
The past to set me free
From me and my family
My family yeah yeah

Set down beside your grave
At peace with God and the holy
Slave
We're gathered here to shed
A tear
And think about our goddamn mortal
Years
You had your start
You made your mark
And then you turn around
And leave us in the dark, fuck
In the dark

Chorus

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Drums, Bass, Heavy Rhythm Guitar, West Arkeen: Lead Guitar, Electric Rhythm, Guitar, 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Ted Andreadis: Organ, London McDaniel: Bridge Vocals)

(FUCKED UP) BEYOND BELIEF

(Duff McKagan / Matt Sorum)

"A song Matt and I would screw around with at GN'R soundchecks. The two of us along with Teddy went in the studio and recorded in one take!! Months later in Paris, Jeff Beck was staying in the hotel room across from me, heard the song, and asked if he could "have a go" at the song. My hands shaking I called Doug, our manager, studio time was booked in London the following
day!!" - Duff

"This is a warning"

You got democracy, debauchery,
and a communist regime
They tore, that wall down just to
keep people happy
But it goes back up again

The tax man cometh and he takes
all your money away
Tax bracket, what a racket
They spend it like two-bit thieves

The monster came up its ugly
head
And it's just enough to keep
Your children fed?
You stumble, you get up and then
you heave
Man, it's so fucked up beyond
belief

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Bass, Rhythm Guitar Synth Bass, Bullhorn, Jeff Beck: Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Matt Sorum: Drums, Ted Andreadis: Clavinet, Organ)

COULD IT BE YOU

(Duff McKagan)

"A very lonely point in my life. A song about the endless nights alone. Just hoping that just maybe, maybe, she might come
into my life. The only song I used a drum machine (LINN 9000) to achieve a certain sound, then overdubbed real drums on choruses and outro! By the way - that is a real 22-piece orchestra." - Duff

Chorus
Could it be you
Might be my woman
Could it be you
The one that makes me feel like a
man - yeah

Saw your gaze
It put me in a haze
It was amazing
I saw a little girl
Put me in a whirl
Just left me gazing

Chorus
The one that makes me feel like a
strong man
'Cause that's what I am

Came across this grace
Put me in my place
Baby
I'm still learning
That life is young
Past things I've done
Just for you
I'm yearning

Chorus

Could it be you
Could it be true
The one that makes me feel like a
man
Could it be you
Could it be you
I'm still learning
I'm still learning

(Duff: Lead Vocal, LINN Drum, Alou, Drums, Bass, 12-String Acoustic, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Dizzy Reed: Piano, Farfisa)

"Picture a girl and yourself in a deep embrace (both mentally and physically) and waking up and realizing it was just a dream. For me it was an occurance that hap- pened quite often. Not no more!! Slash played lead!" - Duff

"Why does everything always end
up feeling so goddamn cold"

Once again I woke up this
morning
And a warm spot still long cold
gone
Then smell of you and your sweet
perfume
Still lingers on, lingers on, lingers
on

Chorus
I wrap my arms around you
But all I get is icy cold yeah

Run my hands through
Your long blonde hair
But once again you're just not
there
Just not there

You know I look but just can't find
the reasons
To face another day
Cause I feel like crawling up inside
girl
Just fading away, fading away, fad-
ing away...

Chorus

That's alright, girl
I want you to know that I'll keep on
walking
I got both my feet on the ground
And check it out I'm gonna stick it
to you

Yesterday I met a girl just like you
She had the same smile and same
sweet perfume
So I turned around and walked away
Me, my blade and my bottle of blues
My bottle of blues
My bottle of blues

Chorus
Repeat

That's alright, girl
I keep walking, I keep walking, I
keep walking, I keep
walking, I keep walking

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Drums, Bass, 12 String Electric Guitar, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Slash: Lead Guitar)

"A point of severe, over-the-top angst in my life!! We made a mosh pit in the control room, of course, much to the dismay of the studio owner! (Hey Buddy we fixed it)" - Duff

Hate/Pain/Greed/Suc-cess/Ooh

You got somethin' to say to me
Well say it to my face
I'm so sick of society
That says I'm out of place
I come around, you run and
Hide, pretend you don't know me
The time will come, you'll pay
The price, just wait and
See

You try to cramp my style,
When that word means nothin'
To me
Just go away, you're fuckin'
Decay
And you thought you had the
Right to kick dirt at me?

And now I got a great big
House and my dick' real hard
Was that your daughter with
blonde hair, I think
I got her pink panties man, send
her back over
You let life mean nothing man
Worth of status went too far
All this shit you see, never
Meant dick to me

I saw the news, I've read the
Lines
I've seen it for myself
Now you're the ones I clearly see
That really need some help
So now you ask me to join your
Club of upper society
You twist shit up, you turn around
You think you're the picture of
morality

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Drums, Bass, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar)

"The first song I recorded, not even planning on doing a record. We were doing the "Illusions" records at A&M studios in Hollywood when a "day off" came up. Since there was a full room set up with gear...empty, I took advantage!! (Lenny Kravitz
came in later that night and sang)" - Duff

You call me the mean man
You point your finger at me
Having problems with authority
In every major city

And it's so easy for you
The majority, the majority
And there's no peace for you
The majority

Your white housewives
And your money-sucking friends
Don't need you to be I'll be me to
the end

And it's so easy for you
The majority, the majority
And there's no peace for you

You got to think about your chil-
dren
Fuck bureaucracy
Take the weight off your shoul-
ders
We're not the public enemy
Can't you see, can't you see

You call me the mean man
I say you call me the
mean man

And it's so easy for you,
the majority, the majority
And there's no peace
for you

Your white housewives
And your money-sucking
friends
Don't need you to be
cause I'll be me to the end

Got to think about the
children, think think about
the children

You got to think about the
children

(Duff: Drums, Bass, 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Percussion, Lenny Kravitz: Lead Vocal A&M Choir: Backing Vocals, London McDaniel: Percussion)

"Something I came up with, (with help from Gilby) written about my ten year high school reunion. I got
an invitation, don't know why, I never graduated!" - Duff

Let's celebrate, yeah yeah, let's celebrate yeahh

It's been a long time since I've seen
you, baby

Then you call came across my
telephone
Said old friends are meeting
Will you come up maybe

I said I'll try to make it
You left me talking to a tone

Ten years didn't seem so long
Has it been that long, baby
Has it been that long since I've
gone away

Many days and nights have
passed since
I've seen you, mama
So many things have passed
our eyes
A ring has come and gone
from my finger, baby
I've stumbled, fallen down
and yes I've even cried
Chorus

It's been ten years since
I've seen you, baby
Since I've promised
you the moon
It's been that long since
I've whispered in your ear
Let's celebrate now that
we're home

(Whisper) It's been a long time
since I've seen you, yeah!
You're a memory from the past
That'll always last
But life goes on, but it's been
so long...etc.

I think about the past, it's gone
away so fast
I'm still the same human being
I've traveled many miles and all
just the while
I've learned about the things I've
seen
It's been ten years since I've seen
you, baby
Since I've promised you the moon
It's been that long since I've whis-
pered sweet in your ear

Let's celebrate now that we're
home

It's been ten years since I've seen
you, baby
Since I've promised you the moon
It's been that long since I've whis-
pered in your ear
Maybe I'll call ya or just see ya
soon

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Drums, Bass, Gilby Clarke: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic 12-String Guitar, Electric Lead Guitar, Backing Vocal)

"I labeled the song before I wrote lyrics because it had a really dark, macabre sound, (if a swamp
could speak). The words speak for themselves (I despise the clich‚ "Rock Star" life). Jeff Beck again played lead, West Arkeen
and I played rhythm." - Duff

I don't really need the ego
Of being a pop star
Playing rock & roll makes
Me stand hard & tall
Once an old man with blood on
his hands
Said "Pick up my guitar and
use it"
The he took it from me said "Let
Your soul run free"

Chorus
People get so stuck on getting
their
Name in lights
Fuckin' some famous model
Keepin' their assholes tight

So I played that guitar
Til my dick got hard
I fucked that bitch night & day
Time went by and that old man
died
Got a note "Remember what I
said"
Brought flowers to his grave
Laid 'em down, and my fingers
Started to bleed I was finally free
I was finally free yeah

Chorus

Uh uh uh
Don't get me wrong I ain't singin'
This song bout bros who truly
deserve it
But money & fame is for those
truly
Lame. The ones who need
to get their
Heads lit
So I play my guitar, Yeah I played
that bitch all night
Long
Yeah I played my guitar I was
finally free

Chorus-Bridge
So keep your head clear don't
believe what you hear
Just play what comes from your
soul
But if money & fame is your
fuckin' game
Then I hope you die fat & old

Repeat

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Drums, Bass, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Jeff Beck: Lead Guitar, Electric Rhythm
Guitar, West Arkeen: Electric Rhythm Guitar, Joie Mastrokalos: Backing Vocals)

"A song I wrote about basically walking the unbeaten path of life and all the shit that goes along with it! Baz sang it and Snake
played lead, thanks guys." - Duff

Trouble always follows me
But trouble ain't a bad place to be
I'll get my shit by it, if I can
But I stand on my own, and I'm
my own man

The only age I know is the
dark age
All the people I know put me in a
cage
The only age I know is the
dark age
The only light I know is in this dark
space
I'm the portrait of your patroniza-
tion
Have you ever looked at my face?

They try to make a mess out of me
They're heading for a social cata-
strophe

They try to make a mess out of me
Alienation, false masturbation,
incrimination
My soul salvation, discrimination,
isolation
No consolation here

Always follow me
Always follow me
Always follow me
Always follow me
Always follow me
Always follow me
Always follow me

(Duff: Drums, Bass, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Superfly Guitar, Backing Vocals, Sebastian Bach: Lead Vocal, Backing Vocals,
Snake: Electric Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Dizzy Reed: Backing Vocals Slam: Backing Vocals Billy Nasty: Bridge Harmony Vocal)

"A song 'bout bein' pissed, fuck that shit. My buddy "Doc" from "Haus Mob" wrote and did the rap
part, Rob from Skids played drums. This tune is based on a riff I'd been screwing around with for years." - Duff

"Come on Doc tell it like it is
A bitch is a bitch and you
been dissed"

"This is Doc from the mob
and I about to step to ya"
I'm a tell a lil tale about a
trifle ass crook
She was the love of my
life yeah well that's a joke
We got home early from
tour about a quarter to
seven
After 6 months of hell I
missed my lil piece of heaven
Duff dropped me by the
pad about nine fifteen
Me benz was in the drive
way wait mine's black and that's
Dark green
The door was ajar I threw a clip in
my nine
I dropped my hat on disgust my
girl was blown his mind
I couldn't believe it she was sit-
ting there had knee pads
On and everything beat this

She had the nerve to ask "What
you doin home so soon"
Bitch this is my world, my house
and my room
As she tried to explain with fake
tears in her eyes
I despised the past love and
believing her lies
Just pack your shit and honey
leave my ring
She left with what she came with
not a goddamn thing
I said honey you lost/now you're
a mirage
So get that shit out of my driveway
and the fuck outta
Dodge Matt Dillon's gonna run
your ass out
I don't really need you

And I don't really want you baby
Said I
I don't really care
I I don't really need you mama
Said no more no more

This bed that you made's a been
torn and tattered
And it smells like another man

This bottle that I drink is for you
baby
You've made me just a meaner
man
I did all I could every change I got
Bought you diamonds pearls
even
Gave you my rock. But you
Threw it away on a 6-month fling
This motherfucker's a square
Can't even sing
So you ladies be warned don't
diss my crew
Cause my crew will do for me
before you will do
But we got each other back
Enough's enough
That's Doc from the Mob and my
homeboy Duff

That's me that's right I'm sick of
hearing la de da le de da
From your ass

I don't really want you, baby

Said I don't really care
I - I don't really need you, mama
Said no more no more

This bed that you made's a been
torn and tattered
And it smells like another man

This bottle that I drink is for you
now, baby
You've made me just a meaner
man, yeah

You said you'd really take care of
me
Instead you just made me bleed
How's that make you feel, huh?

See I don't know what you're
thinkin
My name's Doc not Nintendo
You can't play me
So don't call, don't come see
me
I want you to leave the keys to my
house
Leave the keys to my car
Leave me the keys to me home-
boy's car
Cause I know you got his keys
Ice Cube said it best "A bitch is a
bitch"
"Yo, Duff let's get out of here.
Wait a minute this is my
motherfuckin house"
"That's right man"

(Duff: Bass, Rhythm Guitar, Superfly Guitar, Chorus & Ad Lib Vocals, West Arkeen: Lead Guitar, Doc: Lead Vocal, Rob Affuso: Drums, Dizzy Reed: Piano, Slam: Backing Vocals, Joie Mastrokalos: Chorus Backing Vocals)

"GN'R played Dallas that night 'til 1:00 am. Studio time was booked at 3:00 am. Jim and I went in, turned off all the lights, lit candles and rolled tape. I wrote it on the spot (little did Jim know!!). Also did drum tracks for "Swamp Song." We got out at about 3:00 pm!! My brother Matt and his buddy Bob played horns later in L.A." - Duff

Do you remember walkin' hand in
hand
Did you understand, well, I did
We used to listened to that song
"Are you lonely tonight?"
I think the king sang it

I'm lonely tonite
Yeah lonely tonight
That's right

I used to read you bedtime stories

I'm so lonely tonite
I'm so lonely, so lonely tonite

Remember you used to protect me
From my fright
Now I stand here with a bottle in
My hand
Who cares? What's different?

Tonite Tonite

(Duff: Lead Vocal, Drums, Bass, Piano Talkbox , Snake: Lead Guitar, Suicide Horns: Horns)