| G N' R Lies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Guns N' Roses | ||||
| Released | November 29, 1988 (U.S.) December 17, 1988 (UK) |
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| Recorded | Rumbo Studios, Take One Studio, Image Studio | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, heavy metal | |||
| Length | 33:31 | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Producer | Guns N' Roses, Mike Clink | |||
| Guns N' Roses chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Lies | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
| Robert Christgau | E[2] |
| Rolling Stone | [3] |
| Sputnikmusic | [4] |
G N' R Lies, also known as Lies, is the second album by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, released in 1988. While officially an extended play, it was treated as a studio album when released. According to the RIAA, the EP has sold over five million copies only in the United States. It is the second album released by Guns N' Roses.
"Patience" was the only single released from Lies; it peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5]
Contents |
The first four tracks consist of the previously released EP Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide. The last four songs were recorded with acoustic guitars. They were written and recorded in only a few studio sessions[6] (with the exception of "You're Crazy," which appeared in an alternate version on Appetite for Destruction), which producer Mike Clink called "one of those magical rock and roll history moments."[6]
In later interviews, Axl Rose stated that while he loved how the band sounded on the last four songs, he hated the sound of his voice. Rose recalled that his voice was husky and scratchy from the band's lengthy touring at the time, and if he could he would have re-recorded his vocal tracks in a separate session.[6]
"You're Crazy" had been released previously on the band's debut album, Appetite for Destruction and was now recorded as originally intended.[7] "Mama Kin" is an Aerosmith song, which originally appeared on the band's 1973 debut album. "Nice Boys" is a Rose Tattoo cover from their 1978 album Rose Tattoo. "Used to Love Her" was written as a joke after Izzy Stradlin disliked a song he heard on the radio featuring "some guy whining about a broad who was treating him bad". Slash stated that "People think it's about one of our old girlfriends, but it's actually about Axl's dog."[8] "Patience" was written by Stradlin, with additional lyrics and vocal melody by Rose.[9]
The cover is a parody of tabloid newspapers, as are the liner notes. The album's cover art underwent several minor modifications when the title was released on CD.[6] First, in the bottom left corner reading "LIES LIES LIES" originally read "Wife-beating has been around for 10,000 years." Secondly, instead of "Elephant gives birth to midget", the original headline reads, "Ladies, welcome to the dark ages." Many copies of the original LP release also contained an uncensored picture of a nude model on the inner LP sleeve.[10]
The cover art also bears a resemblance to John Lennon's Sometime in New York City, an album that contains Lennon's controversial "Woman Is the Nigger of the World" - a song Axl has cited when defending his use of the word "nigger" in "One in a Million." [11] Coincidentally, half of Sometime in New York City also contains "live" material recorded two years earlier.
Although the album is titled officially G N' R Lies, some other titles have occurred throughout its release history
All songs credited to Guns N' Roses except "Nice Boys" credited to Rose Tattoo and "Mama Kin" credited to Steven Tyler (both covers). Actual writers are listed.
| Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 1. | "Reckless Life" | Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Chris Weber[12][13][14] | 3:20 | ||||||
| 2. | "Nice Boys" (Rose Tattoo cover) | Angry Anderson, Mick Cocks, Geordie Leach, Dallas "Digger" Royall, Peter Wells | 3:03 | ||||||
| 3. | "Move to the City" | Stradlin, Del James, Chris Weber | 3:42 | ||||||
| 4. | "Mama Kin" (Aerosmith cover) | Steven Tyler | 3:57 | ||||||
| G N' R Lies | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 5. | "Patience" | Stradlin, Rose | 5:56 | ||||||
| 6. | "Used to Love Her" | Stradlin | 3:13 | ||||||
| 7. | "You're Crazy" (acoustic version) | Rose, Stradlin | 4:10 | ||||||
| 8. | "One in a Million" | Rose | 6:10 | ||||||
