Estranged is a song by the hard rock band Guns N Roses. It was part of the studio album Use Your Illusion II and the music video was released in December 1993. Estranged is supposed to be the most expensive music video and the estimated budget for the song is about $4 million.
It is the longest song in the Use Your Illusion II album and Guns N Roses second longest song after Coma in Use Your Illusion I.
Meaning
Now, Estranged is the 3rd song in the triology (after Don’t Cry and November Rain). As Axl explains that while November Rain is about not wanting to be in a state of unrequited love, Estranged is about accepting it and moving forward.
The song expresses the state of mind when one finds himself in a position where one is heartbroken and can’t do anything about it. At that point of time, the person realizes that despite doing everything, things did not work out and he/she did not get what he/she wanted. So, the individual has to find his/her path during a time like this.
‘November Rain’ is about not wanting to be in a state of unrequited love, ‘Estranged’ is about acknowledging it, and being there, and having to figure out what the fuck to do. It’s like being catapulted into the Universe and having no choice about it and having to figure out what the fuck you are going to do, because the things you wanted and worked for just cannot happen and there’s nothing you can fucking do about it.
Axl Rose
Axl was pretty pi**ed off at the time while writing the song. His marriage with Erin Everly was annulled at that time and the song reflects his state of mind when it happened.
I wrote the song basically about who I am and how I feel, and the breakup of my marriage with Erin and how I didn’t want it to die. But I also apply it to a lot of other situations, or friendships, or family things, where you knew it had to end.
Axl Rose
Other Facts
Axl revealed that the piano part that he played in the song came to him in a dream.
The dianosaur that is shown in the video is given to Slash by Axl.
Axl’s own house is being shown in the video. It is in Malibu, California.
Slash stated that Estranged’s guitar solo was the toughest he ever played.
The live scenes in the video were shot at Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany.
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