One In A Million

[machinegunner]

It's one thing to say "it's from such and such perspective" which is totally legit, but when your audience is generally angry young white men (or was back then, it seems GNR is a band for emo hipsters now)

it's naïve to think they aren't just going to hear "Ns and Fs" and totally miss the point and use that as a rallying call or whatever.

Like RATM with that "fuck you I wont do what ya told me" - theoretically it's for guerrillas and freedom fighters struggling against oppressive governments and oppressive regimes but in reality it's being played by a 13 year old white kid in the suburbs rebelling against his parents.

That's really THEIR problem. Take responsibility for yourself. Get educated enough to not misunderstand lyrics...

The song itself addresses racists and says 'don't point your finger at me'... Can it make it any plainer? It's not racist.

Edited January 21, 2014 by machinegunner

[Guest Len B'stard]

It's clearly and obviously deeply racist. And Axl hasn't ever really conclusively been able to defend it as anything but. Nor should he have to. He took in a Brazilian family, so what, Jimmy Saville gave to childrens charities, it don't make him any less a paedo.

N****** is a racist term and when used in the context of referring to a black person, it is racist. Same with calling gay people F******. This whole idea of 'i was talking about some of them, not all of them' is really really weak as a defence because when you use those words, unless your clarify, how are people meant to know any different?

If you're all Americans, and i go 'Americans are cunts' are you gonna go 'hang on, he didn't say the word 'all' did he? No you're fuckin' not, you're gonna take me on my word, right? Well there you go.

At best, even his most ardent defenders on here and saying that he's that creatively redundant that he wasn't able to express artistically the grievance of his to address a specific group of black people or homosexuals in a way that singled out the people he was talking about and instead used a term that denigrates those groups wholesale.

As far as 'racists dont point your finger at me', well, thats a convenient little trapdoor to scuttle out of isn't it, everytime you say some shit alligning yourself with a mentality to just go 'i'm not one of them y'know?' don't really cut it. Thats kinda like killing someone and pleading not guilty, you're still a fuckin' murderer.

Edited January 21, 2014 by sugaraylen

[machinegunner]

How is the use of those words in the song different from the use of those words by characters in a movie?

[Guest Len B'stard]

In that a fictional character is a work of fiction, something functional used to drive a narrative and Axl Rose has openly admitted that these were his feelings at the time of writing the song and furthermore, the specifics of the songs were drawn from by experience. He's gone on record specifically citing the shit that happened that gave rise to him saying those things so it's a little difficult to hide behind that Tarantino thing of 'i'm being true to the character' cuz there ain't a character there, it's him talking about himself, it's autobiographical.

Edited January 21, 2014 by sugaraylen

[dalsh327]

So who is the one in the million he's singing about, the "shooting star" that's "much too high"?

Is it a dumb song? He's getting hassled by specific types of people in a specific city, and bringing up "gold chains" in one line and "bracelets clamped in front of my back", he's bringing up people who hassled him.

GNR's only done it live a couple of times and it's one the band had to explain for years after. I think that's a problem. I think for Slash, it dawned on him once his mother and grandmother reminded him why the word was hurtful to his family. Slash married a Cuban, why wouldn't Perla have been offended by the song being that her parents fled Cuba when she was a groupie? Or that groupie who came from Iran and wrote her tell all?

It's been years since Axl talked about the song, and I remember there was talk about removing it from circulation, but he could have stopped it from being carried on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon. I think it's a matter of if he did that, it would draw attention to it, and would have to explain why he did it.

The thing is, when you're writing a song, what the song means in your head isn't going to mean the same thing in the audience's. I think that's where Axl fucked up with it, and that's what he didn't realize he was doing at the time.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Is it a dumb song? He's getting hassled by specific types of people in a specific city, and bringing up "gold chains" in one line and "bracelets clamped in front of my back", he's bringing up people who hassled him.

It's not the bringing up thats the issue though is it?

I think that's where Axl fucked up with it, and that's what he didn't realize he was doing at the time.

Aw, diddums..

[One.In.A.Million]

I love this song not only because of the music, but because of the social issues it raises. Axl is way ahead of his time and he's speaking from his own viewpoint growing up, trying to get by.

It's easy to pass this song off as offensive, it's I fact a masterpiece.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Here's the thing that gets me, why can't you guys just admit to liking a song that says some racist shit? You can't defend it, you know you can't, if you know anything about the song and his writing of it and why he wrote it it is utterly indefensible...my problem ain't even with the song or that is says racist things, my problem is with the pathetic mealey mouthed limp dicked kowtowing to it and trying to make it out to be some innocent thing or worse still, blaming people for daring to point out that it's racist, like it's some reverse whiteboy oppression shit.

Its a song and it says some seriously racist shit in it, deal with it. I like plenty of songs with racist shit in it 'the KKK took the n****** out to die, when the black meats burning i hope its gonna die!', GG Allin, thats off a song i like and i openly admit to liking it but i don't feel i gotta rationalise or defend it, it's just racist, it is what it is. 'My epitaph will read was the last of G's, kicked the shit to make the white man bleed', Tupac lyrics, again, pretty fuckin' racist...i still like the song but i don't try and make up some bullshit about how it ain't a racist thing to say. Same with One In A Million, i love it as a song but to sit here and go 'nah man, it ain't racist' is bullshit.

To this day i've not met one GnR fan that can reconcile themselves with the notion of it being a racist song and just deal with it, not one, not one single solitary person. To this day, still, on this forum and anywhere else, nobody has been able to explain to me or outline how it's not racist, it just cannot be done...and all sorts of rabbits are pulled out 'it's a characterrrr' but it's not, he's talking about himself. 'he's not talking about all of themmm' and other such laughable shit.

Edited January 21, 2014 by sugaraylen

[dalsh327]

It's clearly and obviously deeply racist. And Axl hasn't ever really conclusively been able to defend it as anything but. Nor should he have to. He took in a Brazilian family, so what, Jimmy Saville gave to childrens charities, it don't make him any less a paedo.

N****** is a racist term and when used in the context of referring to a black person, it is racist. Same with calling gay people F******. This whole idea of 'i was talking about some of them, not all of them' is really really weak as a defence because when you use those words, unless your clarify, how are people meant to know any different?

If you're all Americans, and i go 'Americans are cunts' are you gonna go 'hang on, he didn't say the word 'all' did he? No you're fuckin' not, you're gonna take me on my word, right? Well there you go.

At best, even his most ardent defenders on here and saying that he's that creatively redundant that he wasn't able to express artistically the grievance of his to address a specific group of black people or homosexuals in a way that singled out the people he was talking about and instead used a term that denigrates those groups wholesale.

As far as 'racists dont point your finger at me', well, thats a convenient little trapdoor to scuttle out of isn't it, everytime you say some shit alligning yourself with a mentality to just go 'i'm not one of them y'know?' don't really cut it. Thats kinda like killing someone and pleading not guilty, you're still a fuckin' murderer.

The other problem is that he didn't realize his bandmates would have to explain the songs he wrote over and over again. They can't just "point the finger at Axl" because it was a band. It did create problems, but there's a difference where it's just a few people in a room, and then when it's out there, people wonder what's going on, is Axl racist? I don't think he thought out what kind of attention the song was going to get when he brought it to the band, and they just questioned it for a minute, but they didn't walk out of the session, either. So they did have to take ownership of the song.

[Guest Len B'stard]

I don't even necessarily think he's racist, you don't have to be a fuckin' dyed in the wool card carrying cross burner to say some racist shit when you're in a stroppy mood in your early 20s and somewhat hot tempered but at least admit thats what it is, instead of this awful embarassing stumble-bum thing where its like 'uh....uh....'

I even remember a thing where Axl even went as far as 'but black people call themselves it all the tiiiime' The defence of it was soooooooooooo this way and that way and contradictory, it was hilairious.

Edited January 21, 2014 by sugaraylen

[machinegunner]

In that a fictional character is a work of fiction, something functional used to drive a narrative and Axl Rose has openly admitted that these were his feelings at the time of writing the song and furthermore, the specifics of the songs were drawn from by experience. He's gone on record specifically citing the shit that happened that gave rise to him saying those things so it's a little difficult to hide behind that Tarantino thing of 'i'm being true to the character' cuz there ain't a character there, it's him talking about himself, it's autobiographical.

Where? This is a bold contentious assertion, proof would be appreciated.

More likely they were his feelings when he first came to LA as a teenager.

At a particular point in time, which the song captures. He is so far from the character by the time he wrote the song that he can write so eloquently in his protrayal of him and create this masterpiece of a song. If you doubt that Axl could have the literary merit to achieve that, you are forgetting that he was an A student at school and excelled in creative writing and so on. He was already a fan of Elton John and Queen, Bob Dylan, etc.

[dalsh327]

It's kind of up there with trying to justify Clapton's Enoch Powell rant and Elvis Costello getting punched by Bonnie Bramlett, and they write that off as being drunk. But isn't where being drunk where people say you're the most honest? I read things about Grace Slick doing stuff like going on stage in blackface and saying anti-Semitic and racist stuff at concerts, but other than the Nazi rant that made it on Behind the Music (she must have someone blocking it on You Tube), a lot of hers were buried.

[Guest Len B'stard]

In that a fictional character is a work of fiction, something functional used to drive a narrative and Axl Rose has openly admitted that these were his feelings at the time of writing the song and furthermore, the specifics of the songs were drawn from by experience. He's gone on record specifically citing the shit that happened that gave rise to him saying those things so it's a little difficult to hide behind that Tarantino thing of 'i'm being true to the character' cuz there ain't a character there, it's him talking about himself, it's autobiographical.

Where? This is a bold contentious assertion, proof would be appreciated.

Did he not say that '....hooray for tolerance!s get out of my way, don't need to buy none of your gold chains today' is about black people that hassle you around a certain part of LA tryna sell you knock off gear? Did he not say that the immigrants bit was kinda centred around his getting a bit of stick in 7/11s? Is it not common knowledge that the song is autobiographical?

At a particular point in time, which the song captures. He is so far from the character by the time he wrote the song that he can write so eloquently in his protrayal of him and create this masterpiece of a song.

It's either him at a particular point in time or a character, you can't say it's him at a particular point of time and then drag it towards being a 'character', thats misleading.

It's kind of up there with trying to justify Clapton's Enoch Powell rant and Elvis Costello getting punched by Bonnie Bramlett, and they write that off as being drunk. But isn't where being drunk where people say you're the most honest? I read things about Grace Slick doing stuff like going on stage in blackface and saying anti-Semitic and racist stuff at concerts, but other than the Nazi rant that made it on Behind the Music (she must have someone blocking it on You Tube), a lot of hers were buried.

Exactly, right, this shit happens, these are people...whats the problem with just admitting it and dealing with it? I mean what are all these GnR fans tryna say to me, that that troubles them to the point where they cant enjoy the music no more?

If someone can justify it, reason it out, i'll happily take it up but the fact is (and i've been hearing debates about this shit since the 90s) no one can reason that shit out yet out of all the Guns fans i ever come across, on this forum or elsewhere.

Edited January 21, 2014 by sugaraylen

[ARX77]

I always felt this song was a story being told. The lyrics shouldn't bother you anymore than reading a book or watching a movie w/ the same words.

It's not like he's singing death to Nigers and hooray for tolerance!s.

[Guest Len B'stard]

I always felt this song was a story being told. The lyrics shouldn't bother you anymore than reading a book or watching a movie w/ the same words.

It's not like he's singing death to Nigers and hooray for tolerance!s.

No ones saying it's not a story being told though. It's an autobiographical story being told, that bit ain't up for debate, he's said as much himself. Also, prejudice does exist outside the parameters of outright extermination of a race, i dunno if thats ever occured to you.

Edited January 21, 2014 by sugaraylen

[ARX77]

I'm not denying it's autobiographical. To me he's describing the ingnirance of a small town white boy moving to the big city. Are the word offensive sure. But are they anymore offensive than when u hear them in a movie?

[Guest Len B'stard]

I'm not denying it's autobiographical. To me he's describing the ingnirance of a small town white boy moving to the big city. Are the word offensive sure. But are they anymore offensive than when u hear them in a movie?

I think you're missing the point, it's not offensive cuz he said the words, it's offensive cuz he's espousing an opinion by way of this autobiographical tale.

[Snake-Pit]

Police aren't just mistrusted by black people, if black people can't handle that fact and don't like being put on the same list as police, immigrants and hooray for tolerance!s, then that's delusional.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Police aren't just mistrusted by black people, if black people can't handle that fact and don't like being put on the same list as police, immigrants and hooray for tolerance!s, then that's delusional.

And thats what you think the contention regarding this song was about, black people not liking being lumped in with police, immigrants and gay people? Snakes, are you seriously that thick or are you taking the piss?

[Snake-Pit]

So what if a white man said he doesn't need police hooray for tolerance!s and immigrants and hooray for tolerance!s?

It's like... Just deal with it, you're another headache in the big city, and what? lol

@ N words.

[Guest Len B'stard]

So what if a white man said he doesn't need police hooray for tolerance!s and immigrants and hooray for tolerance!s?

It's like... Just deal with it, you're another headache in the big city, and what? lol

@ N words.

Thats not what the controversy was about.

[machinegunner]

In that a fictional character is a work of fiction, something functional used to drive a narrative and Axl Rose has openly admitted that these were his feelings at the time of writing the song and furthermore, the specifics of the songs were drawn from by experience. He's gone on record specifically citing the shit that happened that gave rise to him saying those things so it's a little difficult to hide behind that Tarantino thing of 'i'm being true to the character' cuz there ain't a character there, it's him talking about himself, it's autobiographical.

Where? This is a bold contentious assertion, proof would be appreciated.

Did he not say that '....hooray for tolerance!s get out of my way, don't need to buy none of your gold chains today' is about black people that hassle you around a certain part of LA tryna sell you knock off gear? Did he not say that the immigrants bit was kinda centred around his getting a bit of stick in 7/11s? Is it not common knowledge that the song is autobiographical?

At a particular point in time, which the song captures. He is so far from the character by the time he wrote the song that he can write so eloquently in his protrayal of him and create this masterpiece of a song.

It's either him at a particular point in time or a character, you can't say it's him at a particular point of time and then drag it towards being a 'character', thats misleading.

Yes it's autobiographical, no shit Sherlock, but the song is about something that is universal - confronting hometown fears in a new environment - it just so happens to include some inbuilt racial hometown prejudices and is truthful in its expression of that (but does it promote racism? Come on...), which would be the first step in overcoming basic prejudices like that when surviving in the city. That's the bigger picture about this song and if you don't see it in proportion, hey, that's YOUR problem, man.

You're trying to get people to defend some kind of racism somehow so you can jump on that, congratulations...

The song does not promote racism so it is not a racist song. Period. It is merely an honest song, And when you're honest about your prejudices you might get over them better...

[Guest Len B'stard]

I dont think you have to promote racism to be racist, expressing a racist sentiment will do. And your overcoming issues spiel would make sense if he didnt go some way to defending those sentiments in a rolling stone interview years later.

Edited January 21, 2014 by sugaraylen

[Iron MikeyJ]

I'm not going to defend Axl's given choice of lyrics on that song. But I will say that I really like that song a lot, I just wish he would of choosen another way to express his discontent. But what people need to remember is we are looking back upon that song with 2014 standards, not those of 1989. It was controversial then yes, but today it would be considered out right wrong and awful. We also have to consider that Axl is from Indiana, birth place of the KKK. Right or wrong I'm positive young Axl was exposed to a lot of racism. Probably a lot of social accepted racism at that. Which doesn't make it right, but we are all products of our enviroment. And we also have to remember that this song was written before Appetite exploded. So Axl was not nearly as "worldy" as he would have been, by even 1990. I feel everything about that song was perfect, except for those 4 words really.

So the song in it's self is actually a brilliant imo. He is telling the story of a very closed minded "white boy" experiences when he arrives to the city. Which I'm sorry to inform some of you, but this mentallity is still alive and well in many "small town white boy communities". Now he could have choosen better words to describe those events, to not harm or offend. But the over all story Axl is telling is really interesting, it gives the audience the stone cold truth of many "small town white boys". Right, wrong, or indifferent, it is the truth. Which some people don't like the truth. But truthful honest music is always the best imo, but I personally could live without those "trigger" words. If you take out the words that offend, I think it would have become another gnr classic song. Even with those words, I still really enjoy it. Honestly I'm suprised Axl has not revisited that song, replace those words and we have a great song. I would go as far as to say it's the best song on lies, or it could have been. He just should have changed 4 words.

[volcano62]

People that get offended deserve to be offended.