Anybody else like IRS?

[dburcham]

I see it all the time in lists of songs you guys hate, and I've yet to read something positive about the song but I love that song am I the only one?

Just wondering.

[bacardimayne]

Pretty good song. "It's such a criiiiime you knoooow it's truuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuue" is one of the best moments on the album.

[Nosaj Thing]

Awful song and lol Axl vocals

[Uncle Bob]

Ridiculous lyrics

[Gordon Comstock]

If not for the lyrics in the chorus it'd be more appreciated I think. Plus factor in that it was the first song to leak, and I think a lot of people just overplayed it and got bored. It was awesome when I saw it live (but in 2010, what wasn't awesome? ). Axl did a little speech before it, too, unfortunately there's no videos or anything of it (most of the show wasn't recorded) but he said it was about, something within one's self, conquering your inner demons and pulling yourself out of bad situations, something to that effect.

[stumbleine]

very powerful and deeply personal lyrics.

this song is a gem.

[abpagain]

Don't even remember how it goes. oh yeah, just listened, nope. Dunno even why it's called I.R.S. Does it stand for anything outside of the obvious, you know, like TWAT? Some sort of money problem?. Could've been called anything. I just read the lyrics... and honestly when he says something bout "living inside of this song" it always to me sounded like "gettin' real tired o' this song".

Ridiculous lyrics

If not for the lyrics in the chorus it'd be more appreciated I think. Plus factor in that it was the first song to leak, and I think a lot of people just overplayed it and got bored.

Must be the issue I have.

[liers]

I like it, but I tend to like the songs noone else likes and hate the songs everyone likes.

Riad is one of my favorites, a lot of people hate that song.

I hate TIL and ITW though, and a lot of people like those.

[ManetsBR]

Pretty good song. "It's such a criiiiime you knoooow it's truuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuue" is one of the best moments on the album.

It's one of the best GNR moments ever.

[PITBOSS]

I like it, the only song I really don't like on the album is riad.

[AlterL]

Actually it was one of the first songs from Chinese Democracy I came to love, I remember hearing it for hours in my bedroom, school, at my father's house with my friends, at almost any time of the day. It listened 145 times in my Ipod before the first three weeks (yeah I know I get a little obsessed with music sometimes)

[Jakey Styley]

Love it. The lyrics are great too with the exception of the chorus.

[shotgunblues1978]

IRS rocked hard live during the 2006 shows. The ones I attended I thought it was one of the two or three best/most entertaining songs in terms of Axl and the band's performance. I remember it being one of the highlights along with Nightrain and Out Ta Get Me in that regard.

I think the lyrics in the verses are very good. Lyrically the chorus is a bit silly, but it's a play on the old saying "don't make a federal case out of it," i.e. make a big deal over something that's seemingly trivial. In that context I always thought it was fitting. Cool song. The only knock against it (for me) is that it takes a while to get going. It's a fun, rocking song but it doesn't really start to "kick ass" until a minute or so in.

[Street Of The Blues]

The live version and demo are the best.

[shotgunblues1978]

The 1999 demo was my favorite earlier version of the song. Had a really cool, spaced out vibe, completely different feel than the final version. Would love to hear the full 1999 version of the album someday.

[GnR Chris]

I don't play this song much. But I like it. I don't love it. I think it's due to the lyrics, and also the way the words are slightly changed in the choruses. Trips me up every time when I try to sing along. haha

But yeah, most of the lyrics are weak. I hate when lyrics mention the song itself "livin' inside of this song." It's kinda like breaking the fourth wall.

But the good parts in IRS are incredible. "READ IT, BABY, WITH THE MORNING NEWS AND A SWEET HANGOVER AND THE HEADLINES TOO." Nice. Even though it kind of doesn't make sense.

The part at 2:35 is monumental. "I BET YOU THINK I'M DOIN' THIS ALL FOR MY HEALTH ..."

[sword&tulipz]

I really like it too. The only song on CD that kinda rocks like the older albums. I know Chinese Democracy song does too, but Im not so fond of that song

[chevelle]

I actually really like it, but it would've been better if it was a little more raw and straightforward.

[jimb0]

To me it's just too repetitive. I love the part with the siren, it reminds me of The Garden. I absolutely hate the clean 'oooooos' and I hate Fincks clean guitar bents. I don't mind his sloppy electric solo . Axl should have put more rasp into it as a whole. The parts he does use it on kick ass. The chord progression is very generic.

Thing I hate about the recording process for CD is Axl wants to Add Bucket. So instead of having the band rework the song he cuts and pasts other parts together and duplicates them. I would love to hear a re-recording of this song where the new band is allowed to re-work it to accommodate both Finck's and Bucket's solos. Then have the alumni of GNR drop by to track it.

[KipWinger]

IMO it's right up there with Better and Shackler's as far as the 'rockers' on CD are concerned. Plus, he really seemed to deliver it with insane levels of intensity from '06-'10 when it was still regularly played. Here's Ax, sounding raspy as ever in The Golden Year:

[netcat]

IRS is a huge hit in my charts. And i dont understand why people think the lyrics is silly. it's just funny and full of sarcasm. sure it cant be compared to Illusions era lyrics, which was so profound and beautiful it just took your breath away. but there's no such lyrics on CD at all. and it's ok. true masterpiece is impossible to recreate

[Flayer]

Yes I do, very much.

[Black Roses]

Ridiculous lyrics, annoying vocal, overproduced. well, at least the demo's instrumental sounds good.

[Liquor & Whores]

+1

[EvH]

I think it's crap.