Does Rocket Queen almost seem like two songs in one?

[Vincent Vega]

You get the first half plus the interlude, which is this totally sleazy, decadent, sex and guitar drenched song, sharp as a razor, lyrically and musically, and the interlude is like a musical tapestry of all the insane nightmares of the streets, all the horror and sex and pain of povery stricken dangerous streets put into music....

Then it turns into this sweet, tender, almost poppy song, both musically and musically, with almost nothing in common with the first part theme wise, almost bordering on a power ballad...It almost feels like Rocket Queen came together as a fusion of two different song ideas....Anyone else ever get that feeling? Like it was two ideas that came together as one number?

[SoulMonster]

Duff: [...] as we developed songs, we put a lot of emphasis on anything that veered away from the main melody - we all felt that diverging from a good tune was only justifiable if the other part was just as good. That meant we rejected cookie-cutter songwriting that demanded bridges for bridges' sake and strictly delineated between verses and choruses. Instead we only went places we really felt strongly about. There's a reason the codas in songs like 'Rocket Queen,' 'Paradise City,' or 'Patience' sound so distinctive - we didn't feel compelled to add them; we were just so excited about certain ideas that, working together, day after day, we found ways to incorporate them. [Duff's autobiography, "It's So Easy", 2011, p. 96-97].

Edited July 11, 2013 by SoulMonster

[Amir]

Duff: [...] as we developed songs, we put a lot of emphasis on anything that veered away from the main melody - we all felt that diverging from a good tune was only justifiable if the other part was just as good. That meant we rejected cookie-cutter songwriting that demanded bridges for bridges' sake and strictly delineated between verses and choruses. Instead we only went places we really felt strongly about. There's a reason the codas in songs like 'Rocket Queen,' 'Paradise City,' or 'Patience' sound so distinctive - we didn't feel compelled to add them; we were just so excited about certain ideas that, working together, day after day, we found ways to incorporate them. [Duff's autobiography, "It's So Easy", 2011, p. 96-97].

That's really interesting, also ties into what Slash says in his book about the rejecting Paul Stanley's advice to make WTTJ be more distinctive with verses and choruses.

[Estranged Reality]

I wrote this one a few years back:

The album concludes with one of the best closers in rock n’ roll history, “Rocket Queen.” The first half of the song in itself is great – but it’s after the (literally) orgasmic solo that the pace completely changes, as if it has transformed into an entirely different song altogether. In a way, it channels the experience of angry sex – aggressive and rough until the climax, then the come-down.

The outro features some of the most desperate and honest lyrics of Rose’s career. After bragging about his “tongue like a razor” and sexual experience, he basically tells the object of his affection that if she sticks with him, even though he’ll screw her up and leave her strung out, he’ll never leave her side. She’s probably not buying it, though, because he’s forced to plead: “Don’t ever leave me / Say you’ll always be there / All I ever wanted was for you to know that I care.” The lyric itself isn’t particularly deep or awe-inspiring on paper, but the earnestness and desperation in its delivery is something no artist could ever replicate on a cover version.

I think that kind of fits into what you're saying. It's definitely a song coming from two different angles and kind of collides in the middle. It's the anger and the build-up and then the come-down when he gets all emotional.

One of the best GN'R tracks ever!

[Hollywood Gunner]

i think rocket queen is one of my favorite gnr songs... might actually be my all time fav... definitely #1 for me on AFD.. but to answer the question, no it doesnt really seem like 2 songs in one any more than the other songs... alot of their songs go in 2 or 3 different directions... perfect examples are paradise city, november rain, civil war, etc.

there is one time that rocket queen seemed like 2 different songs though, and i was actually very tempted to post this a few days ago when someone said something about how he thought axl was gonna become a "badass rapper" because of my world lol

[TombRaider]

What rap song is that? I can't understand what he says

[Hollywood Gunner]

What rap song is that? I can't understand what he says

he started rapping during rocket queen in tokyo lol sorry i just posted the first vid i found on youtube (didnt even listen really, sorry) but go search youtube for "rocket queen tokyo" youll find it... a little weird but much better than my world imo

[Mango]

It Tastes Good, Don't It?!

I'm like a little bitty kid with a real big mouth
And you're gonna have to catch me if you wanna wash it out
'Cuz I'll be standin' on the corner, callin' you names
With my juvenile skills and delinquent games

'Cuz I'm a fast motherfucker
Let me tell you 'bout it sucker
If you fuck with me, I'll fuck your mother
Your sister too, and your best girlfriend
I'll line 'em up, and put 'em end to end
And then I'll put out, stick it in, I'll pull it out
I'll grab your face and cum in your mouth

It tastes good, don't it?
It tastes good, and you know it

...

Rock version:

[Hollywood Gunner]

heres the whole thing - starts rapping around 3:30

[TombRaider]

Thanks... now those are very uplifting lyrics

[Nosaj Thing]

heres the whole thing - starts rapping around 3:30

Incredible performance. Real Guns sounded damn great.