Not Even Cold “November Rain” Could Deny This Epic Version of a Classic Guns ‘N Roses Track
There are few Guns n’ Roses songs that really stand the test of time than the massive sounding epic of “November Rain.” From the dramatic string section to the deliberate piano playing to the touching lyrics, it’s a song that grasps your heartstrings and pulls on them to the near breaking point. Don’t even get me started on the solo.
Earlier today, the band released a newly reworked version of the 1991 Use Your Illusion I track, which was arranged and conducted by film and television composer Christopher Lennertz and remixed by Steven WIlson.
Oh and there’s a 50-piece orchestra thrown in the mix.
Wilson, originally a member of Porcupine Tree, said in a series of tweets that his mix of “November Rain” was meant to stay faithful to the original version while adding new flourishes to the track. Because why go reinventing the wheel when the wheel’s one of the most iconic rock ballads of all time?
“My mix of a fully orchestrated version of the @gunsnroses evergreen November Rain appears on the just announced 30th anniversary reissue of Use Your Illusion.
“The new 2022 version is the same performance as the original, and mixed faithfully to the established version, but with newly recorded orchestration replacing the sampled sounds used at the time.”
As you can hear for yourself either in the video below or on streaming platforms everywhere, the 2022 version of “November Rain” has a much fuller sound, with the orchestra really adding what feels like a moving and breathing part of the score. I imagine this is the kind of grandiose production Axl Rose was going for when he originally penned the song for his then-girlfriend Stephanie Seymour.
This song will be included along with an absolutely massive laundry list of other kick ass Guns n’ Roses releases next Friday when the huge Use Your Illusion I & II box set is released via UME/Geffen. Set to commemorate the more than 30 years that the double album has been out, this set will have nearly 100 tracks, with almost two-thirds being brand new, unreleased material.
You can check out a full tracklist of the box set below the song.
Guns N’ Roses, Use Your Illusion I & II
Use Your Illusion I
- Right Next Door To Hell
- Dust N’ Bones
- Live And Let Die
- Don’t Cry (Original)
- Perfect Crime
- You Ain’t The First
- Bad Obsession
- Back Off Bitch
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- November Rain (Newly recorded w/ orchestra)
- The Garden
- Garden Of Eden
- Don’t Damn Me
- Bad Apples
- Dead Horse
- Coma
Use Your Illusion II
- Civil War
- 14 Years
- Yesterdays
- Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
- Get In The Ring
- Shotgun Blues
- Breakdown
- Pretty Tied Up
- Locomotive
- So Fine
- Estranged
- You Could Be Mine
- Don’t Cry (Alt. Lyrics)
- My World
Live In New York Ritz Theatre – May 16, 1991
- Pretty Tied Up
- Bad Obsession
- Right Next Door To Hell
- Mr. Brownstone
- Dust N’ Bones
- Live And Let Die
- Paradise City
- Voodoo Child (Slight Return) / Civil War
- Drum Solo
- Slash Solo
- You Could Be Mine
- I Was Only Joking / Patience
- Only Women Bleed / Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
- Don’t Cry (Original) (w/ Shannon Hoon)
- You Ain’t The First (w/ Shannon Hoon)
- My Michelle
- Estranged
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Welcome To The Jungle
- Cd 5
Live In Las Vegas Thomas & Mack Center – January 25, 1992
- Nightrain
- Mr. Brownstone
- Live And Let Die
- Attitude
- It’s So Easy
- Bad Obsession
- Welcome To The Jungle
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Voodoo Child (Slight Return) / Civil War / Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
- Don’t Cry (Original)
- Wild Horses
- Patience
- You Could Be Mine
- So Fine
- November Rain
- Intros / Drum Solo
- Slash Solo
- Speak Softly, Love (Love Theme From The Godfather)
- Rocket Queen
- Sail Away Sweet Sister
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Move To The City
- Hotel California / Only Women Bleed / Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
- Yesterdays
- My Michelle
- Estranged
- Mother / Paradise City
