14 Years


Title: 14 Years
On Album: Use Your Illusion II
Also Included On: "Use Your Illusion"
Running Time: 4:20
Produced by: Mike Clink & Guns N' Roses

Engineered by: Mike Clink
Mixed by: Bill Price

Audio: N/A


Single
: No
Video
: No
Drums: Matt
Bass: Duff
Lead and Rhythm Guitars: Slash
Vocals / Rhythm Guitar: Izzy
Piano: Axl
Organ: Dizzy
Background Vocals: Axl


Written by: "14 Years" was written by Izzy and Axl. Izzy wrote most of the song, and Axl wrote the lyrics to the chorus.
Written in
: "14 Years" was written in or before 1990.

Written about
: The title "14 Years" referes to Axl and Izzy's friendship. 14 Years - 1976-1990 they had known each other. They both wrote a song titled "14 Years" and put it together.
Lyrics
I try and feel the sunshine
You bring the rain
You try and hold me down
With your complaints
You cry and moan and complain
You whine an tear
Up to my neck in sorrow
The touch you bring
You just don't step inside to
14 years
So hard to keep my own head...
That's what I say
You know...I've been the beggar...
I've played the thief
I was the dog...they all tried to beat

But it's been
14 years of silence
It's been
14 years of pain
It's been
14 years that are gone forever
And I'll never have again

Your stupid girlfriends tell you
That I'm to blame
Well they're all used-up has-beens
Out of the game
This time I'll have the last word
You hear what I say
I tried to see it your way

It won't work today
You just don't step inside to
14 years
So hard to keep my own head...
That's what I say
You know...I've been the dealer...
Hangin' on your street
I was the dog...they all tried to beat

But it's been
14 years of silence
It's been
14 years of pain
It's been
14 years that are gone forever
And I'll never have again

Bullshit and contemplation
Gossip's their trade
If they knew half the real truth
What would they say
Well I'm past the point of concern
It's time to play
These last 4 years of madness
Sure put me straight
Don't get back 14 years
In just one day
So hard to keep my own head
Just go away
You know...just like a hooker she said
Nothin's for free
Oh I tried to see it your way
I tried to see it your way
Live Performances

"14 Years" was played on the first legs of the "Use Your Illusion" tour, when Izzy was still in the band.

Notable Performances:
May 11, 1991 - Los Angeles, CA - The first performance of the song.
August 24, 1991 - Mannheim, Germany - Performance with much agression, everyone's angry at everyone it seems!
August 31, 1991 - London, England - The last performance of the song.

In Their Own Words
Izzy: Axl phoned me up and said he'd written a song called "14 Years" too, which is a really bizarre coincidence. So when he said that, I told him 'Well maybe we should use mine, 'cos it's already finished and we can get on with these fuckin' albums and get them out sometime in 1991!' So what we ended up doing was he heard mine, we tracked it, then he sang me parts of his song and made them like a bridge or a chorus or something.1

Gilby: We don't do songs that [Izzy] sang "14 Years" for example.