The Garden

The song The Garden by Guns N' Roses stands out for its melancholic atmosphere and introspective lyrics. Although it was composed before the band released their successful album Appetite for Destruction in 1987, it was not included in that work, as they sought a more hard rock-focused approach. The song's lyrics were written by Axl Rose, while the musical part was created in collaboration with Del James and West Arkeen. An interesting aspect is the participation of Alice Cooper, who contributes some verses, as well as the former singer of Blind Melon, Shannon Hoon, who handles the backing vocals.

Despite The Garden having its own charm, the band did not consider it strong enough to release it as a single, which led to it not being one of the most frequent songs in their live performances. The music video, which combines black-and-white and color techniques, was designed to accompany the Use Your Illusion Tour and shows the band in various locations in New York, including Times Square and Washington Square Park. However, its content, which includes scenes in strip clubs, limited its broadcast on MTV programming.

The album Use Your Illusion I, which includes this song, was released on September 17, 1991, alongside its counterpart Use Your Illusion II. This work marked the arrival of keyboardist Dizzy Reed and drummer Matt Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler after his departure in 1990. The Garden has a duration of 5:22 and, although it was not a major commercial success, it is part of an album that has sold over 5 million copies in the United States. The song's mix was handled by Bill Price, which contributed to its characteristic sound.