One In A Million - Guns N' Roses

[@Cronicasdeelhorse]

Im an Immigrant and I never took offense to this song in fact I love GnR since I was little kid..Axl was very misunderstood

[@sue5158]

I loved this song back in the day. Still love it.

[@alexegoavil7590]

Fk yeah

[@PatCoppock]

A lot of respect for not being offended by a piece of art, like some of the other reactors

[@Gypsycrusader123]

Fr

[@NZLatic]

I’m just in the middle of reading Duff McKagan’s (the bass player for GnR) autobiography and he made some interesting comments about this song. He was initially concerned when he heard these lyrics, particularly the two words you mentioned. But after recording the song and listening to Axl he could see the point Axl was trying to make. Axl was relating attitudes he heard and experienced from living amongst the ‘rougher elements’ of LA. He wasn’t reinforcing them, it was more of a snapshot of the time and place he was living. Axl was no angel and definitely had some pretty serious personal issues going on, but this song should be taken for what it is and not judged with 21st century goggles. Thank you for a balanced and fair reaction to a very controversial song

[@jlacy73]

Well said.

[@LN-Lifer]

An explanation that would be entirely unnecessary if people only bothered to listen to the entire song Radicals and racists Don't point your finger at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to make ends meet

[@DavinTilley]

One of their best songs. In my humble opinion, of course. 🤘

[@brettd530]

Agreed

[@RCFrizz]

THE best, IMHO...

[@roboparks]

The Guitar Hook is really superior

[@RCFrizz]

@@roboparks Yep, but I think there are three hooks.

[@blackstarboys4719]

I was 12 when I heard this in 89 and I loved it straight off the bat too. I’m an Aussie and it made sense and I loved the band banging out a cracking tune

[@chrislaustin]

As a young brown kid who grew up in South Central LA, I was not above having many of the same thoughts that are discussed in this song. The "N" was used daily and I can't track the numbers of times I heard it and used it myself, and I would have used it at the time in the same ways. To this day I can't stand police, so getting bracelets clamped in front of my back(handcuffs), was a real fear and hate of the time. Having a guy try to sell me gold chains was a similar reality as well. One of my moms best friends was gay, so I never got on that bandwagon, but the languages of immigrants, yeah, I've gone down that road. All that being said, I haven't used the "N" personally since probably the early 90's when I left LA, if I have an issue with others races using it, I shouldn't promote it even if it's allowed by my own race. I also have nothing but love for anyone coming to this country no matter the languages spoken, as I have more in common with them, than those who try to wedge us all apart(we all get bad programming). As others have stated, this song was from a young mans perspective of the time and what he saw and experienced, a persons "truth" is just that(and not for me to judge). It's also made clear the person here isn't really aligning himself with any particular, group, side, or religious train of thought. The "one in a million" line to me was always a look at someone who was above the fray so to speak(God, Jesus, Ghandi, etc.), those who are the best of us, that we rarely ever reach(much to high). If you've never had at least one of these thoughts, your probably one in a million(that's the way I always took it at least). But yeah, this is one of my favorite G N R tunes, and it sucks it was never added to live shows as it's a song that invokes "thoughts/discussions", and that's never a bad thing. “The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” ― Muhammad Ali At 52, I would never use any of the terms in this song today, but when I was about the age of the person in this song, I could easily relate. White, brown, orange or purple, we all have more in common than most would have you believe, so if you take nothing else away from this song, take that.

[@stevefilley9765]

Nice...

[@andrewgrundy]

Well said sir

[@randywissler9923]

Thank you my man for putting it in to context!! Most reactors or general people hear the n word and just close their minds to anything else. I've only seen one other reactor who figured it out and wasn't bothered by it. And he's black.

[@andrewgrundy]

Well said mate

[@09rja]

Thanks for your thoughts. The song is (in part) about his culture shock in coming from Indiana to LA. He has made it clear that he wasn't trying to insult all of any particular group.....just some people who were hassling him and so on.

[@ugaais]

Miss the 80’s

[@stevefilley9765]

Oh man 😢😢😢

[@True_Heretic]

Guns and Roses are one of the greatest bands in US history. They pushed the boundaries, in my opinion, to provoke those that are sleeping when they should be awake. Being awake is a patriotic response. Its not a standard American reflex. But Maddy, you handled this so well. Good for you!

[@FloridaHammer]

This song… guitars are epic!

[@glenaleksis4589]

This song is even more relevant today!

[@Robert-op7oc]

I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!

[@jameswilliams4804]

Your reaction nailed it perfectly. Archie Bunker,George Jefferson and Al Bundy were created to show the sad reality of how some really are.

[@firstCuresingle]

Cool?

[@thebluefus]

“ Don’t damn me when I speak a piece of mind”

[@filipandric8069]

Lyrics is describing state of mind of simple and smaltown mentality. Why is everyone thinking that these are Axl's personal attitude

[@fordhouse8b]

To be fair, he himself said in 1992 that he came up with the lyrics (or at least the n-word part of them) after getting angry at some black guys who had tried to rob him. Almost certainly at least some of his attitudes (at that time) were reflected in the song. He was a young angry man. I myself was not entirely comfortable with all of the lyrics, having migrated from one country (and continent) to another twice in my childhood, and having been raised for a couple of years in my late teens in household headed by a black woman. Still, I loved this song, and remember blasting it our dorm when I was in college. Whether the lyrics represented entirely, in part, or not at all his personal views, it is still a great song. I can live with loving music and artistic expression I don’t entirely agree with. I also still love some old Atari Teenage Riot stuff, even though I don’t exactly agree with the sentiments on a song like Death of a President, DYI (DYI of course standing for motto Do It Yourself). I will just quietly hope that our incoming President chokes on a french fry. Paul Ryan also famously is a fan of Rage Against the Machine, and I never really understood why people thought that was weird.

[@troymelvin3445]

You are awesome for getting the point of the song. And the pup is great.

[@MaddyReactions]

🩷

[@johncotter2008]

I love this song. It's real and raw. Sometimes people need to be made to feel uncomfortable.

[@alexegoavil7590]

I do not care what was his intent when he wrote this, this song is full of angst and passion, hardcore attitude, the true rebellious spirit of rock n roll. I first heard it in 89 and still a great song

[@paulyjbluey6408]

Welcome to uncomfortable dialogue. Absolutely NOTHING wrong with FREEDOM of EXPRESSION! I would argue that society was is in a better place in the 80’s. Names/tags didn’t start riots. The industry of BUTTHURT didn’t exist. The 80’s were a crazy time, VERY different from now where there was a lil more honesty. I absolutely don’t care what comments follow because the world was a better place back then. No “influencers”, social media, Kardashians. Axl would have had to answer to this face to face which is a whole lot braver than the keyboard deadshits going around today. I’m not a racist or homophobe. I love all!!! The world will ALWAYS have haters of all types of people/things. If you shut down dialogue and expression, no one learns.

[@fordhouse8b]

Was it better time when gay people could not get married, and could loose their jobs if outed? Was it a better time when poverty rates were higher (especially Consumption Poverty Rates, which measures how much money people can spend on food, housing, transportation, and other goods and services)? I a not generally disagreeing with your overall points, but your view of the 80’s might be touched by a bit of nostalgia, which as a child of the 70’s and 80’s, I can certainly relate to.

[@giorgipiorgi]

Legit one of GnRs best songs

[@Barbara-jk5kd]

This Song Is a masterpiece.....Guns' n Roses are the greateast band

[@RandyGentry-i6w]

This was the 80s best decade ever used to cruise around with my best friend every weekend playing that cassette tape epic songs

[@EmmaMonroe000]

Excellent E.P i love every single track , was released in 1988 .

[@billybee3423]

Eazy-E (from N.W.A.) was asked on MTv which band he would like tour with, and He immediately said G n R because of this song. He called Axel (singer) “a real ni@@a”. This lead Axel to wear NWA merch in future GnR videos. That being said, they were playing a show with Living Colour on the bill, and Corey said he would beat Axels ass if they did this song. The late 80’s/early 90’s were a WILD time. Since then, the song has since been denounced and removed from the album.

[@randywissler9923]

And around the time Eazy got sick, Axl and N.W.A were supposed to be working on a collab together. That shit would've been fire!!!

[@dustinjones8887]

Very impressive you did this song and with a grown-up reaction. I personally never related to Axl's lyric, but the music composition itself and the performance is outstanding. Even though I don't care for the lyric, I think if that's what he wants to say, let him have at it, and let him take the heat, but without cancelling. I do get a chuckle that Slash, who's half black, basically asked Axl "WTH are you doing, man?" when introduced to the song, yet played a killer guitar solo on it. lol. That cracks me up. ----- Interesting fact: Elton John, who's gay, befriended Axl and even played live with GNR at the MTV Music Awards after this song caught wind and controversy. Elton, was/is Axl's music hero. It always baffled me what Elton may have said to Axl in private. Elton did the same thing to Eminem after a controversial song

[@rutssy]

Great song. Thank you for reacting 🎉

[@andyshores9391]

It was written from an admittedly naive perspective of an 18 year old from middle america first experiencing the bus station and "jungle" in LA. Axl has since distanced himself from the lyrics, but its a deeper meaning than it seems superficially. GN'R is also 2/5 black.

[@henriksotto8497]

He means the new drummer

[@dimak4119]

Dude it's not a song what axl think it's what the public thought back then and about stereotypes , and he was 16 =)

[@andyshores9391]

@dimak4119 he lived in Lafayette when he was 16. I've listened to this band longer than you've alived.

[@dimak4119]

so what? ? @@andyshores9391

[@MrJocky82]

Couldn't have said it better myself. It's still a great song imo.

[@airgunfun4248]

THAT'S RIGHT!

[@robcd7112]

Before anyone gets the idea that this was just par for the course in the 80's, Just remember this song created the same kind of reaction back then which I think was the goal.

[@jamieflate9995]

He was prophecing todays world. One of the best songs he ever wrote.

[@unclebuck1453]

It’s a great song with … interesting lyrics. Axl had a troubling background, abusive father and lived his life as a drifter for a while. I read something that explained where he was coming from. He dealt with black people near greyhound bus stations, that I guess troubled him. Supposedly, there was a lot of anger brewing in him from that. Allegedly, he was nearly sodomized by a homosexual male that picked him up as a hitchhiker. Once again, I think there was a lot of anger from personal experiences in his dark days. However, merely against a fraction of certain communities he encountered, not the whole. It is certainly interesting, specifically the paradoxical nature of the lyrics. Using those racial expletives and yet standing against racists as I believe he sang as well. If there’s one thing I am sure about, it is that the guitar solo is bloody awesome. One of my fav songs by them, interesting conversation piece especially in our time. Love from Texas.

[@midiacorrupta1018]

What’s the problem with N word? Just means black. for some reason there is no problem when rappers use the W word or other racist words against whites

[@-sgsdfhdhhdt]

it doesnt just mean black you knows theres a different between a neo nazi using that word aggressive and a black person using it with another black person, i know things can be over blown but it doesnt mean that the n word isnt still a racist term, ive been called an n word lover by open nazis more time than i can count. also what is the W word?

[@michaelharmon7052]

​@@-sgsdfhdhhdt I honestly could care less what somebody calls me or calls anybody else. Don't melt the sun is hot.

[@RafaelGonzalez-xo8ss]

​@@michaelharmon7052Yeah I've been called a paisa and stuff like that and I don't let it get to me, it's just words you decide if you want that word to have power or not, and the "n" word is used by black people all the time but it's somehow its wrong when another race use the word, they managed to change the meaning of the word but still keep getting offended by it, a word only has power if you give it power

[@horrorpowerfilms9481]

When they asked Sinead O' Connor what she though of Axl Rose after this song, she answered "he is so cute, I want to marry him." So there you go.

[@davehind3193]

Finally somebody doing a reaction to this song gets what it's about instead of just pointing out the unpopular words that appear in the lyrics.

[@DaveSpinn]

When Axl first came to L.A. he was almost robbed at a bus station and was upset so an angry Rose wanted to get back at the people he felt did him wrong by stirring things up usings words in the lyrics he felt he should have the right to say that were derrogatory in reference to that day and attacking all groups....by 1992 after public backlash he gained some perspective and started walking back the things he said in the song. He said he wished he hadn't used those words, even Slash when asked said he was a little taken back hearing the lyrics for the first time. I'm happy they've all grown since then.

[@jrtruth2426]

The dancing puppers was my favorite part, but I love G n R.

[@Britton_Thompson]

If you go back and listen to the lyrics more closely, you'll realize he's telling a story that spans a course of time illustrating his evolution in prejudice. He says "police and n***ers" when he's at the bus station back home in Indiana. In the next verse when he's just arrived in LA, he's stunned by the sheer amount of gays and illegal immigrants he sees living there. Finally, in the third verse, when he's settled into his new home and is now trying to make ends meet while chasing his dream, he sees the error of his ways. He's disavowed those earlier bigoted beliefs. It's titled 'One In a Million' for multiple reasons, but one of them is the rarity of overcoming the prejudices you were raised with. It almost never happens. If you were raised to hate other groups from childhood, you're most likely to retain those beliefs all throughout your life. Only one person in a million will ever change their views on the groups they were taught to hate.

[@KingRichard1013]

I’m truly impressed that you were able to listen to this song and not get so offended by it. Because unfortunately in today’s culture if this song came out it would not fly because people these days are too damn sensitive. And obviously Axl Rose has come under under fire for this song many times people accuse him of being racist and homophobic. But that’s not the case because they also thought this song was being song from the perspective of him. Because that’s not the case this song is being sung from the perspective of a character.

[@benurban230]

Not an easy song to react to, but your points were spot on. Seven is so adorable.

[@josephkillough9316]

This song is about a small town boy, who hasn't experienced things like people of colour or gay people or people of other nationalities.

[@dp1917]

Loved it then and love it still now. If someone doesn't like something, don't watch or listen to it. Excellent track 👍

[@MaddyReactions]

🩷

[@Misitheus]

It's a raw song about the world we lived in at that time...and it's getting worse....I was in downtown LA in the late 80s....I would never go back....now with fentanyl....? Peace!

[@CoreyWickramasekera]

Yes he said it!!!

[@blackstarboys4719]

Great tune. I love this song. Don’t stress too much about the n word. Gangstas spell it differently. Big difference. Great commentary on society then and now. People are so precious. Glad you had the pair to react to this cool tune. If only people could look in the mirror and be honest and not pretend they don’t and live their lives without bothering others. Great song and great full for the reaction. Still one of my favourites from back when it was released. Honest and great band play.

[@nunopereira526]

Thanks for reacting to One In a Million, a song from the 80's, i would say a song that is a gem. Thoughts should be shared and discussed, it's because of honest are true ppl that we can learn from the mistakes and advance as a society, if we can't understand other's point of views and help them overcome, we will keep divided.

[@oliverkalamata2753]

My first thought was “Oh no, the dog is black too” 😂

[@MaddyReactions]

😂😂😂

[@henriksotto8497]

If you listen to the last few verses it gets pretty clear that he isn’t singing the first verses from his but quoting form a naive Midwestern persons point of view. If you get offended by a word that’s not used in a hatefull context then you’re the one that gives it power and hate

[@dougfa3515]

Oh... no, you definitely heard what you though you heard... aand I was like now who was the %$&#-stirrer that told her to review this one?! LOL. Love the dog, btw.

[@gtronable]

It's true people are such petty little instigators...willing to bet this person wasn't alive when it came out and probably knows nothing about the band except that this song almost got them 'cancelled'.

[@nillehessy]

just listen his expression and axl will always bring it together

[@LN-Lifer]

This might blow your mind but this is one of GNR's most popular songs amongst the Hispanic population

[@scottkonieczny2443]

"USED TO LOVE HER" from this same album, (I feel), you could have alil' sarcastic fun with.

[@andrewgrundy]

Big Guns n Roses fan here from the UK , this is one of my favourite songs, obviously banned by many radio stations…… until I Was in Milan airport last year and this was playing full volume in the gift shop 🤘🏻 no offense taken or intended

[@brettd530]

I love this song.

[@Majic2657]

Maddy and her One in a million puppy Very Nice.

[@sviinfinity1559]

This song is based on his own personal experience...There are other video explain that.Also was in the 90s..Still a masterpiece

[@jaysondahlke5079]

The way she bops along holding her dog like she's about to hear a children's song though

[@MaddyReactions]

😂😂😂🤷🏽‍♀️

[@FedericoRodriguez-d3k]

Love this song, my favorite from the Lies EP

[@ianbarfield3358]

Thank You for this clip.

[@VilmerFall]

This band is what kept me playing and getting better at the bass during the pandemic! If you like Guns N Roses you should check out Velveteen Queen! Its a young band from sweden bringing back 80s-90s rock to the music scene!

[@MSchmitz-ce9fu]

You are a very intelligent person that is well informed in the heart of social engineering. I would add it’s not just about Selecting happy videos, because that could serve our concupiscence which in essence is the same pitfall as a terrifying or anxiety video. We really need to be very Discerning in our selection process that serves a higher moral code. We may not agree on what that moral code is but we could start and agree on aspects of the natural law. But I completely agree with what you’re getting at. Social engineering and algorithms have pretty much destroyed every western nation.

[@MaddyReactions]

🩷

[@dadftw1318]

This one definitely hits different now than when it was released.

[@joeygay7115]

The neg reviews when the cd came out did nothing but push the sales of it and made them wealthier

[@BlakeHanback01]

Great song. Nobody better than Axl Rose!! React to Coma, a live performance. Their best song in my eyes.

[@tommyo5000]

I used to have a cat and whenever I put on gnr patience she would sit right on top of the speakers in our studio ❤

[@rwestvang]

Great breakdown Maddy! Why must a song suddenly be a personal biography when some words are inappropriate? Yes there are people like that, and that is just what they tried to paint in this song.

[@KevPage-Witkicker]

It's a song from the perspective of an ignorant teen from a hick state, to make his opinions more acceptable and his language more pretty wouldn't have been honest or even worth hearing. It's not endorsing racism or homophobia, it just features it, shows that it exists. A window into a troubled, imperfect soul.

[@Anonymousones1]

MaddyReactions you are 1 in a million ❤

[@timothyburnside3229]

Beautiful Fur baby! Looks like she is enjoying dancing!

[@pressman1788]

Enjoyed your reaction. I always liked this song. If people don’t like it that’s fine, trying to cancel things like this is ridiculous. Just my opinion. Thank you Maddy!👍🏻

[@MaddyReactions]

💗

[@mairyhuff7102]

Axl Rose said in an interview that he used the N word only referring to criminals which i always thought was strange, i always thought he was singing about how he was brought up expected to think about the world in a small town in the late 60s, early 70s lafayette Indiana, especially with the final part of the song "radicals and racists? Dont point your finger at me!. I never saw Axl as a racist especially with the friendship he had with Slash. They only fell out due to Axls self exploding ego, which destroyed the band in the 90s

[@RLN1972]

love this song!!!

[@utubemewatch]

As a counter to the politically correct performative piety oozing from the content creator - the “one in a million” of this song was a black man who helped Axl find his way as young farm kid from Indiana arriving in the big city, an alien world. It’s an honest portrayal of his experience which is deliberately naive but honest. But the PC rage is equally naive but also dishonest because it assumes to define people by group identity. The ultimate minority is the individual and despite the pejorative term for blacks, a black man was his “one in a million” hero. The ultimate hypocrisy is the bigotry and prejudice of the PC woke mob and their contempt for those at the bottom of the intersectional ladder. This is a great song!

[@thomasgorman9615]

I love listening to guns n roses, this song was controversial from the beginning, lyrics that make you think or bring about conversation are interesting to me

[@GhostRider-mm6ky]

One of my favorite songs ... it's about a white boy not being progressive and feeling like he has no place left to go.. I mean his guitarist is black so I doubt it's his point of view.. I like it cuz when it came out even Ice Cube and Dr Dre said it's art. Axl has wore an N.W.A hat on his whole tour... It's art people so don't get offended

[@johnvega5564]

Just one of the coolest songs...miss the 80's at that time on Sunset Bl, Doheny/Sunset Plaze Dr..hanging out at Tower Records at night definitely crazy thank you for playing it a from a new generation prospective to old generation vibe 80's❤😊

[@cryptkeeper4532]

Straight out of bed ,,,and you tackle,,Guns n Roses one in a million ,, like it’s nothing ,, impressive.. 👍

[@ScottM-mds1hb]

I can remember in MI 1970’s school and street talk ( little kids ) mind you.. All the slang was used and no one cared amongst each other, I’m still a polack today but no one tells me that anymore😄🤓😂 and I don’t say any of it now of course either-but you can see it in old tv shows like ie: Sanford and Son even in mainstream old movies and like represented here in music 🎶 History gets written as we go it doesn’t delete and start over it’s a compilation of events not to be forgotten👍🏼 Not all good, not all bad, just what happened😊😊😊 I feel pretty strongly here because I care and too many people fake care a lot these days for attention or gains $ Maddys channel is so great 😄

[@leatherheads6235]

Yes you did hear correctly. I remember alot of static from MTV/radio... it seemed to lesson the anger outrage once people learned Slash was half black and had no problem with it.

[@atticus7830]

Hands down on my favorite GNR songs

[@nicholasthomas3635]

It was written from experiences on the streets of L.A. nearly 40 years ago. I had the same experiences in a big city way back then as well. Now, the vocal range is far above most singers then or now. The PC mindset pushed by the same MSM is way last year. Folk need to THINK for yourself, instead of running on emotions & 'feelings'.

[@ejmkaizen]

Axl assumed the personality of small-time, no one, white kid. I can't understand why people don't have this concept. This song is utterly brilliant!

[@MaddyReactions]

I am not familiar enough with GnR lol

[@melbright100]

If you have NEVER heard old Guns N Roses you picked the worst best song…it’s only offensive if you get hung on the words and and not what he is actually saying…this song is about his struggles growing up and uprooting himself and moving to LA and the culture shock it was and the chorus “Your One In A Million Yeah Yeah That’s What You Are” he is not talking about a woman he is talking about living life and the struggle we ALL have to make ends meet…I love Guns N Roses have since I was in the 6th grade in 86-87 when their debut album Appetite for Destruction was released and I loved this album their second as well

[@chadsulski9020]

The 'trigger' words in the song are being used from the perspective of a hick / hillbilly moving to LA for the first time.. Axl is not espousing HIS beliefs . He actually did this to call out that kind of back woods ignorance that was so prevalent in small town america at the time.

[@gringostarr69]

As a finnish person quess what some one saying " N-word" make me think?! "Whoaaaa trigger allert"!!!! - I didn't listen the song through. It is party about Slash; 1/4 black 1/4 jewish. This song is also about Axel's life who came from really religious background. I still have the first issued Vinyl and CD that i have had over 30 years. Drop your comfort dog and step in to the real world where words are just words and learn about real life. How people are dying and they can't no safe space 😂

[@Amp5150]

this song is good just based on the insane octave jump at 6:20 alone

[@gregcarroll4053]

You heard EXACTLY, tired ,had enough.

[@michaelholmes78]

still epic

[@DannyBZ9]

That’s right!! 😅

[@MrJocky82]

That is the cutest Frenchie I've ever seen in my life!! Beautiful little guy/girl. I have an English bulldog. God I love dogs💙

[@MaddyReactions]

Awww!!! I love smooshie faces

[@tukolo5408]

Dispite the lyrics the song rocks!!!

[@glenaleksis4589]

Great song.

[@kenhall6525]

This song was not the view of Axl Rose but a point of view from a middle class white guy who never experienced anything other than his white bread world.

[@claytonsmith7211]

Ya man back in the day you could just keep it real.. He’s just describing what he’s lookin at

[@Edwarddiaz21]

I thought this was kinda like a good song about a girl and figured I'd play it for a girl I was with at the time. Well, it turns out that that it wasn't. My girlfriend didn't know if I was insane, racist, joking, or all the above. This song has since become one of my favorites.

[@pissedmetalhead]

Love this song. Used to love gnr growing up.

[@tbroschat81]

He did say the N word, and it was one of the things that damaged his relationship with Slash over the years because Slash’s mom is black, Slash talked about it in his book.

[@CoreyWickramasekera]

FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!!

[@adrianfuegoscuro6308]

Yeah gal, He said it.

[@Imadeyourun]

Since GNR won't perform this song live, maybe one day I will! 🤣

[@ОлегЛаптев-ш3у]

Axl is basically doing the same stuff that young Eminem later did. You know, all that provocative stuff, attacking different groups of people and stuff.

[@steves.6519]

Great reaction. Cute pup. Ive got 2 Frenchies myself.

[@MaddyReactions]

That's awesome! 😎