Guns N' Roses One In A Million Reaction!!! 

Lol, lots of people have requested One In A Million in the comments. Great discussion & breakdown! Vin made some really insightful remarks & was much more open minded about the lyrics than everyone was when the song first came out! But, I've come to expect that. ☺️

This song is about a boy grown up in a small white town, in a religous, dysfunctional family and moving to L.A. to make ends meet. Axl wanted this song to be shocking, a punch in the throat, because that was what it was to go from Indiana to Los Angeles in the early 80’s to pursue your musical dreams. The song was released after Appetite, but describes a person before Guns N’ Roses was formed. One in a Million literally meaning being one in a million, in a city bigger than what you’re capable to imagine. Axl also describes a small mindset when arriving, being totally alien to the city and having to figure out a way to survive. If you listen to "Move To The City", "Welcome To The Jungle" & "One in A Million", in that order, you can get quite a grip of a storyline. Also, watch the Jungle music video as well. in the beginning of the video, it shows a small town white boy Axl arriving in the big city, instantly culture shocked by the man trying to sell him drugs (Played by Izzy Stradlin, Rhythm guitarist. He actually did this for a living when he first moved from Indiana to L.A., before Axl) and the women. We can see Axl being brainwashed in some scenes and at the end of the video we see a completely changed man, with teased hair and make-up, standing at the same bus stop as he first arrived at, watching the TV’s behind a glass wall displaying himself being brainwashed. Axl tells the story behind Jungle during a live performance at The Ritz in 1988: "Five or six years ago I hitchhiked here and ended up, stuck out in the middle of this place.. [I] climbed up out on the freeway and this black man comes up to me and my friend with our backpacks and about 10 bucks between us and he goes 'You know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby. You're gonna die!'" Axl also tells the story of him almost being raped in St. Louis, 1991: "I was seventeen and I left Indiana because I had a disagreement with the juvenile detectives, he was determined to put my ass in jail and I was determined to get the fuck out and dodge (moving to L.A.). As he was driving to my house I was getting my clothes out of the dryer and getting the fuck out. I had about 35 bucks and I took a bus to St. Louis. Then I went out to whatever freeway I was closest to and I hitched a ride with some air-conditioning repairman in a van. It all seemed pleasant and safe enough and nothing really happened. I was exhausted and beat, [and] had never been out of my fucking town on my own in my life. We went to some fucking hotel and I crashed out and this guy crashed out, and I woke up and this guy was trying to fuck me. I don't care, you can be a male, female, you can be a fucking dog, I don't care, man, that shit ain't right. But I guess 'I'm just homophobic [in a taunting voice], you know, that's my problem.' Anyway, it took everything I had inside of me to not.. I pinned this guy against the wall between the door in the hotel with my straight razor, cause I thought I was badass shaving with a straight razor. It took everything I had not to slice him." Hope everyone here has a bigger and better understanding of the song now, and understands that Axl didn't mean no harm using these words to describe the situation, he had been through shit at home and was going through shit in Indiana and needed to blow off steam and find ways to word the situation. This is also one of the facts as to why he hasn't released a book yet, he doesn't know how to word everything properly to give the right view, as he explained in 2016.

I really appreciate you guys understanding that it isn’t a hateful song I mean hell slash is a black man😂

Axl already addressed this song in multiple interviews, and yes, he admitted that it was a social criticism and yes, to himself also, when he lived In Indiana before arriving in L.A. and having his horizons broaden by all the different and multi cultural people he met and got exposed to. So it is also a song about personal growth and learning about how all the different people can get along.

1. Great song, that solo was the main reason I started playing guitar 35 years ago. 2. Great reaction video, you reacted the the right way at all the right places, your honest shock at what you just heard was exactly what brought me here 3. Axl is not racist or homophob, you`ve got the song right. 4. It seems that nobody sees that the guy in the song went at everybody, he screams "All of you, just leave me the hell alone!" 5. I learned something watching this video, so thank you :)

Ty for not pausing 50 times during a great song, like so many of the other reaction channels. Great song, nice reaction.

He’s not racist or homophobic. Slash is half black and they’re best friends, the new drummer is also black, he wouldn’t work with them if he was racist. He’s a huge Queen fan, and loves Freddy and he’s also a huge fan of Elton John, and has sang songs with Elton a few times as well, so he’s not homophobic. This song was about what he saw when he got to LA, not what he personally was feeling etc. He explained that when asked, and to top it all off, even the NWA approved this song. You explained the song extremely well I must say.

It was the early 90s. Slash is half black and asked his mothers permission to release the song. It was a time of controversy and its what they saw on Sunset strip. They knew this would piss alot of people off and that was the point I saw that on a rockumentary. Crazy times in music. Rewind to the 60s and John Lennon. Unreal stuff.

Its been 35 years and people still can get this song lol

Nevermind the lyrics....the song itself kicks ass

Such an insightful commentary on this song. Not a knee jerk reaction but a dive into the material and search for the truth the artist is trying to convey. Earned a sub.

Axl loved writing about being a farm boy, or as he puts it in this "a small town white boy", and contrasting it with being in LA. Welcome to the jungle is similar, as are Paradise city, Move to the city and even Out to get me

It’s a great song. Straight raw. He shows u he was ignorant and to not take him seriously. Crazy how ppl can’t allow music like this come out today, but when I listen to rap I hear racial slurs for every race including black. Most ppl wouldn’t want to know what’s said behind closed doors in the average Americans home no matter the color.

I’ve watched quit a few of your videos over the past several days (just sort of got turned on to this reaction video thing ) and I think yours are some of the best. I love the way you can cut right through to an artists intentions, & recognize the different sorts of narrative & literary devices they use instead of just reacting to words at face value. It’s pretty unusual. This is the best, most mature discussion of this song I’ve seen.

Rose stated, "It was a way for me to express my anger at how vulnerable I felt in certain situations that had gone down in my life".[6]

I've searched for reactions to this song several times and never found any besides the one where the gal cut it short. Now this pops up.

"Youre a prince so don't worry about them" Oh if only more mothers imparted this type of wisdom

What a great guitar solo! That's the important thing...

Nailed the meaning. And Duff has said it is from the perspective of that kind of person not necessarily Axl himself.

The Song IS autobiographical about Axl's time growing up in a small town in Indiana he is singing about his own youth not about anyone else's and his run in with the law there frequently that is why he left on the Greyhound for Los Angeles to try and make a better life which he did indeed do ....

God I loved this album

The guitar in this song is amazing! Forget it’s all guitar:)

Axl Rose was notorious for writing songs like this...his lyrics were intedned to shock and make people react...this song does make you think too...in the world there is so much shit thrown at us we have to try not to get sucked into everything THAT comes directly from Axl himself in an interview he gave about the song...this song almost wiped this band out....songs like this do still infact get produced today most are rap and hip hop but they are out there in all genres

This was a song written from Axel's experience when he went to LA for the first time and he was in a Greyhound bus station en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_in_a_Million_(Guns_N%27_Roses_song)

You nailed it, I can relate born and raised in a small coal town in East Ky. I joined the military and was my first interactions with any other cultures or nationalities. Some of us only know what we're taught and surrounded by growing up in whatever environment. Now I'm proud to have fellow brothers and sisters of many different nationalities that I'd run into a field of pure hell to pull one to safety. Adapt and overcome!!

You hit it right on the head with reaction

hes describing how he felt when he first arrived in LA....at that time he was a small town white boy

Also as responses to the backlash listen to “Don’t Damn Me” and “Get in the Ring” … Axl was already addressing fake news back then.

The song gave me a hard time when I was 13, but it helped me form my opinion, and I'm grateful to Axl for that. The song gives a voice to a small town boy without making you sympathize with his opinion. Should it be re-released? No, because as Axl himself said, it can be too easily misunderstood. Should it have been heard? Absolutely. The song forces you to take a stand, and that's what art is for.

So many people misunderstood this and just look at the words Ngr, and Fgt. So many forget these are artist telling short stories and GnR were not afraid to tell a dark story. This is about a small town white kid showing up in LA for the first time. Guns N Roses always have had a black man in the group, currently 2 of them, and currently have 2 gay members in the band. This is just a story, no one bitches when a movie director uses those words in one of their stories, so cut them some slack, this was just art.

This song is played on the radio in New Zealand, we don't get affended by words from 1989, it's an amazing song for its time, there is more to it than the words.

I loved the Gunners into the 80's, together with Black Sabbath, Metallica, Pink Floyd, Dio, Celtic Frost, Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Candlemass.

For those that can't remember in the early 90's folks were tormented by shady M-Fers trying to sell fake ass gold chains 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

i think it's a story , well written, and sung, slash guitars ,lots of people can relate too, can you write a story , don't hurt my feelings in 20 years, good luck

This is a white kid coming from Indiana. He was using the words he had been taught to describe what he saw.

I'm not American, but this song is amazing... I remember listening to this song in the 80s and it was ok for me... no drama... free speech always (!!), even if it hurts me in some way... I love this song

This actually one of my favorite GNR songs, as it actually resonates with me. There's a lot of shit I faced in life and this song seemed to speak to me on a very profound level. That might seem strange coming from someone who is black himself, but it is what it is.

A lot of people do not know Axl aka Bill's childhood. His father "left" when his Mother started taking the kids to church at a odd ball church, one that was led by that JIm Jones. Axl found out after his step father left to join Jones in Utah, and then was found dead was not his real dad and that his real Dad was ran off due to the cult. Axl had a bad rep as a guy who would always go on late, and for good reason, and he never told many, also for good reason. Jones and his step dad used to make him sing in front of the church and if Axl wasnt perfect, he would get beaten and raped by his step dad, Jones and other members of the cult. And that is why is was always having anxiety attacks before a show and always late. He was tramautized bad.

I love, love slashes guitar in this song! This must be the short version. He is amazing. I saw him in concert and wow.

I'm a small town Southern white boy, JUST TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET!!! Don't need ya religion "don't watch that much TV" just making my living baby, WELL THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ME!!!!😢

That’s an angry young man right there. A talented artist.

At the time they wrote this song GNR was not a huge band. It was released in 1988 with Appetite for Destruction in 1987 and it took over a year after Appetite to get popular. Only reason Appetite took off, was MTV played a music video of GNR at 4:00 AM and the calls in to MTV blew up the phone switch board. GNR was almost a band that never was famous. Lots of people didn’t want to see these “junkies” get any attention.

He was giving an honest opinion as an artist about how he felt when he was 19 living in fear in Los Angeles thinking that every black man hated him because he probably was taught that? Go look up all the interviews where he talked about One in a million.

Always loved this song

You can't judge men for being ignorant in times they werent .. Now we understand life and how and what we are more now .. Thats what progress means ..period

The song came up on my random list. And I had to go through the reactions. Great clips guys :) I've just subscribed. Little one must be 3 by now

Great song,insightful lyrics,wise words.

Great song.

This was a very deep, well thought out reaction.

Good job folks. Thank you for the perspective. He could have wrote this song before he was famous!! But this was fantastic.

Spot on read for someone who never listen to this, props to you man.

Not a bad review of the song, which is one of the best songs GnR ever played! The story of course is misinterpreted, but when Axl came to Los Angeles from Indiana, had nothing but the clothes on his back, got off the bus in the Greyhound terminal on 6th Ave in LA, & was immediately occosted by alot of black men trying to sell him stuff, & one tried to rob him. There are alot of terrible things that have happened to people, & musicians have there music to express themselves to the world! It's a great song, & more relevant in 2022 than it was in 1988, & I'd bet more people share Axls point of view

That dude was spot on, an example of something similar is the Edward Norton rant in that movie I forgot the name of

this song is one of my most loved songs .plus slash is half black

"In a 2019 interview, Duff McKagan said: "One thing about Axl is if you’re going to try to compete with him intellectually, you’ve lost, because he’s a super smart guy... He’s a super sensitive dude who does his studies. When we did that song, I was still drinking but he was way ahead of us with his vision of, ‘Something’s gotta be said.’ That was the most hardcore way to say it. So flash-forward to now. So many people have misinterpreted that song that we removed it ... Nobody got it.”

4:25 the visual discomfort nourishes me

dude the lady's reaction lol we should get them to watch the movie blazing saddles

I like how the point is completely lost that Slash wrote this song. Saul Hudson who happens to be half black half Jewish 😂

Well you're wrong about axel personification of the song, he wrote it when he moved to lA before he was a rock star.. but i like your vid thanks.

"Doug Stanhope:Didd thej dou jour job traininh inn pantomeim, schitthead?"

Literally my favorite song

Yes way ahead

Great video and insight!

Axl was still Billy, the tiny, ginger boy from Indiana, who grew up as a pentecostal. He was 17 when he left, so I think all that conservative upbringing was too difficult to left behind Besides his religious, too conservative upbringing, he belonged to a conservative town. Slash on the contrary had a liberal education, so it was a shock for them to know each other and turn into close friends

11/10 take. and yeah, such a beautiful guitar solo (played by slash, who's half black)

The perfection

Amazing song

This is a very intelligent song, just think about it: a guy is telling you how he thought about LA when he arrived there, AND how it was stupid to think so at the same time, while completely changing the meaning of "one in a million" while singing the song. BTW for the people that are stupid and think the song itself is racist: take a look at Slash (GOAT).

I think it was from his point of view as a child growing in Indiana with the only point of reference about immigrants, gays and black people is the way Media portrayed it in the 80s.. he was ignorant when he came to LA and was shell shocked.. he clearly no longer feels that way but that was the raw emotion of a young, ignorant kid. His bodyguard is black, his best friend(pretty much a mother to him) is an immigrant and his favorite singer is Elton John and performed for Queen AIDS event.

One thing is for sure: Axl has cojones.

Slash is black. He said he didn't regret doing the song, but what they went through because of it. Duff said Slash told him, What if they went to jail at that time. Which they did often also.

This song came out after Appetite for Destruction but was written, and I think recorded before.

This song was written before the first album because it's about them trying to find a bassist (Duff). Hence one in a million. And don't forget Axel is from Lafayette Indiana so it was probably a huge culture shock with him going to LA.

Don't think that one would fly today. Wow.

Why does everyone assume he is speaking in the first person!?

Brilliant analysis I think you guys did well

They put out that album ( song) after Appetite for Destruction, but that song comes from back! In other words : He was what he said he was when he wrote it! ( An small town White boy). Those were different times and he had the police against him saying if you don't leave, you are in trouble! So his words are kind of the words that people from small towns would say and in the end Axl's side of the story...

Lies was written pre appetite but you nailed it

This song was written before appetite for distruction.. there is a video of GNR in a Bar playing acoustic songs.. I believe it was 87 or 88.. some of this songs had been written back in 83’ but it was released in an album in 88’ So he wrote this song as his experiences when he arrived in LA in a greyhound bus.. I believe he was being hustled by people and possible vareases by police… you are correct about the personification of a small time white boy (redneck) dealing with this sudden change from going to a small town to a jungle like the city… I’m sure everything was crazy for him.. hence the song from the album appetite for distruction , Welcome to the Jungle. I think “one in a million” he is referring to perhaps a small time white boy culture.. that it’s threatened by the changes and he feels like he and people like him are one in a million.. like a shooting star amongst all the stars in the sky. He has said that he is not racist.. slash is actually half balck

One of the most aggressive song ever written. And musically is a masterpiece. Yes it's the redneck manifesto. It came later but was written years before. Hate speech? Maybe. But it's not political, it's personal. They know it's wrong, but they don't want to be an example for anybody. They just know they are not alone, therefore "WE tried to reach you before you make us cry"... It's a statement, not a political idea.

Tupac done a song like this and everyone loved it. Changes was Tupacs One in a million...fight me.

Great Song....

This was 4 years ago...im getting older, quicker and quicker and fkn quicker.

I forgot how good that song is

Axl took so much crap for this... Check out Guns N' Roses song "Don't Damn Me" where he talks about freedom of speech

Please react to rocket queen now, I know you gonna freaking love it! It’s one of their best songs

GnR’s “Don’t Damn Me” seems to be the answer to the media’s coverage of “One in a Million” It’s also one of their best songs!! Intense, defiant, introspective... Riffs, vocals, lyrics, it’s a very strong song👍🏻

Axl rose had a personal experience where a man offered to house him when he first moved to LA... And in the night the man tried to rape him... That's what the line is referencing

Did you know that Guns n roses wanted to make music with eazy e N.W.A and there a photos with gnr and eazy and axl with ice cube

Thank you guys for having the fortitude to react to this song. It's a tough one, for sure, but in today's hostile political and social climate, it's something that needs open discussion to air grievances and learn to grow and evolve as humans. Much love and respect to both of you beautiful people.

My grandfather would always say there are no new problems, just new people. That's why songs like this and many other's will remain relevant.

Slash is half black, and wasn't totally on board with this one, but he went with it.

Good for you guys, posting this reaction. I have been waiting to see a reaction to One In A Million from somebody... It was a very controversial song when it came out, it was more about his coming to LA and having the experience with the LA culture and it's actors. You can try GNR- Rocket Queen and Mr. Brown Stone as well...rock & roll lifestyle..lol.

Jeez their reaction was on point with how one should view this with an open mind. I’m glad they didn’t shut down to the simple “he’s a racist boycott GNR!” Cool to see and will watch more of their videos.

Interesting that Vin didn't get all pissed off like he did with Lynyrd Skynyrd.

I think, in a lot of ways, this is one of their best songs. A little more raw, and unhinged than Appetite. I like it.

Slash is half black. His mother is black, father white. Axl tried to get and NWA/GNR tour together. He was def NOT racist. It's a deep song and is heavily misunderstood.

Actually in addition to being half black Slash is also technically an immigrant. I believe he still primarily identifies as British in fact

Gun's n Roses - Coma

The song is about someone coming from a small town in America and seeing a different America. The last verse says radical and racist don’t put your finger at me.