Sweet Child O Mine

Song Meaning and background of Sweet Child O'Mine by Guns and Roses

Based on a love letter written by Rose to his then-girlfriend Erin Everly (Don's daughter).

According to Slash, he was merely "f*cking around with the intro riff, making a joke." Although Rose knew better, the guitarist didn't give it any thought. The steely-yet-sensitive guitar riff would go well with Rose's creative Southern rock costume.

He said at the time, “I went out and got some old Lynyrd Skynyrd tapes to make sure we’d got that down-home, heartfelt feeling,” Despite Rose and Everly's brief marriage, the song proved to be a crucial turning point for the group and is still its only U.S. Number One success.

Slash and drummer Steven Adler were warming up before a jam session at the band's home in the Sunset Strip when Slash started playing a "circus" theme and making faces at Adler. Slash was asked to play it once more by rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin. Adler prepared a beat, Duff McKagan came up with a bassline, and Stradlin came up with some chords. In his autobiography Slash said "within an hour my guitar exercise had become something else"

Producer Spencer Proffer proposed including a breakdown at the end of the song when the band was recording demos with him. Although they agreed, the musicians were unsure about what to do. Listening to the demo, Rose started saying to himself, "Where do we go? Where do we go now?" and Proffer advised him to sing it.

Lyrics of Sweet Child O'Mine by Guns and Roses

She's got a smile that it seems to me

Reminds me of childhood memories

Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky (Sky)

Now and then when I see her face

She takes me away to that special place

And if I stared too long I'd probably break down and cry

Whoa-oh-oh! Sweet child o' mine

Whoa, oh-oh-oh! Sweet love of mine

She's got eyes of the bluest skies

As if they thought of rain

I hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain

Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place

Where as a child I'd hide

And pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by

Whoa-oh-oh! Sweet child o' mine

Ooh, oh-oh-oh! Sweet love of mine

Oh yeah! Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Sweet child o' mine

Ooh-oh, oh, oh! Sweet love of mine

Whoa, oh-oh-oh! Sweet child o' mine, ooh yeah

Ooh! Sweet love of mine

Where do we go?

Where do we go now?

Where do we go?

Ooh, where do we go?

Where do we go now?

Oh, where do we go now?

Where do we go? (Sweet child)

Ooh, where do we go now?

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay

Where do we go now? Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, wow

Where do we go?

Oh, where do we go now?

Oh, where do we go?

Where do we go now?

Where do we go?

Ooh, where do we go now?

Now, now, now, now, now, now, now

Sweet child, sweet child o' mine