Perhaps (song)
{{Short description|2023 single by Guns N' Roses}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Perhaps
| cover = Perhaps.jpeg
| type = single
| artist = Guns N' Roses
| album =
| B-side = "The General"{{cite web|title=Perhaps 7" Vinyl|url=https://gnrmerch.com/collections/vinyl/products/perhaps-7-vinyl|website=Guns N' Roses|access-date=20 August 2023}}
| released = {{start date|2023|08|18}}
| recorded = {{flatlist|
- 1999–2001
- 2020–2023 (overdubs)
}}
| studio =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=48}}
| label = Geffen
| writer = * Axl Rose
| producer = * Axl Rose
- Caram Costanzo
| prev_title = Hard Skool
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title = The General
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|0NWGVTQNyoM|"Perhaps"}}|header=Audio}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|qCHPBDN2Tp0|"Perhaps"}}}}
}}
"Perhaps" is a song by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released as a single on August 18, 2023.{{cite web|title=Guns N' Roses finally release new song 'Perhaps'|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/guns-n-roses-finally-release-new-song-perhaps-listen-34850040|website=NME|date=18 August 2023|access-date=20 August 2023}}{{cite web|title=New Guns 'N' Roses single 'Perhaps' reportedly coming next week|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/new-guns-n-roses-single-perhaps-reportedly-coming-next-week-3479330|website= NME|date=7 August 2023|access-date=20 August 2023}} A limited edition 7-inch vinyl, with "The General" as its "R-side", was originally scheduled to be released on October 27, 2023 but the release was postponed to December 8, 2023.{{cite web|title=New Guns N' Roses Merch Confirms Title of Next Single|url=https://loudwire.com/new-guns-n-roses-merch-confirms-title-next-single-the-general|website=Loudwire|date=18 August 2023|access-date=20 August 2023}} Like the band's previous two singles, "Absurd" and "Hard Skool", the origins of this song date back to the writing and recording process of Chinese Democracy from the late 1990s.{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/guns-n-roses-perhaps|title=Listen to Guns N' Roses' New Song 'Perhaps'|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=18 August 2021|access-date=20 August 2023}}
Background
"Perhaps" was originally recorded during the Chinese Democracy sessions in 2000, and was leaked online in 2019 alongside other tracks from the same era.
The song was rehearsed at the soundcheck for the Tel Aviv concert on June 5, 2023, and again before the band's Glasgow concert on June 27, 2023.{{cite web|title=Guns N' Roses Surprise Fans in Tel Aviv with Unreleased Song|url=https://classicsdujour.com/guns-n-roses-surprise-fans-in-tel-aviv-with-unreleased-song|website=CDJ|date=9 June 2023|access-date=20 August 2023}}{{Citation |title=GUNS N' ROSES – PERHAPS [FULL SONG 2023 SOUNDCHECK GLASGOW] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F8Ea9Q6NWc |access-date=2023-08-21 |language=en}} Prior to the release, the song was leaked through digital jukeboxes in bars across the United States.{{cite web|title=New Guns N' Roses song leaked via digital jukeboxes|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/new-guns-n-roses-song-leaked-via-digital-jukeboxes-3482322|website=NME|date=14 August 2023|access-date=20 August 2023}} The song features drumming from former band member Brain.{{cite web|title=GUNS N' ROSESがニュー・シングル "Perhaps" のMVをアップ|url=https://burrn.online/news/20230818_05.html|website=BURRN! ONLINE|date=18 August 2023|access-date=20 August 2023}}
"Perhaps" was first played live on August 18, 2023, at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.{{cite web|title=See Guns N' Roses Debut New Song 'Perhaps' Live in Pittsburgh|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/guns-n-roses-perhaps-live-debut-1234809208/|website=NME|date=19 August 2023|access-date=20 August 2023}}
The music video for the song shows footage of the band live and backstage during the European leg of the 2023 Tour.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCHPBDN2Tp0 | title=Guns N' Roses - Perhaps (Official Music Video) | website=YouTube }}
The single's "R-side" "The General" was announced to be the B-side to "Perhaps" and the vinyl originally set for release on October 27 but since the band was not happy with the quality, it was pushed back for December 8.
Reception
Rolling Stone called the piano-driven track good and described it as being "mid-tempo rocker in the vein of Use Your Illusion II's more mellow "Yesterdays" or Chinese Democracy’s standout "Catcher in the Rye"".{{cite magazine|title=Axl Rose Empathizes, Apologizes in New Guns N' Roses Song 'Perhaps'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/guns-n-roses-perhaps-axl-rose-1234808408|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Hudak|first=Joseph|date=18 August 2023|access-date=20 August 2023}} In its positive review, Billboard described the song as "a twisty, turgid ballad" featuring "a piano-pounding riff", "Rose's signature howl" and "one of Slash's classic hurricane solos".{{cite magazine|title=Guns N' Roses Released Florid Piano Rocker 'Perhaps' a Week After it Leaked to Digital Jukeboxes|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/guns-n-roses-release-perhaps-ballad-leak-digital-jukeboxes-1235395010/|magazine=Billboard|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|date=18 August 2023|access-date=26 September 2023}}
Track listing
7-inch vinyl
{{Track listing
| headline = 'G' side
| title1 = Perhaps
| writer1 = Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Paul Tobias{{Cite web|url=https://www.a-4-d.com/t4227p30-perhaps#33507|title=Perhaps|website=Appetite For Discussion|access-date=October 22, 2023}}
| length1 = 3:48
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = 'R' side
| title2 = The General
| writer2 = Rose, Slash, McKagan, Brain, Steve Freeman, Marc Haggard{{Cite web|url=https://www.a-4-d.com/t7987-the-general#33508|title=The General|website=Appetite For Discussion|access-date=October 22, 2023}}
| length2 = 4:22
}}
Personnel
- Axl Rose – vocals, piano, production
- Slash – guitar
- Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals
- Dizzy Reed – keyboards
- Richard Fortus – guitar
- Brain – drums
Additional credits{{cite web|title=Perhaps (auto-generated video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NWGVTQNyoM|website=YouTube|access-date=26 September 2023}}
- Caram Costanzo – keyboards, production, engineer
- Eric Caudieux, Sean Beavan – additional engineering
- Joe Barresi – mixer
- Bob Ludwig – mastering engineer
Charts
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|type=single|3209559|name=Perhaps}}
{{Guns N' Roses}}
{{Authority control}}