Format LP record Length 3:39 | Recorded Heavy metal, hard rock Label Geffen | |
Released July 21, 1987 (1987-07-21) Writer(s) Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin | ||
"My Michelle" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, featured on the band's debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction (1987). In 1989, the song was re-released as a promotional single to radio stations.
Contents
Recording
For the recording of this song, guitarist Slash used a slightly different setup. For the rest of the album, he used a Gibson Les Paul copy through a modified Marshall amplifier on the same settings for each song. However, for this song, he swapped to a 1960s Gibson SG because he felt it had a darker sound.
Composition and lyrical intent
The song is about a friend of the band, a girl named Michelle Young who is thanked in the Appetite For Destruction cover sleeve. Slash knew Young throughout junior high, as she was a friend of Slash's first girlfriend. According to Axl Rose, he and Young were in a car together when "Your Song" by Elton John came on the radio and Young 'happened' to mention that she had always wanted someone to write a song about her.
Rose's first attempt was a sweet, almost romantic song, but one that had absolutely nothing to do with the reality of Michelle's life. He was unhappy with this version and re-wrote it, this time seeking to be completely honest. Several members of the band expressed concern over this version of the song, especially Slash, fearing it would upset Young. Rose himself then became hesitant, but finally decided to show it to her. She liked the song and the attention it brought to her, and was especially pleased with its honesty, most notably regarding her drug addiction, the death of her mother and her father's work in the pornography industry, all of which are mentioned within the first verse. According to Slash's self-titled autobiography, Young managed to clean up and move across the country to escape her lifestyle.
During the 2006 NY and European Tours, Axl Rose shared the vocal duties with former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach. The song was referenced in the 200th Strong Bad Email.