Sorry

I think this is clearly a song directed at Slash, in particular, and all of his other former bandmates or anyone who's gone public with negative stories about him.

He's saying, basically, "You tried to put me down by putting out all of these false stories in the press, because you don't want to admit that you had a part in the breakup of the old band too. You'd rather blame it all on me, since everyone else does."

"You know where to put your 'just shut up and sing'": Up your ass. It's Axl's way of telling his former bandmates "don't tell me that I can't have an opinion and be a leader in this band. Don't tell me to just go onstage at 8:30 and play the show. I'll do it when I want. And don't pressure me to put out this fucking album. I'll sing it when I want to."

He seems to rail against Slash for his autobiography, which "uses and confuses them, who are numb and naive", "them" of course being the fans, who have only received Slash's side of the story so far due to Axl's silence.

When he says he's "sorry" for his former bandmates, it's because he's sorry for them because they've alienated those who love them (in his opinion, Axl), and now have to deal with those they can't trust (see: the demise of Velvet Revolver).

It also seems to say "sorry" to the fans. He's saying "I'm not sorry for myself, I'm sorry for you, the fan, because you don't know who you can trust. You clearly trust Slash & Co, but I'm here to say they're wrong. So I feel sorry for you for believing the lies they tell you."

It's Axl's most blatant reference to his former bandmates on the album.

The album is about both his failed romances and failed former band. This is about the latter.

You guys have it all wrong, there are 2 Axls here, the former a pathological narcissistic who now (the second one), acknowledges that he has hurt so many people who cared about him, and is angry at the first one, and is trying to get him rid of himself, but still cant as he is still angry. Proof: shut up and sing, that goes to the first Axl. This song brings me back to the meaning of the video Dont cry. I really believe Axl went through psychoanalysis. Whether it was the best tool for him, Im not sure, whether it was the only left for him, yes. Please review songs 10-14 of Chinese Democracy and they all narrate Axls change in personality. "You choose to hurt those that love you An won't see them free Won't see them free". That is axl he knows he cant see the people who care about him as real or "free",all he sees are all his paranoid aggressors. Sad case, sad story. Hopefully one day he is happy.

It's about Slash and that's pretty obvious. It's what Axl thinks about Slash, the "just shut up and sing" refers to Axl always saying that from day one Slash wanted to take over GN'R, as he once said "He came to the studio, took out my cassette and inserted his" and that Slash and propably the media or the other GN'R members thought that Axl would submit to this. "You tell them stories" is about Slash being a media whore (who he is, jumping from one interview to the next) and the "i kicked your ass" could be a metaphor for Axl kicking Slash out of the band and now owning all naming rights to GN'R, he as won most of the lawsuits regarding the band, the song catalogue and the names.

While the song is pretty hateful (I think Slash's "answer" Crucify the Dead is a lot more positive) it's a good song, in my oppinion the best on CD. Musically it's like Black Sabbath with a bit Pink Floyd in it.

This song is Amazing! Intro is very floyd like.

Sorry is pretty much Axl talkin to Slash, the Media, and the fans. Imo Axl is still holding on to crap that has happened since he was 2 years old. He has never and will never let anything go, and it will always be everyone elses fault that Axl is the way Axl is. Go back to all his concert rants, his behind the scenes footage of November rain, dont cry, and estranged, and even read all of his letters and rants that he has wrote over the last decade and you will realize that what I am writing is the truth. If you read really deep into the entire chinese democarcy album lyrics, u will see the method to his madness. He has constantly sung about those in his life who have done him wrong, and even more so I think he subconciuosly is talking to himself. As axl has stated in earlier work he wants you to "read between the lines". Axl is definitely one the greatest singers of all time, and he doesnt just write and sing, he tells u his story. The problem with Axl is is that he doesn't know when to accept fault and he believes everyone is out to get him. Just do what Ive said, and listen, watch, and read what he says, and u will see the story never changes, it is always everybody elses fault.

Axl said himself it's not about 1 certain thing, it's about everything. Most likely written about former Gunners and the media.

This could be directed specifically at Steven Adler who, even almost 20 years later, continues to whine about being kicked out of the band and still struggles with his severe drug problems. Axl's like, "Look man, we still love you and we tried to help you, but at some point you need to grow a pair, admit that it's your own fault, and grow up."

More generally, it could also be about one of Axl's favorite rant targets, the media.

Okay this song obviously is about Axl's home life in Indiana growing up with 2 sexual and physical abusive fathers and a mother who just stood there and took it getting abused herself and letting them abuse Axl and his siblings. This isn't a hate song toward his bandmates that is Rhiads N' Bedouins.

And the lyric should be jump and be good not god

I agree with AC/DC fan..... duh

I think its somewhat directed towards the media like 'Get in the Ring'

'You talk too much You say I do

Difference is nobody cares about you

You've got all the answers'

'You tell them stories they'd rather believe' 'The lies about me'