This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
When I look into your eyes
I can see a love restrained
But darlin' when I hold you
Don't you know I feel the same?
Nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain
We've been through this such a long long time
Just tryin' to kill the pain, ooh yeah
Love is always comin', love is always goin'
No one's really sure who's lettin' go today
Walkin' away
If we could take the time to lay it on the line
I could rest my head just knowin' that you were mine
All mine
So if you want to love me then darlin' don't refrain
Or I'll just end up walkin' in the cold November rain
Do you need some time on your own?
Do you need some time all alone?
Ooh, everybody needs some time on their own
Ooh, don't you know you need some time all alone
I know it's hard to keep an open heart
When even friends seem out to harm you
But if you could heal a broken heart
Wouldn't time be out to charm you?
Oh, oh, oh
Sometimes I need some time on my own
Sometimes I need some time all alone
Ooh, everybody needs some time on their own
Ooh, don't you know you need some time all alone
And when your fears subside
And shadows still remain, oh yeah
I know that you can love me when there's no one left to blame
So never mind the darkness, we still can find a way
'Cause nothin' lasts forever, even cold November rain
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
Everybody needs somebody
I can see a love restrained
But darlin' when I hold you
Don't you know I feel the same?
Nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain
We've been through this such a long long time
Just tryin' to kill the pain, ooh yeah
Love is always comin', love is always goin'
No one's really sure who's lettin' go today
Walkin' away
If we could take the time to lay it on the line
I could rest my head just knowin' that you were mine
All mine
So if you want to love me then darlin' don't refrain
Or I'll just end up walkin' in the cold November rain
Do you need some time on your own?
Do you need some time all alone?
Ooh, everybody needs some time on their own
Ooh, don't you know you need some time all alone
I know it's hard to keep an open heart
When even friends seem out to harm you
But if you could heal a broken heart
Wouldn't time be out to charm you?
Oh, oh, oh
Sometimes I need some time on my own
Sometimes I need some time all alone
Ooh, everybody needs some time on their own
Ooh, don't you know you need some time all alone
And when your fears subside
And shadows still remain, oh yeah
I know that you can love me when there's no one left to blame
So never mind the darkness, we still can find a way
'Cause nothin' lasts forever, even cold November rain
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
Everybody needs somebody
Lyrics submitted by mike, edited by mslyrics, NovemberWaves
November Rain Lyrics as written by Izzy Stradlin Saul Hudson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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November Rain is without a question my favorite song by Guns n’ Roses…I like many of Guns n’ Roses songs but November Rain in my opinion is their best
Slash’s solo is killer…the lyrics can’t get any better….and the message of the song is definitely reached by the end This is just one of those songs that will never get old…
I think I’m just going to tell you what I think the song is about by just dissecting each part…lol
When I look into your eyes I can see a love restrained But darlin' when I hold you Don't you know I feel the same
It’s about a girl and guy…a relationship that has always had bad timing in my opinion….because as of now they are not together despite what they are both feeling He knows when he looks into her eyes…that its there…that their love…their connection, that the chemistry between them is still there…but their love is retrained…they are both holding back…either because something is holding them back…or because their not ready to give each other their hearts…which a very scary thing to do But he tells her...he feels the same…even a simple hug…or a holding in the hand...he wants her to believe that his feelings for her are real…they are true…
'Cause nothin' lasts forever And we both know hearts can change And it's hard to hold a candle In the cold November rain
To me “November Rain” is the tough times…the hard times in a relationship…those days where it feels like your relationship is falling through the cracks and you don’t really know what happened to it The candle is very symbolic…just how it is in all of Elton Johns song…the candle is the relationship and the fire is the passion and sparks within the relationship…its hard to make a relationship work when the timing is off…something is forcing this couple to not be together…something maybe outside of the relationship…therefore they cant be together…their fire…their passion…their sparks can’t ignite in the cold November rain
We've been through this such a long long time Just tryin' to kill the pain But lovers always come and lovers always go An no one's really sure who's lettin' go today Walking away
I think for a long time they’ve had their feelings for one another…they have had to deal with pain of not being with one another…they are both hiding their feelings by going to other people…I think that’s what it means when it says “lovers come and lovers always go”…people come and go…people whom you think are “the one”… who you convince you love just to make the pain go away…but when it comes down to the facts…to how your heart feels then you know its just all BS because you know your heart is not in it
If we could take the time to lay it on the line I could rest my head just knowin' that you were mine All mine
If they put their feelings on the line…if they act truthful for once…then all will be good…he can lay his head back knowing they are together…knowing she belongs with him…and he belongs with her…that’s what he wants…he wants to be truthful, he wants to lay it on the line…he wants all to be well
So if you want to love me then darlin' don't refrain Or I'll just end up walkin' in the cold November rain
He tells her…is she wants to be with him then don’t hold back b/c he feels the exact same way...but he tells her other wise…I will keep on walking in the November Rain where their timing is just off
Do you need some time.. on your own Do you need some time.. all alone Everybody needs some time.. on their own Don't you know you need some time.. all alone I know it's hard to keep an open heart When even friends seem out to harm you But if you could heal a broken heart Wouldn't time be out to charm you Sometimes I need some time.. on my own Sometimes I need some time.. all alone Everybody needs some time.. on their own Don't you know you need some time.. all alone
This sorta reminds me of when their relationship is on hold…not only being a couple…but friends as well…I think despite they were never together they were still friends and they were still close But these lines…to me signify they couldn’t even do that…they needed some time…to be alone….to try to mend their broken heart and their mind by being on their own
And when your fears subside and shadows still remain I know that you can love me when there's no one left to blame
I think this shows her realizing her feelings…her realizing life is too short and she must seize the day…her fears will slowly subside of giving her heart away to the person she loves…but “shadows still remain” meaning there will still be doubts…doubts can’t go away…but he knows that they can do it…that they can give their heart to each other because they trust one another…they both know they can love each other when they start realizing what they want…and go after what they want…I mean…
So never mind the darkness we still can find a way 'Cause nothin' lasts forever even cold November rain
This is my favorite part of the entire song… He tells her to forget about the shadows…the darkness…the doubts…and lays it on the line…that they will find a way…together…they will be there for one another
And my favorite line…it goes back to the first part of the song…he says “cause nothing lasts forever” but this time he says “EVEN cold November rain” … I think that is so symbolic… He is telling her that the wrong timing…that the tough times…that them not being together WON’T last forever…that their “love restrained” wont be restrained anymore…that their love will make it though the end…I think that line offers so much hope…because those bad days…those bad times…they don’t always last…
I love the ending too….
Don't ya think that you need somebody Don't ya think that you need someone Everybody needs somebody You're not the only one You're not the only one
They are talking about each other…they need one another…even though time goes on…it will always be about them in the end
Ok…I’m done…that’s my take on the song…
I think it’s a great song…it really plays with your emotions…its very sad but hopeful in the end “cause nothing lasts forever even cold November rain”…it’s a really beautiful song…I don’t get how there are some hard core Guns n’ roses fans that just flat out hate this song…I don’t really get that…I think the song is perfect
but then again...there is not one song that has ever been recorded or that will ever be recorded that is universally liked by everyone...its just not possible....it will never happen
Wow. Great job on the interpretation. It's the moment of decision in a relationship where the past hasn't been so great, and the future could go either way. He's basically coming clean with her on how he feels (and how he thinks she feels). He tells her if we put it all out there and work on it, we can finally be in love together. Otherwise, he'll go it alone, cold and miserable, but still loving her. Everybody needs someone, and they need each other.
The video, on the other hand, is a whole different story. But other posters have covered that aspect and I prefer the story of the song itself over the video.