Perhaps (song)

2023 single by Guns N' Roses

"Perhaps"

Single by Guns N' Roses
B-side| "The General"[1]
Released| August 18, 2023 (2023-08-18)
Recorded| 1999–2001, 2020-2023
Length| 3:48
Label| Geffen
Songwriter(s)|

* Axl Rose
* Duff McKagan
* Slash
* Paul Tobias

Producer(s)|

* Axl Rose
* Caram Costanzo

Guns N' Roses singles chronology
| "Hard Skool"
(2021)  | "Perhaps"
(160)  | "The General"
(2023)

|
|

Audio
"Perhaps" on YouTube
Music video
"Perhaps" on YouTube

"Perhaps" is a song by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released as a single on August 18, 2023.[2][3] 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.[4][1] 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.[5]

## Background

[edit]

"Perhaps" was originally recorded during the Chinese Democracy sessions in 2000, and was leaked online in 2019 alongside other tracks from the same era.[5]

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.[6][7] Prior to the release, the song was leaked through digital jukeboxes in bars across the United States.[8] The song features drumming from former band member Brain.[9]

"Perhaps" was first played live on August 18, 2023, at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[10]

The music video for the song shows footage of the band live and backstage during the European leg of the 2023 Tour.[11]

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

[edit]

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"".[12] 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".[13]

## Track listing

[edit]

7-inch vinyl

'G' sideNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Perhaps"| Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Paul Tobias[14]| 3:48

'R' sideNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

2.| "The General"| Rose, Slash, McKagan, Brain, Steve Freeman, Marc Haggard[15]| 4:22

## Personnel

[edit]

Guns N' Roses[9]

* Axl Rose – vocals, piano, production
* Slash – guitar
* Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals
* Dizzy Reed – keyboards
* Richard Fortus – guitar
* Brain – drums

Additional credits[9][16]

* Caram Costanzo – keyboards, production, engineer
* Eric Caudieux, Sean Beavan – additional engineering
* Joe Barresi – mixer
* Bob Ludwig – mastering engineer

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for "Perhaps"  Chart (2023)  | Peak
position

|

Croatia (HRT)[17] | 93
Japan (Oricon)[18] | 21
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[19] | 40
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[20] | 36
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[21] | 24
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[22] | 48

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Perhaps 7" Vinyl". Guns N' Roses. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
2. ^ "Guns N' Roses finally release new song 'Perhaps'". NME. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
3. ^ "New Guns 'N' Roses single 'Perhaps' reportedly coming next week". NME. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
4. ^ "New Guns N' Roses Merch Confirms Title of Next Single". Loudwire. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
5. ^ a b "Listen to Guns N' Roses' New Song 'Perhaps'". Ultimate Classic Rock. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
6. ^ "Guns N' Roses Surprise Fans in Tel Aviv with Unreleased Song". CDJ. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
7. ^ GUNS N' ROSES – PERHAPS [FULL SONG 2023 SOUNDCHECK GLASGOW], retrieved 2023-08-21
8. ^ "New Guns N' Roses song leaked via digital jukeboxes". NME. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
9. ^ a b c "GUNS N' ROSESがニュー・シングル "Perhaps" のMVをアップ". BURRN! ONLINE. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
10. ^ "See Guns N' Roses Debut New Song 'Perhaps' Live in Pittsburgh". NME. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
11. ^ "Guns N' Roses - Perhaps (Official Music Video)". YouTube.
12. ^ Hudak, Joseph (18 August 2023). "Axl Rose Empathizes, Apologizes in New Guns N' Roses Song 'Perhaps'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
13. ^ Kaufman, Gil (18 August 2023). "Guns N' Roses Released Florid Piano Rocker 'Perhaps' a Week After it Leaked to Digital Jukeboxes". Billboard. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
14. ^ "Perhaps". Appetite For Discussion. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
15. ^ "The General". Appetite For Discussion. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
16. ^ "Perhaps (auto-generated video)". YouTube. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
17. ^ "ARC 100 - date: 4. September 2023" (PDF). HRT. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
18. ^ Perhaps – Oricon Oricon News. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
19. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
20. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
21. ^ "Guns N Roses Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
22. ^ "Guns N Roses Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* "Perhaps" at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

Guns N' Roses

* Axl Rose
* Duff McKagan
* Slash
* Dizzy Reed
* Richard Fortus
* Frank Ferrer
* Melissa Reese

* Izzy Stradlin
* Rob Gardner
* Tracii Guns
* Ole Beich
* Steven Adler
* Matt Sorum
* Gilby Clarke
* Paul Tobias
* Robin Finck
* Josh Freese
* Tommy Stinson
* Chris Pitman
* Buckethead
* Brain
* Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
* DJ Ashba

Studio albums|

* Appetite for Destruction
* G N' R Lies
* Use Your Illusion I
* Use Your Illusion II
* "The Spaghetti Incident?"
* Chinese Democracy

Live albums|

* Live Era '87–'93
* Appetite for Democracy 3D

Extended plays|

* Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide
* Guns N' Roses
* The "Civil War" EP
* Hard Skool

Compilation albums|

* Use Your Illusion
* Greatest Hits

Singles|

* "It's So Easy"
* "Welcome to the Jungle"
* "Sweet Child o' Mine"
* "Paradise City"
* "Patience"
* "Nightrain"
* "You Could Be Mine"
* "Don't Cry"
* "Live and Let Die"
* "November Rain"
* "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
* "Yesterdays"
* "Civil War"
* "Ain't It Fun"
* "Estranged"
* "Since I Don't Have You"
* "Sympathy for the Devil"
* "Chinese Democracy"
* "Shadow of Your Love"
* "Absurd"
* "Hard Skool"
* "Perhaps"
* "The General"

Promo singles|

* "Mr. Brownstone"
* "My Michelle"
* "14 Years"
* "Pretty Tied Up"
* "So Fine"
* "Dead Horse"
* "Garden of Eden"
* "Hair of the Dog"
* "New Rose"
* "Oh My God"
* "Better"
* "Street of Dreams"

Other songs|

* "Think About You"
* "Rocket Queen"
* "Used to Love Her"
* "One in a Million"
* "Coma"
* "Get in the Ring"
* "The Garden"
* "Locomotive (Complicity)"
* "Shackler's Revenge"
* "There Was a Time"
* "Madagascar"
* "Prostitute"

Videos and DVDs|

* Use Your Illusion I
* Use Your Illusion II
* Welcome to the Videos
* Appetite for Democracy 3D

Tours|

* Appetite for Destruction Tour
* Use Your Illusion Tour
* Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour
* Chinese Democracy Tour
* Up Close and Personal Tour
* Appetite for Democracy
* Not in This Lifetime... Tour
* We're F'N' Back! Tour
* 2023 Tour
* Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things Tour

Related|

| Articles|

* Discography
* Members
* Songs
* Awards and nominations
* Del James
* West Arkeen
* Guns N' Roses Pinball
* Riverport Riot
* Watch You Bleed: The Saga of Guns N' Roses
* The Roots of Guns N' Roses

|

Bands|

* The Dead Daisies
* Hollywood Rose
* Kings of Chaos
* L.A. Guns
* Neurotic Outsiders
* Road Crew
* Slash's Snakepit
* Velvet Revolver

* Category

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