There Was A Time

by **Soulmonster** Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:01 pm

THERE WAS A TIME

Albums:
Chinese Democracy, track no. 6, November 2008.

Written by:
Axl Rose, Paul Tobias and Dizzy Reed.

Musicians:
Axl Rose – lead vocals, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, guitar
Robin Finck – lead guitars, keyboards
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal – lead guitar
Buckethead – lead guitar
Paul Tobias – rhythm guitar, piano
Richard Fortus – rhythm guitar
Tommy Stinson – bass, backing vocals
Dizzy Reed – keyboards, piano, synthesizer, backing vocals
Chris Pitman – keyboards, programming, sub bass, backing vocals, bass, 12 string guitar, mellotron
Bryan "Brain" Mantia – drums, percussion
Frank Ferrer – drums, percussion

Live performances:
'There Was A Time' was played live for the first time on May 12, 2006, at the Hammerstein Ballroom, USA. In total it has, as of {UPDATEDATE}, at least been played {TWATSONGS} times.

There Was A Time
From the alternative Red Hand album artwork
Credit to troccoli

There Was A Time
From the alternative Grenade album artwork
Credit to troccoli

Lyrics:

Broken glass and cigarettes
Writin' on the wall
It was a bargain for the summer
And I thought I had it all
I was the one who gave you everything
The one who took the fall
You were the one who would do anything
The one who can't recall
Where she was while she was sleepin'
In another women's bed
Or the doctor's or the lawyer's
Or the stranger that she met
If there's nothin' that I can gain from this
Or anything at all
It'd be the knowledge that you gave me
When I thought I'd heard it all

It was a long time for you
(It was a long time)
It was a long time for me
(It was a long time)
It'd be a long time for anyone but
(It was a long time)
Looks like it's meant to be

Social class and registers
Cocaine in the hall
All the way from California
On the way to your next call
To those non-negotiations
To stimulate a cause
For the betterment of evils
And your ways around the laws
That keep you up and sitting pretty
On a pedestal or bed
And now you're sleeping like an angel
Near the man who you give head
If there's somethin' I can make of this
Or anything at all
It'd be the devil hates a loser
And you thought you had it all

It was the wrong time for you
(It was a long time)
It was the wrong time for me
(It was a long time)
It was the wrong time for anyone but
(It was a long time)
Looks like I'm 'bout to see for myself

If I could go back in time
To the place in my soul
There all alone
Lonely teardrops ooh
Are callin' you
But I don't want to know it now
Cause knowin' you
It won't change a damn thing
But there was a time
Yeah there was a time
Didn't want ta know it all...
Didn't wanna know it all...
N' I don't wanna know it now
Yeah there was a time
Didn't want ta know it all...
Didn't wanna know it all...
N' I don't wanna know it now
Oh

Oh I would do anything for you
There was a time
I would do anything for you
I would do anything for you
There was a time

There was a time
I would do anything for you
Ooh...
Yeah, there was a time
Didn't want ta know it all...
Didn't wanna know it all...
Ooh...
N' I don't wanna know it now
I would do...
Didn't want to know at all...
Anything for you
Didn't wanna know at all...
N' I don't wanna know it now

There was a time...
There was a time

Quotes regarding the song

Axl would mention that There Was A Time is the hardest song they do live:

That's the hardest fucker we do.

Las Vegas, USA, June 6, 2014

And discuss what guitar parts of the song he wrote:

I wrote Robin’s bit in the second verse. There’s microscopic bits throughout usually woven down in the other guitars. There bits throughout the end, the basic power chord bit was originally mine, there’s a ghost like bit that formed the basis for the end vocal melody right before Robin’s riff’s in one side in the outro before Bucket’s solo and as it gets to the very end there’s lot’s of little over dubbed bits woven in and out very small but structured bits.

chinesedemocracy.com, December 14, 2008

And Bumblefoot would talk about Buckethead's iconic outro solo:

I think one of the biggest stand-out solos on [Chinese Democracy] is definitely Buckethead's solo at the end of There Was A Time. I think it is beautiful, it's just, you know, everything about it goes to great places. It's one of the highlights of the album. Yeah, definitely that. Well done, Bucket!

Fret 12 Video Interview, May 2011

Talking about the song:

‘I’m Sorry’ was more the Pink Floyd thing so I think I used a bigger kick, a 24" or a 26", on ‘There Was A Time’ we used a 22", we were just experimenting.

MusicRadar, October 2012

[introducing There Was A Time] This is a song about a very hairy time in my life.

Civitas Metropolitan Stadium, Madrid, Spain, June 9, 2023

by **Soulmonster** Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:36 pm

My favourite GN'R song, ever. I added the latest live version to the first post. Too bad with Dj not coming in for the first part of his solo, and Axl's voice problems, still fantastic to hear. This is a song that transcends such mistakes.

by 666 Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:32 pm

I know I'm in the minority but TWAT is one of my least fav GNR songs. Speaking of which, since I love a good list, I'm going to try to list my fav GNR songs in total, including covers.