Guns N' Roses - Nightrain

Guns N' Roses - Nightrain - Meaning of the song

"Nightrain" is the third song on the band's debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction (1987). Although it was released as a single, the song was not included in their best-of album. It reached #93 on the US Billboard charts. The song is a tribute to an infamous brand of cheap Californian fortified wine, Night Train Express.

Axl Rose wrote this in 1985 when Guns N' Roses were living in Los Angeles and playing gigs on the Sunset Strip. The song is about how they were so reckless, crazy and poor that the only alcohol they could afford was the Nightrain. After every show they would get drunk and walk back home singing the lyrics to "Nightrain" until it finally came together.

Nightrain - Lyrics

Loaded like a freight train Flyin' like an aeroplane Feelin' like a space brain One more time tonight Well, I'm a west coast struttin One bad mother(fucker) Got a rattlesnake suitcase under my arm Said, I'm a mean machine, been drinkin' gasoline And, honey, you can make my motor hum Well, I got one chance left in a nine lives cat I got a dog eat dog sly smile I got a Molotov cocktail with a match, to-go I smoke my cigarette with style And I can tell you, honey, you can make my money tonight Wake up late, honey, put on your clothes An' take your credit card to the liquor store An' that's one for you, and two for me by tonight I'll be loaded like a freight train Flyin' like an aeroplane Feelin' like a space brain One more time tonight I'm on the nightrain, bottoms up I'm on the nightrain, fill my cup I'm on the nightrain, ready to crash and burn, I never learn I'm on the nightrain, I love that stuff I'm on the nightrain, an' I can never get enough I'm on the nightrain, never to return, no Loaded like a freight train Flyin' like an aeroplane Speedin' like a space brain One more time tonight I'm on the nightrain, an' I'm looking for some I'm on the nightrain, so I can leave this slum I'm on the nightrain, an' I'm ready to crash and burn Nightrain, bottoms up I'm on the nightrain, fill my cup I'm on the nightrain, ah, ah, ah, whoa yeah I'm on the nightrain, love that stuff I'm on the nightrain, an' I can never get enough Ridin' the nightrain, I guess I, I guess, I guess, I guess, I never learn On the nightrain, float me home Oh, I'm on the nightrain Ridin' the nightrain, never to return Nightrain