{Editor's Note: This is a semi-regular series of high-water mark performances that spans movies, television, books, music and life its ownself.}
"Take me down to the Paradise City
Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty," - Guns N Roses, "Paradise City"
"Paradise City" might not have the fierce guitar opening of "Sweet Child of Mine," the quiet drive of "Patience" or the mammoth opus that was "November Rain," however, for my money, the song represents the pinnacle of Guns N Roses brief ride to the top of the musical summit.
The track was on their landmark recording, "Appetite For Destruction," which was easily one of the best debut albums ever made. 
From the opening refrain listed above to the music backing it, the song mixes in some bleak imagery of someone "living under the street" with a driving plea to take a trip to an ideal utopia where the grass is supple and fertilized and even more importantly, the girls look good. Damn good.
You wouldn't have to twist my arm to get me there as I have a long-standing appreciation for both grass and women, which Axl's vocal timber and Slash's guitar work make sound even better than they usually do. 
This song was the culmination of the original band in all its glory. Before all the egomania, bad craziness and bombast that followed, Guns N Roses never flew as high as they did with "Paradise City."
The video was pretty cool as well.
I still get irritated when I hear about the new Guns N Roses album, "Chinese Democracy," which may or may never come out. But it doesn't feel like a real G N R effort, and I would bet hard cash that no song on the album will come close to this one, which was truly a high-water mark for the band.
-BDS
great choice! I am a fan as well.
The song was apparently inspired by a schoolyard ditty that was popular at the time. I believe it went, "Take me down to yugo city where the gas is cheap and the cars are shitty." A true American classic.
Anonymous - Who couldn't be, eh? Excellent song for anyone.
M - Is this serious information? It seems entirely possible yet I still wonder . . . The rhymes are close, so stranger things have happened.
I like them too and also that album.
Good taste!
Thank you. It's been awhile, but I pulled that CD out the other day and it reminded me just how goot they were.
is "goot" half-way between good and great? very non-commital. (see your last comment)
Everytime I hear GNR I think of the "microphone stand dance" which of course I have to perform, just like every fool who sings GNR at karaoke.
love the song, and the obscure ditty! sadly, key word's 'were'...
Anonymous - Goot is even better than good. The song is that goot. Ha.
Jlee - That swaying, side-to-side Axl dance is a requirement, and is usually better in theory than reality. But it can be done.
Orchid - It's a sad thing that this thing is so far rooted in the past, however, it still makes me smile whenever I happen to hear it.
Ah yes. The guns.
They have been there for my first house party, my first first joint and my first alcohol induced vomit.
Always there...
Thank you boys.
I was in South Carolina the summer that G&R broke big.
Few things go together better than Guns & Roses, thousands of monogamously challenged girls and Myrtle Beach.
Friday - Anyone who was there for "They have been there for my first house party, my first first joint and my first alcohol induced vomit" is a good friend indeed.
Idig - That is a winning combination that would be hard to beat under virtually any circumstances. Nice.
Slopmaster - I'll have to try and dig up that review as my subscription to GQ lapsed last year. If they come close by, I'm apt to go as well and I really dig Mr. Brownstone (but am vaguely ambivalent about Rocket Queen).
There is no way a new GNR album would come close. I think Paradise City is just one of those songs that happens. It can't be repeated.
Very true. Sometimes, it's just a perfect storm of events & this might be one of them. Ha.
Man, did I love me some GNR! I was lucky enough to see them twice in concert. The first time I saw them, they weren't big yet. They were the opening act for Aerosmith. The second time I saw them was when they were banned from TX because Axl stripped on stage.
Lucky you. I remember just barely missed seeing them with Metallica at Texas Stadium and I still regret it.