Sweet Child of Mine
Guns N’ Roses
1987

Here was my first experience with G N’ R:  I was a 6th grader at Calle Mayor Middle School. First year with any of these kids, as I had gone to a private school K-5. Showed up with a medium-sized afro, braces, and some huge glasses. Gold chain would not arrive until later. 

On one of my first days there, there was this kid who had a denim jacket (automatic cool guy) but on the lapel of the jacket, there were airbrushed four skeleton heads of the Guns N’ Roses band members, and then a huge Guns N’ Roses airbrushed motif on the back of the jacket. I instantly deduced that this hombre was not to be messed with (in reality, Ben Kirton seemed like a perfectly normal fella, though I was so scared based on first impressions that I never explored a friendship with him). 

Fast forward about 20 years. I’m at my law firm office in San Francisco. (No, Ben Kirton did not show up with his 6th grade denim jacket on.) It’s very late, probably around 11pm. I’m sitting in a conference room working on a massive brief with a couple of colleagues. I won’t leave there until around 4:00 in the morning. My friend and colleague, Ceide, are working with Sweet Child O’ Mine in the background. When it gets to the bridge, “where do we go / where do we go now” and when Axl gets revved up and just starts screaming that out, I just channel my inner Axl and go for it as well. I don’t often sing for folks (ok, sometimes I do), but when I do, it’s often Axl Rose at full throttle. Ceide, that beautiful soul who sadly we lost too soon to breast cancer, just absolutely died of a mixture of laughter and sheer embarrassment. RIP my friend, we will always have that moment. 

I don’t need to convince this group of the amazingness of this one. That iconic guitar intro from Slash and Axl’s vocals are unparalleled. One of the greatest songs in rock n’ roll history. Ben Kirton, I hope you still have that jacket. 

Other Songs Considered:
Paradise City, Welcome to the Jungle, Don’t Cry, November Rain