"Mr. Brownstone" is a song performed by Guns N' Roses in the 1980s. It appears on their 1987 album Appetite for Destruction. The song's lyrics were written by Izzy Stradlin', whilst the music was composed by Izzy and Slash. The song is all about the effects of heroin, for which brownstone is a slang term; this is clearly reflected in the lyrics:
| "Mr. Brownstone" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
- We've been dancin' with Mr. Brownstone
- He's been knockin', he won't leave me alone
"Dancin' with Mr. Brownstone" would obviously imply heroin use, with the latter phrase "He won't leave me alone" likely referring to increased use or dependence. This is even more clearly supported by another passage from the chorus:
- I used to do a little but the little wouldn't do, so the little got more and more.
Mr. Brownstone was the first ever Guns N' Roses single in the UK, appearing as a double A-Side, alongside It's So Easy. To the dismay of some, was not included on the Greatest Hits compilation of 2004.
No one in the band has commented on the fact that there was a senior executive at Geffen Records named Alfred Brownstone.
It has also been rumored that while in high school, band members Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin used to buy heroin from residents of the Brownstone Apartments, located in West Lafayette, Indiana on the campus of Purdue University. Both Rose and Stradlin grew up a few miles away in Lafayette, Indiana. [citation needed]