Axl: Don’t Cry, it’s like, personally I’m more proud of that than anything I’ve done as far as work-wise. #GnFnR.

Axl Rose once said that “Don’t Cry” is the piece of work he’s most proud of, even beyond all the iconic anthems he’s created with Guns N’ Roses. That says a lot, especially coming from the frontman of one of the most influential rock bands in history—whose catalog includes massive hits like “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” and “November Rain.” But “Don’t Cry” is something different. It’s raw, emotional, vulnerable—a glimpse into Axl’s soul that feels personal in a way most stadium rock songs don’t.

Co-written with Izzy Stradlin before Guns N’ Roses even released Appetite for Destruction, “Don’t Cry” had been around for years before it finally made it onto Use Your Illusion I in 1991. The story goes that Axl and Izzy wrote it in one night, inspired by a shared experience with a woman they both knew. That kind of immediate, heartfelt connection is what makes the song stand out. You can feel the emotion bleeding through the lyrics—”Don’t you cry tonight, I still love you baby.”

Musically, it’s a slow-burning ballad with soaring melodies and a haunting guitar solo from Slash. The song carries a sense of sadness, but also comfort. It’s about love lost, but also about closure and acceptance. It doesn’t scream or rage like many other GN’R songs; instead, it quietly aches. That difference in tone may be exactly why Axl sees it as such a proud achievement—it shows a different side of him, one that’s often overshadowed by his larger-than-life rock persona.

There’s also the fact that “Don’t Cry” has two versions—one with the original lyrics and one with alternate lyrics—something rare in popular music. It shows how much the song meant to the band, that they wanted to express it in more than one way. The video, like many from the Use Your Illusion era, is cinematic, dramatic, and symbolic—another reason fans continue to dissect its meaning decades later.

Ultimately, “Don’t Cry” stands as one of Guns N’ Roses’ most emotional pieces, and for Axl, it’s a moment of sincerity and artistry that resonates far beyond chart positions or album sales. It’s not just a song—it’s a piece of his heart.