This is Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday Challenge, a man after my own heart as he posts the challenges well in advance giving us all time to choose an appropriate response. This week’s challenge is a song with a harmonica.

I’m wracking my brain for songs that have harmonica solos? What about Bad Obsession by American rockers Guns N’ Roses, a band I’ve seen live a couple of times.

The song is on Use Your Illusion I, the band’s third studio album, released in 1991 on the same day as its counterpart Use Your Illusion II. I have copies of both. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard charts, selling 685,000 copies in its first week, behind Use Your Illusion II‘s first-week sales of 770,000. Both albums have been certified 7× Platinum and Use your Illusion I was nominated for a Grammy in 1992.

The Use Your Illusion albums represent a turning point in the sound of Guns N’ Roses. Although the band did not abandon the aggressive hard-rock sound it had become known for with 1987’s Appetite for Destruction, Use Your Illusion I demonstrated a new-found musical maturity, incorporating elements of blues, classical music, heavy metal, punk rock and classic rock and roll.

The track Bad Obsession is about tackling drug abuse and addiction, which had haunted the band since well before they had become famous. Michael Monroe, lead singer of Hanoi Rocks and a big influence on Guns N’ Roses, plays the harmonica and tenor saxophone on the studio version. A live version from the Tokyo Dome (featured below) was featured on the Use Your Illusion I DVD as song number six.

Lyrics: Bad Obsession

I can’t stop thinkin’ thinking ’bout sinkin’
Sinkin’ down into my bed
I call my mother
She’s just a **** now
She said I’m sick in the head
She said you ain’t special
So who you foolin’
Don’t try ta give me a line
But I can’t stop thinkin’ ’bout seein’ ya one more time
(Oh no)
But I already left you and you’re better off left behind
It’s a bad obsession
It’s always messin’
It’s always messin’ my mind
It’s a bad obsession
It’s always messin’
It’s always messin’ my mind
Too bad you’re fucked up
I used to be wasted always tried to take it
Take it down into my vein
I call the doctor, he’s just another
He said I’m sick in the brain
He said you ain’t special
So who you foolin’
Don’t try ta give me a line
But I can’t stop thinkin’ ’bout doin’ it one more time
(Oh no)
But I already left you and you’re better off left behind
(Oh yeah)
Aw it’s a bad obsession
It’s always messin’
It’s always messin’ my mind
It’s a bad obsession
It’s always messin’
It’s always messin’ my mind
So bad, boy
It’s a
It’s a
Heads up
It’s a bad obsession
It’s always messin’
It’s always messin’ my mind
Now it’s a bad obsession
It’s always messin’
It’s always messin’ my mind
But I can’t stop thinkin’ ’bout doin’ it one more time
(Oh no)
See I already left you and you’re better off left behind
(Oh no, oh no)
It’s a bad obsession and you’re always messin’ my mind
See I already left you and you’re better off left behind
Uh huh no
Maybe you’ll do better next time
Punk

Source: Lyric Find
Songwriters: W. Axl Rose / West Arkeen / Saul Hudson / Duff Rose Mckagan / Izzy Stradlin / Darren A. Reed / Matt Sorum Matt Sorum
Bad Obsession lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sussman & Associates

Challenge Rules

• Post the lyrics to the song of your choice, whether it fits the theme or not. If it does not fit, then please explain why you chose this song.
• Please try to include the songwriter(s) – it’s a good idea to give credit where credit is due.
• Make sure you also credit the singer/band and if you desire you can provide a link to where you found the lyrics.
• Link to the YouTube video, or pull it into your post so others can listen to the song.
• Ping back to Jim’s post or place your link in his comments section.
• Read at least one other person’s blog, so we can all share new and fantastic music and create amazing new blogging friends in the process.
• Feel free to suggest future prompts.
• Most of all, have fun and enjoy the music.