14 Years

The title is a reference to the friendship between Izzy Stradlin and Axl Rose; they had known each other for 14 years when the song was written in 1990. When Stradlin presented the song to Rose, Axl told him that he was also working on a song called "14 Years," so they used parts of both songs to create one.

In this song, Axl Rose lashes out at critics who did not give Guns N' Roses credit for paying their dues. The lyrics reflect the destitute poverty and dangerous circumstances they endured as they worked their way up. In concerts, Axl sometimes introduced the song by saying: "This is for all of those who have the impression that we're any form of an overnight success."