What does Patience mean?

Guns N' Roses: Patience Meaning

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Album cover for Patience album cover

Song Released: 1989


Patience Lyrics

One, two, one, two, three, four
(whistle)
Shed a tear 'cause I'm missin' you
I'm still alright to smile
Girl, I think bout you every day now
Was a time when I wasn't sure
But you set my mind at ease
There is no doubt you're in my heart...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Feb 3rd 2016 !⃝

    I think he's waiting to get out of a relationship or waiting for a woman to get out of a relationship so they can be together. - "But you know, love, there is one more thing to consider" may mean there are kids involved so it's going to take awhile. - But what do I know? It would be interesting to find out what HE thinks.

  2. anonymous
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    Feb 26th 2023 !⃝

    I am certain this song intertwines memories of his beloved childhood dog-named ‘Patience’-with the issues in his current life including his love life. He needs “a little Patience” to help him navigate the crazy world he lives in.

  3. anonymous
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    Jun 30th 2022 !⃝

    It's about a famous musician who is promising to stay faithful to his girl. He's on the road but he's yearning to get back to her.

    He's sits alone on the stairs instead of being with a groupie.

    He has to consider his career.

    He's not going to break up with her.

    He likes to walk the streets at night to clear his mind, but he is frustrated that he draws a crowd wherever he goes.

  4. anonymous
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    Feb 27th 2021 !⃝

    It's about a husband who found another woman. He cant help but think of the other woman and is telling his self that everything will work out fine in time. Just have some patience and they will be together forever. He'll do everything to be with her even if that means giving up his wife ad family.

    What a painful song for the wife.

  5. anonymous
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    Jul 17th 2019 !⃝

    W. A. R. AND I ARE ARE SOUL MATES PREDESTIONED.PEACE **** LOVE. BABY'''5

  6. anonymous
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    May 6th 2019 !⃝

    I sang it to an exGF during a short time when we were happy together, I sang it to a girl, who I wanted to get....it was all wrong. Now when another one wants me to be patient and wait for her till she knows, I finally understand.

  7. groovegirloflove
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    Feb 21st 2018 !⃝

    This is definitely a love song, but it’s so much more than a love song. It’s a life long melody that is felt so deeply within someone longing for that person to finally be free, hence to be in their life forever...

    I never have believed in the notion of a soulmate, but as cliche as it sounds i will always question whether this one person was or is my soulmate. But they are committed and have been for years so I would never go there.

    Something feels so right... and I am sure it’s reciprocated... if it’s not then they should just say so, as it’s not right. But until then I will continue to show up and defuse every song you choose to play.

    Either way I love hearing these lyrics and can only dream that they too listen to this song and question all of it, like I do?!?

  8. anonymous
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    Jan 20th 2018 !⃝

    I think this song is about two lovers who are separated by something. To me, this song represents my husband and I, after his tragic death. This song just popped into my head as I was thinking of what songs to play at his service. I love it, because it states that even though the have to be apart he is still waiting for her because they were always connected amd meant to be together in the end.

  9. anonymous
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    Aug 14th 2017 !⃝

    They're talking about them being patient while waiting for heroine or drugs in general because they get anxious when being away from drugs so long.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  10. anonymous
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    Apr 21st 2017 !⃝

    It's about be apart from his love and she is getting frustrated with distance so he's is trying to tell her no matter even tho they can't be together right now they will make it, that he knows she's the one and it will work out if they are patient and don't give up. Cuz after all they are meant to be.

  11. anonymous
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    Oct 29th 2015 !⃝

    I think its about a girl that belives the song is cristalclear though it isn't. I think this bugs the writer of the song, but then he decides to forgive her and show patience with her. Because maybe thats what she deserves.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  12. Kristen
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    Jul 20th 2013 !⃝

    axl rose is the most bloomin' gorgeous rocker on the whole planet, or was 20 years ago. i love all their songs, but patience is just plain beautiful. i worship the acoustics, and the whistling solo is damn hot!!! anyone who doesn't love g'n'r is crazy! get in the ring!!!!!

    - Guinevre, Truro, England

    In addition to whole-heartedly agreeing with Guinevre, for me, Patience is about the relationship between myself and my Daughter, from conception into mutual adulthood and beyond. This song inspired me to name my daughter Patience. During her childhood, the street names changed in my immediate childhood neighborhood, (West of Market St. in Kirkland, WA). I feel very closely bonded and in tune with William/AXL Bailey/ROSE, aka WAR. Even though I have never met him, it is a dream of mine to shoot the breeze with him in person, ok and maybe a kiss.

  13. anonymous
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    Nov 12th 2012 !⃝

    As many people have said this is a love song, yet knowing how the band behaved, this song has many elements about it that seem like could be a love song about drugs... Just throwing it out there.

  14. anonymous
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    Jul 30th 2011 !⃝

    That any relationship takes work,& time. That he made mistakes, he rushed things with other people [ all the women getting in/out of the bed on the video ] now he realizes he's willing to wait for his true love & for things to work out between them.

  15. anonymous
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    Jul 27th 2011 !⃝

    This is a love song. I think this is about a woman he just can not live without any more and will do whatever it takes with patience to get the woman in the end. Just takes things slow and all thing will work them selves out fine. and in the end "been walkn the streets at night, just tryn to get it right", this to me sounds like axl was trying to come up with a proposal. The entire song may be a proposal, as in we just got to haave a little patience.

  16. dbzf1
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    Apr 19th 2011 !⃝

    In patience axl is missing his love interest so he keeps telling himself that if they are willing to wait for each other that everything will work out in the end.


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