"Sweet Child o' Mine" is a song by the hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It was… Read Full Bio ↴"Sweet Child o' Mine" is a song by the hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It was released on their debut album Appetite for Destruction on July 21, 1987. "Sweet Child o' Mine" was Guns N' Roses' first and, to date, only number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, spending two weeks at the top spot in September 1988. In May 2008, the song was voted as #210 on the RIAA's list of the best songs of the 20th century.

Sweet Child O Mine
Guns 'n' Roses Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She's got a smile it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Now and then when I see her face
She takes me away to that special place
And if I'd stare too long
I'd probably break down and cry

Oh, oh, oh
Sweet child o' mine
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet love of mine

She's got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place
Where as a child I'd hide
And pray for the thunder
And the rain
To quietly pass me by

Oh, oh, oh
Sweet child o' mine
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet love of mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet child o' mine
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet love of mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet child o' mine
Oh yeah yeah
Oh oh sweet love of mine

Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Oh, oh
Where do we go?
(Where do we go now?)
Oh where do we go now? (Where do we go?)
Where do we go? (Sweet child)
Oh where do we go now?
Ay ay ay ay (where do we go now, where do we go)
Oh where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Oh, where do we go now?
Oh, where do we go?
Oh where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Oh, where do we go now?
No, no, no, no, no, no
Sweet child
Sweet child of mine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Guns 'n' Roses's Sweet Child O Mine paint a vivid picture of a special person, presumably someone the singer cares about deeply. The first stanza describes how the woman's smile reminds him of childhood memories, when everything was bright and new. Seeing her takes him to a special, safe place that makes him emotional. The use of the word "probably" in the line "And if I'd stare too long, I'd probably break down and cry" suggests that his feelings towards this person are intense, and he's afraid of losing control.

The second stanza focuses on the woman's eyes and hair, which evoke powerful emotions in the singer. Her blue eyes are as beautiful as the sky, but he hates to see any pain in them. Her hair is a safe, comforting place where he would hide as a child. The mention of thunder and rain suggests that this safe place was a refuge from real-life dangers, both physical and emotional. The chorus consists of the repeated refrain of "Sweet child o' mine" and "Sweet love of mine," emphasizing the singer's deep affection.

Overall, the lyrics of Sweet Child O Mine paint a picture of a person who represents safety, comfort, and happiness to the singer. They evoke memories of childhood and a deep emotional connection that still exists in the present. The lyrics also suggest a fear of loss, as the singer is afraid of losing this person who means so much to him.

Line by Line Meaning

She's got a smile it seems to me
Her smile is so captivating that it grabs my attention

Reminds me of childhood memories
Her smile is reminiscent of the happy moments of my childhood

Where everything
During that time, everything around me

Was as fresh as the bright blue sky
seemed new and vibrant, just like a clear blue sky

Now and then when I see her face
Occasionally, when I catch a glimpse of her face

She takes me away to that special place
I feel whisked away to a special place

And if I'd stare too long
If I stare at her smile for too long

I'd probably break down and cry
It's so emotional and powerful that I might even break down and cry

Oh, oh, oh
An excited, enthusiastic expression of emotion

Sweet child o' mine
She is a constant, beloved presence in my life - like a 'sweet child' to me

She's got eyes of the bluest skies
Her blue eyes are as clear as a bright cloudless sky

As if they thought of rain
They remind me of a sky that is so clear it hasn't a care in the world

I hate to look into those eyes
However, I don't want to examine her eyes too closely

And see an ounce of pain
Because I fear that I might see even the slightest hint of sadness or discomfort

Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place
Her hair brings back memories of a cosy, comforting space

Where as a child I'd hide
A place where I felt safe and untouchable, like I did when I was a child

And pray for the thunder
Where I would hope that the thunderstorm outside would come and go quickly

And the rain
But that the rain wouldn't upset or disturb me

To quietly pass me by
I just wanted to stay safe and warm as the storm raged outside

Where do we go?
In this moment, I feel lost and unsure of what to do next

Where do we go now?
I'm asking where we should go from here

Oh, oh
Exclamations of excitement or frustration

(Where do we go now?)
Continuing to wonder and search for direction

Oh where do we go now? (Where do we go?)
I keep asking where we should go next

Oh, where do we go?
Still feeling lost and uncertain

No, no, no, no, no, no
A sense of disappointment or negativity

Sweet child
I'm feeling uncertain but I know that this special person - my 'sweet child' - is still with me

Sweet child of mine
This person is so special, and always will be 'mine'

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: W. Axl Rose Rose, Saul Hudson Hudson, Duff Rose Mckagan, Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS