Which Guns N' Roses song is the opening track on Appetite for Destruction?

“Welcome to the Jungle” is the opening track on Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction. Its tense, descending guitar figure and Axl Rose's theatrical vocal introduce the album with a direct warning about the danger and excess of Los Angeles street life.

The song was written by Rose, Slash, and Izzy Stradlin, with Duff McKagan also credited. It was recorded with producer Mike Clink and placed first on the band's 1987 debut, ahead of songs such as “It's So Easy” and “Nightrain.” That sequencing helped make the track a forceful introduction to the band's sound.

A common mix-up comes from the album's later singles. “Sweet Child o' Mine” became the band's first U.S. number-one single, while “Paradise City” was another major hit, but neither opens the album. “Welcome to the Jungle” was initially overlooked by American radio and MTV before exposure helped Appetite for Destruction become a blockbuster.