Chris Cornell’s Cover Of Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Patience’ Released By Family To Celebrate Late Singer’s Birthday

On what would have been Chris Cornell’s 56th birthday, the late singer’s family shared a previously unreleased version of the Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman performing Guns N’ Roses’ 1989 ballad, “Patience.”

“Releasing music that was special to Chris keeps a part of him here with us- his heart and his soul. His love and his legacy,” Cornell’s widow, Vicky, wrote in a letter on his official Facebook page, as Billboard reported.

The cover was recorded in 2016, inspired by Cornell’s daughter, Toni, who was a big Guns N’ Roses fan at the time. Toni, now 15 years old and with her own music career, had asked her father to teach her how to play the song on guitar as well. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Cornell’s two children accepted a posthumous Grammy on his behalf in 2019.

“His birthday seemed the perfect time to share this and celebrate Chris, his voice, music, stories and art. A man is not dead while his name is still spoken,” Vicky Cornell wrote.

Chris Cornell’s widow also included appreciation for the members of Guns N’ Roses as well as Cornell’s fans.

“I want to thank everyone who continues to celebrate and keep Chris alive. A special thank you to Axl, Slash, and Duff for continuing to honor Chris in their live shows. And to all of Chris’s fans, thank you for holding him in your hearts and always sharing your love for Chris with us.”

https://www.facebook.com/chriscornell/posts/10158367243794687

Over a twangy acoustic guitar and straightforward drum beat, Cornell showed off his signature raspy voice as he sang, “Said ‘woman take it slow it’ll work itself out fine’, all we need is just a little patience.”

While the original version of the song, released on Guns N’ Roses 1988 album G N’ R Lies, clocks in at 5:54, Cornell’s cover is just 4:13 long. The new version omits the outro jam that is found on the original release and instead opts for a gradual fade to silence over the final 15 seconds.

“Patience” is not the only ’80s song that Cornell had covered; he performed “Nothing Compares 2 U” live for SiriusXM in 2015. The song, originally written in 1985 by Prince for his band, The Family, gained widespread popularity in 1990 after Sinead O’Connor recorded and released a version of her own.

Cornell, a Seattle native who was regarded as one of the most prominent voices of grunge music and the Seattle sound, took his life in Detroit on May 18, 2016 while on tour with Soundgarden.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. For readers outside the U.S., visit Suicide.org or Befrienders Worldwide for international resources you can use to find help.