Chris Cornell – “Patience” (Guns N’ Roses Cover)

Francesco Castaldo/Archivio Francesco Castaldo/Mondadori via Getty Images

Chris Cornell – “Patience” (Guns N’ Roses Cover)

Francesco Castaldo/Archivio Francesco Castaldo/Mondadori via Getty Images

The late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell died in 2017; if he’d lived, today would’ve been his 56th birthday. Today, in honor of the day, Cornell’s widow Vicky — who’s recently been locked in a court battle with Cornell’s former Soundgarden bandmates — has shared a solo Cornell recording that’s never been released: A cover of the classic 1989 Guns N’ Roses ballad “Patience.”

Cornell recorded his version of “Patience” in 2016 in Los Angeles. In a press release, Cornell’s family says that he recorded it while teaching his daughter Toni, a fan of Guns N’ Roses, how to play the song on guitar. Cornell also reportedly wanted to honor the news that the former Guns N’ Roses members Slash and Duff McKagan were rejoining the band. Cornell’s version is a lot like the original, with a few electronic whirrs added in. It’s a bit of a trip to hear the song coming out of his mouth.

Cornell’s kids have made a video for his version of “Patience,” and you can watch that here. Below, listen to Cornell’s version of “Patience” and check out the video for the Guns N’ Roses original.

Guns N’ Roses and Soundgarden have a long history together. In 1991, during the very beginnings of the Seattle grunge explosion, Soundgarden opened for GN’R on tour. Guns N’ Roses also included a bit of Soundgarden’s “Big Dumb Sex” at the end of their cover of T. Rex’s “Buick Makane,” which GN’R included on their 1993 covers album The Spaghetti Incident?, and Guns N’ Roses have honored Cornell since his death by including Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” in their live shows.

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