Nightrain is a hard rock composition credited to all five members of Guns N' Roses -- Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler -- written in 1985 during the band's early days in Los Angeles. The song takes its name from Night Train Express, the cheap fortified wine that fueled the band's impoverished existence on the Sunset Strip. The main riff was devised by Slash and Stradlin on the rehearsal room floor, with Stradlin and McKagan completing the musical arrangement the following day amid hangovers. The lyrics came together spontaneously one night on Palm Avenue in West Hollywood as the band shared a bottle, with Rose improvising lines while the others shouted the central refrain. The composition is built around a craggy, propulsive opening riff and driving verse rhythm that evokes relentless forward motion, featuring call-and-response vocal passages and explosive guitar solos. Notably, the solo sections are split between guitarists, with Stradlin taking the first half of the initial solo and the intro while Slash handles all remaining lead work. Slash has described it as an anthem that the band came up with on the spot, and it played a pivotal role in securing their record deal when Geffen A&R representative Tom Zutaut signed the band after hearing the song. It has remained a staple of the band's live performances, frequently used as a set closer or encore.
