"[GNR] was sort of just work for hire. [...] I met with Axl and he played me these songs, asked me my ideas about them, and I told him what I thought they needed. They gave me four songs to orchestrate. [...] A song called 'Seven,' which is the one [...] I actually wrote a guitar part [on]. There was one called 'Thyme,' one called 'The General,' one called 'Leave Me Alone.'" (Marco Beltrami, IGN, 07/20/03)

"Leave Me Alone," "Seven," and "The General" could also feature on the new album. These three A-listed songs were worked on by Marco Beltrami, especially "Seven," which Marco deems as the best of the three songs. It has also been reported that Marco worked on a fourth track, "Thyme." However, this song was not worked on subsequent to Marco's work in October 2002. (Jeff Leeds, Sp1at website, 06/05)

The track list was shifted and revised just prior to release. Truth be told, the album as intended was:

1. Chinese Democracy
2. Riad
3. Shackler's Revenge
4. Stardust
5. If The World
6. Better
7. This I Love
8. There Was A Time
9. The Lies They Tell
10. Sorry
11. I.R.S.
12. Madagascar
13. Prostitute

*Catcher In The Rye was not going to be included.

The bridge in "Elvis Presley and the Monster of Soul aka The Soul Monster (working title Leave Me Alone)" which will no doubt end up "Soul Monster".

I think it's our most Black Sabbath moment. Sang it on a Christmas eve. Imo the meanest section of anything I've sung to date. Which having said that I'm sure when it's heard others may disagree but we felt it was a Christmas card of unadulterated venom so to speak. I felt a lot better afterward. (Axl Rose , Here Today... Gone to Hell Forum, Dec. 2008)

Q: Axl, here's a list of rumored song titles.  Can you tell us which ones are bogus and which ones are real?

Ides Of March ('98), Oklahoma ('98), Atlas Shrugged ('99), Closing In On You ('99), Cock-A-Roach Soup ('99), Friend Or Foe ('99), Hearts Get Killed ('99), No Love Remains ('99), Oh My God ('99), Something Always ('99), Suckerpunched ('99), Zip It ('99), Silkworms ('00), Down By The Ocean ('01), Leave Me Alone ('02), Seven ('02), The General ('02), Thyme ('02), Quick Song ('05), Zodiac ('05), Motormouth ('06), We Were Lying ('06)

A: Ides Of March, Oklahoma, Atlas Shrugged,  Oh My God, Silkworms , Down By The Ocean (Izzy), Leave Me Alone, Seven , The General , Thyme , Quick Song , Zodiac Most all titles subject to change w/out warning and r considered working titles. (Axl Rose, chinesedemocracy.com, Dec. 2008)