Lyric discussion by doubletalkinjive 

It's about John Lennon and Mark Chapman. Axl got inspiration to write the song after watching a documentary about Lennon's death and Chapman's obsession with the book Catcher in the Rye. The verses are, as Axl says, like from Holden's perspective (Holden being the main character in the book).

The final verse is talking more directly about Lennon's murder and the impact it had.

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