Skid row - 18 and Life

The song was written by guitarist Dave Sabo after he read a newspaper article about an 18 year old named Ricky who was sentenced to life imprisonment for accidentally shooting his friend.

"18 and Life" is the second single and power ballad from Skid Row's 1989 debut album.

18 and Life

Ricky was a young boy

He had a heart of stone

Lived 9 to 5 and worked his

Fingers to the bone

Just barely out of school

Came from the edge of town

Fought like a switchblade

So no one could take him down

He had no money, ooh

No good at home

He walked the streets a soldier

And he fought the world alone

And now it's

[Chorus]

Eighteen and life you got it

Eighteen and life you know

Your crime is time and it's

Eighteen and life to go

Eighteen and life you got it

Eighteen and life you know

Your crime is time and it's

Eighteen and life to go

Tequila in his heartbeat

His veins burned gasoline

It kept his motor runnin'

But he never kept it clean

They say he loved adventure

Ricky's the wild on

He married trouble

Had a courtship with a gun

Bang, bang! Shoot 'em up

the party never ends

You can't think of dying

When the bottle's your best friend

And now it's

[Chorus]

"Accidents will happen"

They all heard Ricky say

He fired his six-shot to the wind

That child blew a child away