“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 from Skid Row’s 1989 eponymous debut album.

The song was to be the band’s biggest hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, but only reaching No. 11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, which was previously their biggest market. It was named the 60th best “hard rock song of all time” by VH1. It was certified Gold on September 13, 1989, when it sold 500,000 copies. The song also charted at No. 12 on the UK Singles chart. This song also appears on Skid Row’s greatest hits compilation, 40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row. Then lead singer of Skid Row, Sebastian Bach, released a live version of this on his solo album Bring ‘Em Bach Alive!.” – Wikipedia

18 and life lyrics

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

(solo)

Chorus