18 and Life

"18 and Life" is a song by American heavy metal band Skid Row. It was released in June 1989 as the second single from their self-titled debut album. The power ballad[3] is the band's biggest hit, reaching No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on September 13, 1989, when it sold 500,000 copies. The song also charted at No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 6 in Canada, and No. 5 in Ireland.

For the Canadian television series with a similar name, see 18 to Life.

"18 and Life"
Single by Skid Row
from the album Skid Row
B-side"Midnight/Tornado"
ReleasedJune 16, 1989 (1989-06-16)
GenreHard rock
Length3:51
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Rachel Bolan, Dave Sabo
Producer(s)Michael Wagener
Skid Row singles chronology
"Youth Gone Wild"
(1989)		 "18 and Life"
(1989)		 "I Remember You"
(1989)
Music video
"18 and Life" on YouTube

In April 2015, Skid Row released a new version of the song with then-lead vocalist Tony Harnell.[4][5][6]

Theme

The title of the song alludes to its subject, 18-year-old Ricky, receiving a sentence of life imprisonment for the murder of another teen.[7] The song paints Ricky's youth as his undoing. It was believed for a long time that guitarist Dave Sabo got the idea from a newspaper article about an 18-year-old named Ricky who was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering his friend with a gun, that due to alcohol, he most likely guessed was not loaded. However, in an interview with the Professor of Rock,[8] Sabo states that the original inspiration was his brother Rick's life after coming home from Vietnam. The writing process eventually led the song to being about an accidental murder. The music video also alludes to this.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[20] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States June 16, 1989
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 Atlantic [20]
Japan July 10, 1989 Mini-CD [21]
United Kingdom January 22, 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [22]

References
  1. McPadden September 25, 2015, Mike. "The Hair Metal 100: Ranking the '80s Greatest Glam Bands—The Final 20!". VH1 News. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  2. "36 Essential '80s Pop Metal Tracks". Stereogum. April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  3. Jeffries, Neil (December 8, 2021). "Skid Row's Atlantic years: from wild youth to burst bubbles". Louder Sound.
  4. Bowar, Chad (April 15, 2015). "Skid Row Re-Record '18 and Life' With New Songer Tony Harnell". Loudwire. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  5. "Skid Row's Re-Recording of "18 and Life" is the Dumbest Thing Since Sebastian Bach". MetalSucks. April 14, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  6. "Skid Row Records New Version of '18 And Life' With Tony Harnell". blabbermouth.net. April 13, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  7. Wilbur R. Miller, The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America: An Encyclopedia (2012), p. 1172.
  8. "Haunting 80s Murder Song Was Censored by MTV..Still Scaled the Top of the Charts | Professor of Rock," Sep 6, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV616FvWFys
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6585." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 7. February 17, 1990. p. V.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – 18 and Life". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  12. "Skid Row – 18 and Life". Top 40 Singles.
  13. "Skid Row – 18 and Life". Singles Top 100.
  14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  15. "Skid Row Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  16. "Skid Row Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  17. "Top Singles Singles of '89". RPM. December 23, 1999. Retrieved November 22, 2017 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  18. "1989 The Year in Music: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-22.
  19. "Billboard Top 100 – 1989". Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  20. "American single certifications – Skid Row – 18 and Life". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  21. "エイティーン・アンド・ライフ | スキッド・ロウ" [Eighteen and Life | Skid Row] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  22. "New Singles". Music Week. January 20, 1990. p. 57.
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