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of another teen. 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 killing his friend with a gun that, due to alcohol, he most likely
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guessed was not loaded. However, in an interview with the
Professor of Rock, Sabo states that the original inspiration was his brother Rick's life after coming home from
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The title of the song alludes to its subject, 18-year-old Ricky, receiving a sentence of
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779:"Skid Row's Re-Recording of "18 and Life" is the Dumbest Thing Since Sebastian Bach"
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In April 2015, Skid Row released a new version of the song with then-lead vocalist
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Haunting 80s Murder Song Was
Censored by MTV..Still Scaled the Top of the Charts
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861:(interviewee). Professor of Rock. Event occurs at 06:34-08:15 – via
258:. It was released in June 1989 as the second single from their self-titled
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676:"The Hair Metal 100: Ranking the '80s Greatest Glam Bands—The Final 20!"
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The Social
History of Crime and Punishment in America: An Encyclopedia
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807:"Skid Row Records New Version of '18 And Life' With Tony Harnell"
1167:
752:"Skid Row Re-Record '18 and Life' With New Songer Tony Harnell"
1053:. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-22.
733:"Skid Row's Atlantic years: from wild youth to burst bubbles"
332:
19:
For the
Canadian television series with a similar name, see
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1089:"American single certifications – Skid Row – 18 and Life"
905:. Vol. 7, no. 7. February 17, 1990. p. V.
1116:[Eighteen and Life | Skid Row] (in Japanese).
296:, No. 6 in Canada, and No. 5 in Ireland.
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917:The Irish Charts – Search Results – 18 and Life"
559:Shipments figures based on certification alone.
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1049:"1989 The Year in Music: Top Pop Singles".
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1001:"Skid Row Chart History (Mainstream Rock)"
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674:McPadden, Mike (September 25, 2015).
7:
1630:Music videos directed by Wayne Isham
1480:Youth Gone Wild/Delivering the Goods
707:"36 Essential '80s Pop Metal Tracks"
266:is the band's biggest hit, reaching
731:Jeffries, Neil (December 8, 2021).
983:"Skid Row Chart History (Hot 100)"
857:(Podcast interview). Revelations.
851:Reader, Adam (September 6, 2022).
686:from the original on June 29, 2022
14:
705:Begrand, Adrien (April 5, 2017).
587:
1374:40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row
967:"Official Singles Chart Top 100"
815:. April 13, 2015. Archived from
1144:. January 20, 1990. p. 57.
1620:Skid Row (American band) songs
750:Bowar, Chad (April 15, 2015).
267:
1:
1665:Songs written by Rachel Bolan
1009:. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
991:. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
973:. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
899:"Eurochart Hot 100 Singles".
1655:Songs based on actual events
1020:"Top Singles Singles of '89"
1159:Skid Row - official website
1036:Library and Archives Canada
923:. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
889:. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
887:Library and Archives Canada
877:Top RPM Singles: Issue 6585
1686:
1660:Songs written by Dave Sabo
1114:"エイティーン・アンド・ライフ | スキッド・ロウ"
1065:"Billboard Top 100 – 1989"
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284:chart. It was certified
250:" is a song by American
1349:Subhuman Beings on Tour
971:Official Charts Company
951:Skid Row – 18 and Life"
934:Skid Row – 18 and Life"
277:and No. 11 on the
81:June 16, 1989
16:1989 single by Skid Row
1356:United World Rebellion
1317:Revolutions per Minute
1670:Teenage tragedy songs
1569:Bring 'Em Bach Alive!
1392:Oh Say Can You Scream
1207:Dave "The Snake" Sabo
859:Dave "The Snake" Sabo
483:Canada Top Singles (
355:Canada Top Singles (
1536:The Gang's All Here
1334:EPs and live albums
1324:The Gang's All Here
1026:. December 23, 1999
921:Irish Singles Chart
524:
1650:Songs about prison
1635:Glam metal ballads
1529:18 and Life (2015)
1522:I Remember You Two
1473:In a Darkened Room
1459:Slave to the Grind
1296:Slave to the Grind
837:Wilbur R. Miller,
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345:Chart (1989–1990)
270: 4 on the US
177:singles chronology
73:"Midnight/Tornado"
1645:Songs about crime
1597:
1596:
1563:The Last Hard Men
1494:C'mon and Love Me
902:Music & Media
819:on August 7, 2021
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637:January 22, 1990
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371:Eurochart Hot 100
313:life imprisonment
282:Album Rock Tracks
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1558:List of members
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1452:Monkey Business
1431:Youth Gone Wild
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1399:No Frills Video
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1249:Johnny Solinger
1227:Rob Hammersmith
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535:Certified units
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468:Year-end charts
448:Mainstream Rock
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188:Youth Gone Wild
168:Michael Wagener
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531:Certification
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475:Chart (1989)
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338:Weekly charts
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230:"18 and Life"
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31:"18 and Life"
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1615:1989 singles
1581:
1576:Forever Wild
1574:
1567:
1528:
1515:Into Another
1437:
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1397:
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1366:Compilations
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1301:
1294:
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1262:Tony Harnell
1226:
1219:
1214:Rachel Bolan
1212:
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1139:
1133:
1123:September 4,
1121:. Retrieved
1108:
1096:. Retrieved
1068:. Retrieved
1059:
1050:
1044:
1034:– via
1030:November 22,
1028:. Retrieved
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978:
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821:. Retrieved
817:the original
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789:. Retrieved
782:
773:
761:. Retrieved
755:
745:
737:Louder Sound
736:
726:
714:. Retrieved
710:
700:
690:February 27,
688:. Retrieved
679:
669:
643:7-inch vinyl
603:7-inch vinyl
557:
509:
497:
484:
451:
434:
356:
310:
301:Tony Harnell
298:
278:
272:
264:power ballad
247:
245:
196:
150:Rachel Bolan
57:
25:
1553:Discography
1487:Little Wing
1466:Wasted Time
1438:18 and Life
1254:Phil Varone
1234:Matt Fallon
1221:Scotti Hill
260:debut album
252:heavy metal
248:18 and Life
223:Music video
197:18 and Life
162:Producer(s)
1610:1989 songs
1604:Categories
1583:Supergroup
1244:Rob Affuso
1141:Music Week
1070:October 3,
784:MetalSucks
661:References
581:Format(s)
418:UK Singles
101:Glam metal
85:1989-06-16
21:18 to Life
1406:Road Kill
1310:Thickskin
1267:ZP Theart
1258:Dave Gara
1051:Billboard
1006:Billboard
988:Billboard
823:August 7,
791:August 7,
763:August 7,
716:April 11,
711:Stereogum
584:Label(s)
498:Billboard
478:Position
453:Billboard
435:Billboard
381:Ireland (
350:position
279:Billboard
273:Billboard
154:Dave Sabo
106:pop metal
1501:My Enemy
1289:Skid Row
1195:Skid Row
1098:July 20,
757:Loudwire
684:Archived
680:VH1 News
627:Mini-CD
613:Atlantic
606:cassette
552:500,000
405:Sweden (
369:Europe (
315:for the
256:Skid Row
175:Skid Row
136:Atlantic
78:Released
59:Skid Row
50:Skid Row
1589:H.E.A.T
1423:Singles
863:YouTube
575:Region
537:/sales
528:Region
500:Hot 100
437:Hot 100
322:Vietnam
288:by the
275:Hot 100
235:YouTube
210:(1989)
201:(1989)
192:(1989)
83: (
1384:Videos
1118:Oricon
621:Japan
510:
328:Charts
317:murder
262:. The
114:Length
68:B-side
46:Single
578:Date
549:Gold
307:Theme
254:band
131:Label
94:Genre
1125:2023
1100:2022
1072:2016
1032:2017
825:2021
793:2021
765:2021
718:2021
692:2021
588:Ref.
544:RIAA
383:IRMA
348:Peak
286:gold
1024:RPM
957:.
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882:RPM
879:."
504:61
495:US
490:80
485:RPM
459:11
446:US
432:US
427:12
422:OCC
412:17
400:50
376:30
358:RPM
268:No.
233:on
48:by
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