Their First tour was cut short by a terrible accident involving their tour van and a truck full of cinderblocks, resulting in their guitar player John being flown to a Pennsylvania area hospital for immediate open heart surgery which saved his life. Refusing to bow to adversity, the band returned home and after a short break began recording their second full-length album entitled Headed for a Breakdown. Released on Punk Core in late 2004, Headed for a Breakdown established the band as an institution and showcased the talent and diverse songwriting ability that has earned them their status as the leaders of the pack. Over the next year Cheap Sex would continue to gig while writing the fourteen songs that comprise their third album Written in Blood, released on Punk Core in June 2006. With the same unique mix of hardcore punk and socially-pertinent lyrics that made Cheap Sex a punk rock household name, Written in Blood unleashes the bands most aggressive and uncompromising material to date.
Russian Roulette
Cheap Sex Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He took lots of pills to pass the time
Used to be filled with political conviction
He started to struggle with heroin addiction
[Chorus:]
His skin turned cold and his face turned blue
Not yet 30 but it happened to you
A junkies life ends up the same
It seems like he changed overnight
He took more dope to feel alright
Didn't pay attention to the warning signs
Started living on borrowed time
[Chorus:]
His skin turned cold and his face turned blue
Not yet 30 but it happened to you
Russian Roulette with a needle in your vein
A junkies life ends up the same
I'm so sorry but I can't go on
He lost his strength to carry on
Shot a speed ball into his vein
To end his life and to end the pain
The song "Russian Roulette" by Cheap Sex is a heart-wrenching portrayal of the tragic consequences of drug addiction. The lyrics tell the story of Ritchie, a friend of the singer, who becomes addicted to heroin and dies as a result of his addiction. The song starts by describing Ritchie as a person who used to be filled with political conviction and took pills to pass the time. However, as he struggled with heroin addiction, he changed overnight and started living on borrowed time. He ignored the warning signs and continued to take more drugs to feel alright.
The chorus of the song, "His skin turned cold and his face turned blue, Not yet 30 but it happened to you, Russian Roulette with a needle in your vein, A junkies life ends up the same," highlights the tragic consequences of drug addiction. It serves as a reminder that addiction is a deadly and destructive disease that can take away the lives of young people before they have had a chance to live. The final lines of the song, "I'm so sorry but I can't go on, He lost his strength to carry on, Shot a speed ball into his vein, To end his life and to end the pain," showcase the devastating finality of drug addiction and the immense pain it inflicts on those left behind.
Overall, "Russian Roulette" is a powerful and emotional song that sheds light on the destructive nature of addiction. It serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of seeking help and support for those struggling with addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
Ritchie was an old friend of mine
The singer is introducing Ritchie as someone they knew in the past.
He took lots of pills to pass the time
Ritchie used to consume pills to pass the time.
Used to be filled with political conviction
Once, Ritchie had a strong political conviction.
He started to struggle with heroin addiction
Over time, Ritchie developed a heroin addiction and started struggling with it.
His skin turned cold and his face turned blue
As a result of his drug use, Ritchie's skin color changed and his face turned blue.
Not yet 30 but it happened to you
Despite being under 30 years old, Ritchie's drug use led to an untimely death.
Russian Roulette with a needle in your vein
The use of drugs is like playing Russian Roulette with a needle, which can lead to death.
A junkies life ends up the same
No matter how they start with drugs, a junkie's life often ends up in death.
It seems like he changed overnight
The artist reflects on how they saw a sudden change in Ritchie that was largely associated with his addiction.
He took more dope to feel alright
Ritchie escalated his drug use to feel okay as he was struggling to cope with his addiction.
Didn't pay attention to the warning signs
Despite the warning signs of his worsening addiction, Ritchie ignored them.
Started living on borrowed time
Due to his addiction, Ritchie started to live on borrowed time, expecting death anytime.
I'm so sorry but I can't go on
The singer expresses their sorrow over Ritchie's death but they cannot continue to cope with it.
He lost his strength to carry on
Ritchie lost the strength to deal with his addiction and carry on with his life.
Shot a speed ball into his vein
In the end, Ritchie injected himself with a speedball, which ultimately ended his life.
To end his life and to end the pain
Ritchie used a speedball to end his life and relieve himself of the pain caused by the addiction and other factors associated with it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWIN COLE MC CAIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind