The "classic lineup" of the group would reunite in 1999 and began recording new material. However, the group continued to change lineups and Guns eventually left to form the hard rock supergroup Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe in 2002. L.A. Guns continued without Guns, bringing in guitarist Stacey Blades, however, following his decision to put Brides of Destruction on hiatus in 2006, Guns formed The Tracii Guns Band. The group's lineup consisted of former L.A. Guns members Black, Alexander as well as Jeremy Guns (though the lineup would eventually change), with the group eventually changing their name to L.A. Guns. Both groups continued to record and tour under the L.A. Guns moniker until 2012, when the Tracii Guns-led version of the group disbanded. Riley died in 2023.
L.A. Guns (feat. Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis) released a new single "Let You Down" on May 6, 2020. It was released as the first single from their then-upcoming fourteenth studio album Checkered Past, which was released on November 12, 2021, and featured producer Adam Hamilton on drums.
In May 2022, it was announced that Shawn Duncan had replaced Shane Fitzgibbon as their drummer. In the following month, guitarist Ace Von Johnson revealed that L.A. Guns had been working on new material for their next studio album. The resulting album, Black Diamonds, was released on April 14, 2023.
Bad Whiskey
L.A. Guns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I promised it would end
To walk the straight and narrow
Now it's comin' round again
4 o'clock in the mornin'
To the break of day
In a Hollywood apartment
Two lost souls about to pay
Please don't take my happy home
Say it again
Bad, bad whiskey
Please don't take my happy home
My home
When the moon is over
Runnin' 'cross the sky
That's the time I get looser babe
That's the time I want to fly
It's a long way down
To the willow bend
It's a lonely world out there
When the bottle's your only friend
Bad, bad whiskey
Please don't take my happy home
Say it again, child
Bad, bad whiskey
Please don't take my happy home
Mama, let me go down easy
Mama, take me to my bed
Mama, let me lose myself
Got stars in my achin' head
Soul like a burnin' hand
Soul like a China doll
Soul got your hand in the wishin' well
And by God you're gonna crawl
Bad, bad whiskey
Please don't take my happy home
Bad, bad whiskey
Please don't take my happy home
The lyrics to L.A. Guns's song Bad Whiskey tell the story of a person who is struggling with alcohol addiction. The opening lines suggest that the singer is attempting to quit drinking and "walk the straight and narrow," but as the night wears on, they give in to their craving for alcohol. The imagery of "two lost souls" in a Hollywood apartment implies a sense of desperation and hopelessness, and the repeated refrain of "bad, bad whiskey, please don't take my happy home" conveys a sense of fear and desperation.
As the song progresses, the singer describes how the moon's appearance in the sky triggers their desire to drink and escape from their problems. They describe the loneliness and isolation they feel when they're intoxicated, with "the bottle" being their only friend. The lines "soul like a burning hand, soul like a China doll" suggest an intense inner turmoil and fragility, while the reference to a "wishing well" implies a sense of longing and desperation for something more.
Overall, the lyrics to Bad Whiskey are a powerful portrayal of the destructive impact of addiction and the struggle to break free from its grip.
Line by Line Meaning
When I woke up this mornin', I promised it would end
Upon waking up, the singer promised to stop his unhealthy behavior
To walk the straight and narrow, now it's comin' round again
He attempted to reform his ways but is now struggling with temptation once again
4 o'clock in the mornin', to the break of day
The singer is engaging in destructive behavior throughout the entire night
In a Hollywood apartment, two lost souls about to pay
The artist and another person, both lost and struggling, are in danger of facing consequences for their actions
Bad, bad whiskey, please don't take my happy home
The artist recognizes that his addiction to whiskey is jeopardizing his happiness and stability
Say it again, bad, bad whiskey, please don't take my happy home
The singer is repeating his plea to whiskey, hoping to resist its pull
When the moon is over, runnin' 'cross the sky
The singer is implying that he engages in self-destructive behavior at night
That's the time I get looser babe, that's the time I want to fly
He feels more free and uninhibited at night, leading him to make reckless choices
It's a long way down to the willow bend
The path of self-destruction that the artist is on will ultimately lead to his ruin
It's a lonely world out there when the bottle's your only friend
His addiction has left him feeling isolated and dependent on alcohol
Mama, let me go down easy, mama, take me to my bed
The singer is asking for comfort and relief from his addiction
Mama, let me lose myself, got stars in my achin' head
He wants to escape his problems and pain by getting lost in intoxication
Soul like a burnin' hand, soul like a China doll
The singer's soul is fragile and easily damaged by his addiction
Soul got your hand in the wishin' well, and by God, you're gonna crawl
His addiction is controlling his fate and has him trapped in a cycle of destructive behavior
Lyrics © RIVERTON ONE MUSIC
Written by: JIZZY PEARL, JOHNNY CRYPT, STEVE RILEY, TRACII GUNS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pinheadjohnny
The perfect album. Listened to this one straight for over a year and nothing else...LOVED IT!!