Chinese Rocks
R.K.L. Lyrics

The song "Chinese Rocks" by R.K.L. tells the story of a protagonist who has found himself living a life of addiction and poverty. The song opens with a phone call from someone calling themselves Arty Home. Arty is likely a drug dealer, and he's calling to offer the singer a chance to buy drugs or "cop". The singer then suggests they get some "Chinese Rock", a reference to the powerful opioid drug, heroin. The lyrics convey the desperation and bleakness of the singer's life, as he describes living on a "Chinese Rock" and having all his possessions in pawn shops. His life is falling apart, with the plaster falling off the walls and his girlfriend crying in the shower stall. Despite his potential to have been wealthy, he is stuck in a life of addiction and poverty, "just diggin' a Chinese ditch," referring to the metaphorical hole he is digging for himself.

The lyrics of "Chinese Rocks" are dark, but they provide a candid and unflinching look into the world of addiction and poverty. The song was originally written by Johnny Thunders and Dee Dee Ramone, both of whom struggled with addiction themselves. The song was controversial due to its explicit references to drug use, and it was banned from being played on several radio stations.