W.A.S.P. began following the demise of Circus Circus, a Los Angeles-based band featuring Blackie Lawless and Randy Piper. The original lineup of W.A.S.P. was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1982 by Lawless, Piper, Rik Fox, and Tony Richards.
The first lineup did not last for long, as Rik Fox was let go and went on to join the band Steeler with vocalist Ron Keel and guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. He was replaced by Don Costa, the bassist in Richards' former band, Dante Fox (which later evolved into Great White). Shortly afterward, Costa also left the band and his position on the bass was filled by Brayden Parker. By the time they recorded their debut album "W.A.S.P.", Lawless had taken over on bass and Chris Holmes had joined on lead guitar. At the same time, guitarist Chris Holmes joined the band.
Shortly after the album's release in 1984, Richards was replaced by former Keel drummer Steve Riley. The group released "The Last Command" in 1985, before Piper left in July 1986. Lawless subsequently switched back to guitar, with Johnny Rod (real name John Tumminello) leaving King Kobra to take over as bassist. "Inside the Electric Circus" followed in October. A live album "Live...In the Raw" was released in 1987. Riley left during the subsequent tour to join L.A. Guns. He was replaced for future shows by a string of temporary substitutes. By early 1988, W.A.S.P. had started working on its fourth studio album with Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali.
The band's popularity peaked in the 1980s, yet they continue to record and tour, making them one of the most enduring of the West Coast heavy metal bands. W.A.S.P. gained notoriety for their shock rock themed image, lyrics and live performances. They have sold over 12 million copies of their albums.
The band was a prominent target in the mid-1980s of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) led by Tipper Gore, who at the time was wife of then-Senator Al Gore (D-TN), an organization that pushed for warning labels on recorded music. The band immortalized its fight with the PMRC on the song "Harder, Faster" from their 1987 live album, Live...In the Raw.
"I Wanna Be Somebody" was the most successful single from W.A.S.P.'s debut album. and It was ranked at No. 84 in VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs of All Time.
In October 2007, W.A.S.P. embarked on The Crimson Idol Tour, to celebrate that album's 15th anniversary. It is the first time that the album, often regarded to be among the band's finest work, was performed in full from start to finish. The tour kicked off in Greece, in Thessaloniki at the Principal Club Theater on October 26, 2007.
Blackie Lawless remains the only member from the original line-up. They released their most recent album in November 2009, entitled Babylon.
On September 21, 2012, the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of their first ever live show by kicking off a world tour at The Forum in London. The set for the tour was split into three sections: songs from the first four albums, a cut-down rendition of the Crimson Idol performance and a final segment for newer material.
Cocaine Cowboys
W.A.S.P. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
High in the saddle again
Hell or high water, I'll do what I wanna
On my horse and I'm on my way
Do some toots, pull on my boots
Oh, I gonna ride away
High on the plains, high on the reigns
White lightning lines I'll be
Oh gotta yell, cowboys from hell
Oh I'm in a Devil's haze
I'm on the trail and I'm riding the rails
Oh I'm getting blown away
I do the juice, I'm Eastwood and the Duke
Oh I'm gonna ride the range
High on the plains, high on the reigns
White lightning lines I'll be
Riding high, oh so high
I'm gonna ride
Cocaine cowboys
I'll be riding high tonight
Cocaine cowboys never die
Ride
Ride 'em cowboys
High in the saddle every night
Cocaine cowboys gotta ride
The lyrics to W.A.S.P.'s song "Cocaine Cowboys" depict the lifestyle of the cowboys who reside in the Plains area of America. The song portrays how drugs, particularly cocaine, is prevalent among the people who live in these areas. The singer mentions how he's "High in the saddle again" and how he'll do "what [he] wanna[s]" amidst "Hell or high water." This can be interpreted to mean that he's not afraid of the risks that come with drug abuse and will continue to do it despite the potential dangers.
The lyrics also allude to the fact that the singer is on the run or trying to escape from something - perhaps the law or some other form of trouble. He mentions riding the rails and being in a "Devil's haze," insinuating how he's on the move and doesn't want to get caught. The chorus of the song mentions "cocaine cowboys" and how they'll never die, which can be interpreted as a reference to the fact that drug addiction and illegal activities will always be prevalent in society, regardless of how much authorities try to prevent it.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh gotta go, cowboys and blow
I need to leave to do drugs with my cowboy friends
High in the saddle again
I'm getting high on drugs and feeling powerful
Hell or high water, I'll do what I wanna
I am going to do drugs no matter what the consequences
On my horse and I'm on my way
I'm going to get high on drugs and ride my horse
Do some toots, pull on my boots
I'm doing drugs and getting ready to ride my horse
Oh, I gonna ride away
I am going to ride my horse while high on drugs
High on the plains, high on the reigns
I'm high on drugs and feeling powerful while controlling my horse
White lightning lines I'll be
I am seeing blurred lines because I'm so high on drugs
Riding high, oh so high
I am feeling euphoric while high on drugs and riding my horse
Oh gotta yell, cowboys from hell
I am so high on drugs that I feel like I'm in hell with my cowboy friends
Oh I'm in a Devil's haze
I am high on drugs and feeling like I am in a trance
I'm on the trail and I'm riding the rails
I'm high on drugs and ready to start my adventure
Oh I'm getting blown away
I am so high on drugs that I am losing control
I do the juice, I'm Eastwood and the Duke
I feel invincible like famous cowboys after doing drugs
Oh I'm gonna ride the range
I'm high on drugs and ready to ride through the countryside
I'm gonna ride
I am going to ride while high on drugs
Cocaine cowboys
I am a cowboy who does drugs, especially cocaine
I'll be riding high tonight
I'm going to be high on drugs all night while riding my horse
Cocaine cowboys never die
I think I am invincible and can handle the consequences of drug use
Ride
I am going to ride while high on drugs
Ride 'em cowboys
I am excited to ride with my cowboy friends
High in the saddle every night
I am committing to riding while high on drugs every night
Cocaine cowboys gotta ride
I believe that cowboys and drug use go hand in hand
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: STEVE EDWARD DUREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pan Tera
i'm a thrasher to the core...but WASP fuckin' rocks...did you know that WASP gave SLAYER their first big opening tour??
Ivan S.
And metallica opened for them..Not a lot of bands can say that....
Anthony Nicosia
Pan Tera
WASP was king!!! Loved this fucking band.
Henriks Otto
W.A.S.P's the hardest shit 80's gave
Luffarsson
One of their very best🤘 Going to see them live in october!!
Tony Lane
Fucking love this song! W.A.S.P. Kicks ass!
Live Wire
I've never done cocaine, nor any other hard drugs for that matter, but I'm sure glad Blackie did!
None
Don't worry I did your share. I've rode every ski slope of Honolulu
comandopaiche
coke is hard? you must be north american
AnArCHy ZeD
I mostly listen to punk rock, thrash, crossover-thrash... But since it's gonna be a long night tonight.... i had to hear this song... W.A.S.P. kicks fucking ass!!!!