Alice Cooper

Songwriter: Benji Hughes Mike Elizondo Mark Hudson Alice Cooper

Producer: Steve Lindsey

It's twelve o'clock in the mornin'
While everybody is sleepin'
I want him dead in my head lights
Cuz in the shadow he's creepin'

Drive on down to lonely street
He's always waiting there for me
Run down the devil, run the devil down
Run down the devil, run him down, down, down
Run down the devil, run the devil down
Run down the devil, run him down, down, down

I want to take him to the Mercury grill
I hope he's ready for the big blast
He'll be my ultimate road kill
I'll kick his future up his past

I'll send him back to hell alright
The world can sleep in peace tonight
Run down the devil, run the devil down
Run down the devil, run him down, down, down
Run down the devil, run the devil down
Run down the devil, run him down, down, down

Everybody's gotta hold him down
Can't let Beelzebaby back in town
Run down the devil, run the devil down
Run down the devil, run him down, down, down
Run down the devil, run
Run down the devil, run him down, down, down
Run down the devil, run the devil down
Run down the devil, run him down, down, down
Run down the devil, run
Run down the devil, run him down, down, down

Alice Cooper is the stage name and ‘fun villain’ character of Vincent Furnier. Cooper became the target of parents and ministers for his dark lyrics and gory theatrical performances that earned him the title Godfather of Shock Rock. Despite once claiming the name was conjured from a ouija board that told him he’s the reincarnation of a 17th century witch, Cooper laughs the topic off with flippant answers like “It was either a Scrabble board or a bowl of alphabet soup” and “I didn’t want a name like Iron Butterfly or Black Sabbath. I wanted it to be something your aunt might be called.”

The band Alice Cooper was originally signed by Frank Zappa to his own record label. Their first notoriety came when Cooper tossed a wayward chicken (possibly arranged by long-time manager Shep Gordon) into the crowd, who then tore it apart at the 1969 Toronto Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival Festival. Newspapers claimed he’d bit the bird’s head off and drank its blood. Zappa advised them to not deny the story and Cooper used it as inspiration to make his character darker.

The band’s teaming with producer Bob Ezrin for their third album Love It To Death led to their US breakthrough with a top 30 hit “I’m Eighteen” in early 1971. By then, the band was already infamous for their stage show, which had escalated into simulated torture and executions. That same year, Killer was released with its two singles “Under My Wheels” and “Be My Lover” finding moderate US success, and both albums being certified gold the following year.

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