Alice Cooper

Released: September 18, 2001

Songwriter: Bob Marlette Alice Cooper

Producer: Bob Marlette Alice Cooper

I never kicked a dog
A child or my wife
I never looked at pornography
I swear it on my holy saint mother's life
But somehow she's down here with me

The road to hell is littered
With nice guys with good intentions
But once you're there, you're there
It's much too late
I can cry and scream it's just not fair
To leave me here like you don't care
There must be some mistake up there in heaven

Now it's much too late
My time has passed away
All my plans and dreams have all ended
Now it's much too late
To try and plead my case
And I don't know the God I've offended
It's too late

I never stole a thing
A toy or a kiss
My conscience is a clear as can be
And when I was a teen
All the sex that I missed
Was an abstinence blessing to me

The road to hell is littered
With nice guys with good intentions
But once you're there, you're there
It's much too late
I can cry and scream it's just not fair
To leave me here like you don't care
There must be some mistake up there in heaven

Now it's much too late
My time has passed away
All my plans and dreams have all ended
Now it's much too late
To try and plead my case
And I don't know the God I've offended
It's too late

Now it's much too late
My time has passed away
All my plans and dreams have all ended
Now it's much too late
To try and plead my case
And I don't know the God I've offended
It's too late
It's much too late

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.

more tracks from the album

Dragontown

From the album

Dragontown (2001)

Alice Cooper popular songs

It’s Much Too LateAlice Cooper

Alice Cooper

Dragontown