Alice Cooper

Released: April 28, 1980

Songwriter: Geoff Westen

Producer: Roy Thomas Baker

Leather boots poundin' the floor
Black and shiny kickin' the door
The police hit the streets
They would never take the boots off of their feet

If I break the law and get caught
I could get smashed in the face
By the big boys
'Cause they're frightened by the real world
Frightened by the real world
Scared of the real world
Oh yeah

I saw a cop, he looked pretty shot
By some criminals, left there to rot
I took a look, no one around
I put on his boots and stomped on the ground

Stood so tall and felt so strong
I wanted to be just like them
So I could hurt somebody
Hurt somebody

Hurt somebody, hurt somebody
Scared of the real world
Oh yeah
Scared of the real world
Oh yeah

Don't litter or score in the dark
Don't kill your lover and don't overpark
Cause if you murder or if you loot
Get the heel of my new leather boots

If I break the law and get caught
You could get smashed in the face
By this young boy
Who is frightened by the real world
This boy is frightened by the real world
I'm gonna hurt somebody
'Cause I'm frightened of the real world
Oh yeah

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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