Alice Cooper

Released: July 2, 1991

Songwriter: Bob Pfeifer Jack Ponti Vic Pepe Alice Cooper

Producer: Peter Collins

I got a ticket to to nowhere
Got no respect for the law
I got no use 'cause it's all abuse
It's the cutting edge of the saw

Ain't got no time for the future
Ain't got no time for the past
I'm running up a down escalator
I'm going nowhere fast

I'm hanging on like a spider
Blowing in the wind
This storm's gonna tear a hole
Right through this web I'm in

[Chorus]
Thunder, lightning
The wind outside is so damn frightening
But it's alright, alright
Stand clear
You're living in the hurricane years
In the hurricane years

I've been through major destruction
I've seen through terrorists' eyes
Sometimes I feel no emotion
Sometimes I break down and cry

I need to walk on a wire
I need a layer of skin
I need a preacher breathing fire
To burn away my sins

And I can't help the victims
On the side of the road
And I can't stop the cyclone
That's about to explode

[Chorus]
Yeah, blow!

[Solo]

Turn my eyes to heaven
Watching all the clouds roll by
I see the blood moon rising
I know I'm way too young to die

[Chorus]

Oh, I got a ticket to to nowhere
Got no respect for the law
I got no use 'cause it's all abuse
It's the business end of the saw

In the hurricane years
We're living in the hurricane years
Oh, in the hurricane years
We're blowing in the hurricane years

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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