Alice Cooper

Released: November 27, 1971

Songwriter: Neal Smith Dennis Dunaway Michael Bruce Glen Buxton Alice Cooper

Producer: Bob Ezrin

[Instrumental intro 0:00-1:49]

[Verse 1]
I've got the answers to all of your questions
If you've got the money to pay me in gold
I will be living in old Monte Carlo
And you will be reading the secrets I sold

[Verse 2]
Daggers and contacts and bright shiny limos
I've got a watch that turns into a lifeboat
Glimmering nightgowns, poisonous as cobras
Silencer under the heel of my shoe

[Bridge]
The elegance of China
They sent her to lie here on her back
But as she deeply moves me
She'd rather shoot me in my tracks
And while a Middle Asian lady
She really came as no surprise
But I still did destroy her
And I will smash, halo of flies

[Verse 3]
I crossed the ocean, where no one would see
And I put a time-bomb in your submarine, now
Goodbye to old friends, the secret's in hand
With phonied up papers, and counterfeit plans
You never will understand

[Instrumental outro 4:32-8:22]

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

Killer

From the album

Killer (1971)

Alice Cooper popular songs

Halo of FliesAlice Cooper

Alice Cooper

Killer