Alice Cooper

Released: April 29, 1977

Songwriter: Bob Ezrin Dick Wagner Alice Cooper

Producer: Bob Ezrin

If I should find myself in blackest night
And fear is stabbin' me all over
A tiny prayer cracks the dark with light
And I here sounds behind my wall
Inside, a still small voice, it calls and calls
Then like a thunder bolt it falls and falls:
My God!

When life becomes more real than children's games
Or we've become too old to play them
We'll grow old gracefully
We'll hide our shame. but there's that voice behind the wall
And like my conscience, it is still and small
Each word is mercy, protects us all:
My God!

"Et in lux perpetuo"
"Deu domine"
"Et in pax aeternus"
"Deu domine"

I was a boy, when tempted, fell sometimes
And fell so low, no one could see me
Save for the eyes of Him that sees my crime
When sheep, like me, have drifted lost
All frightened children who are tempest tossed
Down flies His wrath like an albatross:
My God!

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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