Alice Cooper

Released: June 25, 1969

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

Producer: Herb Cohen Ian Underwood Frank Zappa Alice Cooper

Forever, I'll enjoy you undertaking
Come to see you every day, now, if I can
Is it not the time for everybody?
I still wake on the fields of regret

There is something to this dream we're all involved in
Can I see it? Can I say it may exist?
Why then don't the night show really matters
If we dwell in the fields of regret?

What horror must invade the mind
When the approaching judge shall find
Sinful deeds from all mankind?

With death and nature in surprise
Behold the wretched sinners rise
To meet the judge's searching eyes

And when the doomed no more can flee
From the flames of misery
Assist me while I die

Wander through those ever thoughts though if imagined
But come down on, it's so easy to resist
Rest me, hide my years upon the planet
Sound another, no part over, won't forget
When we laugh at the fields of regret

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

Pretties for You

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Pretties for You (1969)

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Fields of RegretAlice Cooper

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Pretties for You