Alice Cooper

Songwriter: Dennis Dunaway Glen Buxton Leonard Bernstein Stephen Sondheim

Producer: Bob Ezrin

[Verse 1]
I met an alley cat
Pussyfootin' around
Till the break of dawn
Found me knocked out flat on my head
Some feline beauty
Waved her tail my way
I just had to stay
I couldn't get the blood off my hands

[Chorus]
She made my eyes bug out
Her tail stand up
And I ain't even in heat for a month
Meow

[Verse 2]
House cat
You really got it made
Sleepin all night
And perfect delight of day
Some feline beauty
Waved her tail my way
And I just had to stay
I couldn't get the blood off my bed

[Chorus]
She made my eyes bug out
Her tail stand up
And I ain't even in heat for a month

[Verse 3]
Some bad cats from 4th Street
Come down to our alley
Well, we say that's cool
But just stay away from me and my boys
Eyes clash, and claws slash
And green-eyed fur goes flyin
Midnight, catfight
Neck-bite, die

[Instrumental break 3:06-3:52]

[Verse 4]
When you're a Jet
You're a Jet all the way
From your first cigarette
Till your last dyin day
When you're a Jet
Let 'em do what they can
Little boy, you got friends
You're a family man
The Jets are in gear
They're always well-respected
You're never alone
When company's expected
You're well-protected

[Outro]
Here come the Jets
Like a bat out of hell
Someone gets in our way
Someone don't feel so well
When you're a Jet
You stay a Jet

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

School’s Out

From the albums

School’s Out (1972)
The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper (1999)

Alice Cooper popular songs

Gutter Cat vs. The JetsAlice Cooper

Alice Cooper

School’s Out