Alice Cooper

Released: July 12, 1994

Songwriter: Bob Pfeifer Bud Saylor Dan Wexler Alice Cooper

Producer: Don Fleming

You, me
Understand
Shake my hand
Last chance, little man
Ain't it grand
It's a bargain, it's a steal
30 pieces of silver
And a deal's a deal

Sign upon the dotted line
I'll be yours and you'll be mine
Nothing's free
Eventually
Nothing's free

From the rules and laws of morality
Free to take your fill
Free from your own free will
Nothing's free

My boy, it's getting late
I'll raise the stakes
So close
Control your fate, why hesitate
Seal the deal, close the sale
Take my hammer, drive the nail

Sign upon the bloody line
A drop of yours, a drop of mine
Nothing's free
Eternally
Nothing's free

From your conscience or
Free from the consequence
Free to sin and death
Free til your final breath
Nothing's free
Free from the claws and flaws of your family
Free from obedient life
You're cut like a double-edged knife
Nothing's free, nothing's free
Oh, you pay me

Free to ignore the bore of authority
Free to spit in the face
Be the winningest rat in the race til Judgement Day
Then nothing's free
Bow to me if you wanna be free
Free from life, come die with me

And when we're dead it's for eternity
Come on little one and dance in the fire
The heat's getting close and the flame's
Getting higher
When the music's over there's a hush
In the choir Nothing's free
When the trumpets sound and his light
Is all around
And the saints all raise from the graves
In the ground
We'll be going way downtown
Way downtown

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

The Last Temptation

From the album

The Last Temptation (1994)

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Nothing’s FreeAlice Cooper

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The Last Temptation