Alice Cooper

Released: September 13, 2011

Songwriter: Cynthia Weil Barry Mann

Producer: Bob Ezrin

In this dirty old part of the city
Where the sun refused to shine
People tell me there ain't no use in tryin'
Now lil' girl you're so young and pretty

And one thing I know is true
You'll be dead before your time is due, I know
See my daddy in bed, he's dyin'
Yeah his hair been turnin' gray

He been workin' and slavin' his life away
I know, we gotta work, yeah
Work yeah, work yeah
We gotta work, work, work, work

We gotta get out of this place
If it's the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place
Girl, there's a better life for me and you

I know it's true
My little girl you're so young and pretty
And one thing I know is true
You'll be dead before your time is through, I know

Watching my daddy in bed he's dyin'
You know his hair been turnin' gray
He's been slavin' and workin' his life away
Yeah I know

That we gotta work, yeah
Work, gotta work
We gotta work, work, work, work

We gotta get out of this place
If it's the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place
Girl, there's a better life for me and you

We gotta get out of this place
If it's the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place
Girl, there's a better life for me and you
And you know it's true

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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We Gotta Get Out of This PlaceAlice Cooper

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