Alice Cooper

Released: February 26, 2021

Songwriter: Alice Cooper Bob Ezrin Tommy Henriksen

Producer: Bob Ezrin

Every day, around this time
A little vision of religion comes walkin' by
She kind of motivates, and Lordy what she shakes
Is more than we're prepared to take

Hail Mary, full of Grace
Hail Mary, whatcha doing in this place?
Hail Mary, oh baby, you're divine
Hail Mary, Hail Mary wanna make you mine

We sit and drink and philosophize
Why's the devil doin' business in her angel eyes
We're so high we could fly, when she floats 'round
And the sun finally comes to this God forsaken town!

Hail Mary, full of Grace
Hail Mary, oh, whatcha doing in this place?
Hail Mary, oh baby, you're divine
Hail Mary, Hail Mary gonna make you mine

I'm dumb, but even losers sometimes win
And they say that if she looks your way
She just might let you in

Here she comes and there she goes
We're captured in the rapture of her afterglow
She raises up the flag on the glory pole
She lifts my spirits and my soul

Hail Mary, full of Grace
Hail Mary, oh, whatcha doing in this place?
Hail Mary, oh baby, you're so fine
Hail Mary, some day I'm gonna make you mine
Hail Mary

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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