Alice Cooper

Released: July 2, 1991

Songwriter: Desmond Child Dick Wagner Alice Cooper

Producer: Peter Collins

The city streets are wet with rain tonight
Taxi drivers swerve from lane to lane
A lonely guitar man playin' down the hall
Midnight blues comin' through the walls

I tried to call you on the telephone
I left it off the hook
Just to hear it ring
You told me you were better off alone
I never knew that tears could sting

I'm on the roof and I'm starin' at the stars
Lookin' down at all the cars
I can see you
In the window of your favorite corner bar
But to reach you is just too far
And I might as well be on Mars

The city seems so old and grey and beat
It closes in and makes me wanna suffocate
And you just live across the street
But that's a billion miles away

You've turned my world into a dark and lonely place
Like a planet lost in space, my light is fadin'
I'd cross the universe to be right where you are
But I'm right in your backyard
And I might as well be on Mars

I might as well be on Mars
You can't see me
I might as well be the Man on the Moon
You can't hear me
Oh, can you feel me so close
And yet so far
Baby, I might as well be on Mars

Baby, I can't fly
If I could I'd come down to ya
Maybe I should try

I'm on the roof and I'm starin' at the stars
Lookin' down at all the cars
I can see you
In the window of your favorite corner bar
But to reach you is just too far
And I might as well be on Mars

I might as well be on Mars
You can't see me
I might as well be the Man on the Moon
You can't hear me
Oh, can you feel me so close
And yet so far
Baby, I might as well be on Mars
And yet so far
Baby, I might as well be on Mars

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

Hey Stoopid

From the album

Hey Stoopid (1991)

Alice Cooper popular songs

Might as Well Be on MarsAlice Cooper

Alice Cooper

Hey Stoopid