[Susan Foreman]

After two less then successful albums, the Alice Cooper Group finally hit paydirt in 1971. What happened? They met a producer by the name of Bob Ezrin and recorded their first classic album, 'Love It To Death'

The recognisable Cooper sound is still here in spades, but under Ezrin the group's songwriting has moved light years forward.

To my mind, there are only two sub-standard songs, (one I find tedious, and one which is a joke), and as such, this release is essential for any rock fan

The album has come to be seen as a foundational influence on hard rock, punk, and heavy metal, and several tracks are still very much a part of the Alice Cooper live show

Alice Cooper - Vocals and Harmonica
Neal Smith - Drums and Vocals
Dennis Dunaway - Bass and Vocals
Glen Buxton - Lead Guitar
Michael Bruce - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals, Piano and Organ

Producer - Jack Richardson and Bob Ezrin

The first song is 'Caught In A Dream', and it is instantly accessible

Bob Ezrin plays keyboards on the track

1/09 - Caught In A Dream (Bruce)



"Well I'm runnin through the world
with a gun in my back
tryin' to catch a ride in a Cadillac
Thought that I was livin'
but you can't really tell
been tryin' to get a whiff of that success smell

You know I need a houseboat and I need a plane
I need a butler and a trip to Spain
I need everything
the world owes me
I tell that to myself
and I agree

I'm caught in a dream
So What!
You don't know what I'm goin' through
I'm right in between
So I'll
I'll just play along with you

Well I'm runnin' through the world
with a gun in my back
tryin' to catch a ride in that Cadillac
thought I was livin'
but you can't never tell
what I thought was heaven
turned out to be hell

Whoa-o-oh
When you see me with a smile on my face
Whoa-o-oh
Then you'll know I'm a mental case

I'm caught in a dream
So what!
I don't know what I'm going through
I'm right in between
So I'll
I'll just play along with you

Whoa-o-oh Oh
Whoa-o-oh Oh
Whoa-o-oh"

The second song on the album is 'I'm Eighteen', and this song shouldn't need any introduction!

Rolling Stone magazine has it at #482 on their list of the greatest 500 songs of all time

This was a big hit single in America, and has been seen as the U.S answer to The Who's song 'My Generation' - a teenage delinquent anthem!

The Ramones song "I Don't Care" is based on the chords of the main riff to this song, and John Lydon wrote the song "Seventeen" (on the Sex Pistols album 'Never Mind the Bollocks') in response to it. It is said to have been the song that he mimed to, when auditioning for the Sex Pistols.

Thrash metal band Anthrax covered it on their debut album

It is still played in the Alice Cooper sets of today, and any live pictures you see where he is holding a crutch - you can guarantee that it is this song which is being played

2/09 - I'm Eighteen (Bruce, Cooper, Dunaway, Smith, Buxton.)



"Lines form on my face and hands
Lines form from the ups and downs
I'm in the middle without any plans
I'm a boy and I'm a man

I'm eighteen and I don't know what I want
Eighteen I just don't know what I want
EighteenI gotta get away
I gotta get out of this place
I'll go runnin' in outer space
Oh yeah

I got a baby's brain and an old man's heart
Took eighteen years to get this far
Don't always know what I'm talkin' about
Feels like I'm livin in the middle of doubt
Cause I'm

Eighteen I get confused every day
Eighteen I just don't know what to say
Eighteen I gotta get away

Whoa
Lines form on my face and my hands
Lines form on the left and right
I'm in the middle
the middle of life
I'm a boy and I'm a man
I'm eighteen and I LIKE IT
Yes I like it
Oh I like it
Love it
Like it
Love it
Eighteen!
Eighteen!
Eighteen!
Eighteen and I LIKE IT"