Love It To Death - The First Great Alice Cooper Album

Love It To Death is The First Great Alice Cooper Album

I was listening to some albums in the Rhino Original Album Series this week and wrote about it in the piece below, and one of the sets was the Alice Copper one with their first five albums. The first two “Pretties For You” and “Easy Action” are very basic rock, although “Pretties For You” does contain “Reflected” which was resurrected as “Elected” on “Billion Dollar Babies” the band's last great album. People will probably disagree with me, but the band split after “Muscle of Love” which I don't rate that highly.

So the band for the album was

Alice Cooper (Vincent Furnier) – vocals, harmonica

Glen Buxton – lead guitar

Michael Bruce – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Dennis Dunaway – bass guitar, backing vocals

Neal Smith – drums, backing vocals

Producer - Bob Ezrin who also provided keyboards on five songs as Toronto Bob Ezrin

Apparently, the original album cover shows the long-haired band members in dresses and makeup, and Aliceholding a cape around himself with his thumb sticking out to give the illusion of an exposed penis. This led Warner Bros. to censor it—first by covering it with white strips, then by having the photo touched up with paint.

“Love It To Death” is seen as one of the founding albums in the heavy metal canon along with the likes of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. It was released in March 1971.

So to the songs (with composers) on the album. These are all available on youtube but the album box set is very cheap and worth getting if you still have a CD player.

Caught In A Dream - Bruce

The album opener has a killer guitar riff missing from the first two albums. You hear this and are sure you are in for a special treat. This was released as a single and backed with “Hallowed Be My Name”.

I’m Eighteen - Band

This is the most famous song on the album, a band composition and a hit single, It is the American equivalent of “My Generation” by The Who, and is a perfect, menacing rick coming of age song.

Long Way To Go - Bruce

This is a straight-laced rocker similar in feel to the opener “Caught In A Dream”, but it does not drop the dynamic metal feel of the album.

Black Juju - Dunaway

This is nine minutes of almost hypnotic voodoo that probably would not be out of place on “Gris-gris” by Dr John. In the live version of this Alice was taken to the electric chair for a mock execution. This album really fired their live shock rock presence.

Is It My Body - Band

Opening side two of the vinyl album and was the “B” side of the “I’m Eighteen” single. The lyrics are an obvious come on to those attracted to the band members.

Hallowed Be My Name - Smith

Penned by Neil Smith but has the band elevating themselves into a religious setting but still metal as hell.

Second Coming - Cooper

And following on from the previous song resurrection is on the cards for Alice.

Ballad of Dwight Fry - Bruce / Cooper

This song is a creepy masterpiece with Cooper as a father restrained in an asylum for unspecified but horrible crimes which the listener is fed with clues about. This is in my top ten of all Cooper songs.

And that worrying disturbing masterpiece fades into the distance and merges with perfect black comic timing into …..

Sun Arise - Harry Butler / Rolf Harris

This, and it is funny and unexpected to close the album. There is nothing that can prepare you for this if you have never heard the album. It is played straight but it is a very light and fun ending to one of the greatest metal albums that you will hear.