Classic Album, Alice Cooper, Billion Dollar Babies
Posted on 3rd Sep 09 by Robert O Connor | 
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Every teenager since the nineteen fifties has found a musical outlet for their rebellion and angst. Elvis Presley broke Rock ‘N’ Roll to the masses and opened the flood gates for thousands of different genres to explode across the western world for the following fifty years. Everything from folk, dance, pop, rock, metal, punk, grunge, [...]
Every teenager since the nineteen fifties has found a musical outlet for their rebellion and angst. Elvis Presley broke Rock ‘N’ Roll to the masses and opened the flood gates for thousands of different genres to explode across the western world for the following fifty years. Everything from folk, dance, pop, rock, metal, punk, grunge, techno and all the little off shoots from these styles can be contributed to the work done a handful of artists in America between 1954 and 1957, but I don’t think anyone watching Elvis Presley or Buddy Holly in 1955 could have imagined an act like Alice Cooper appearing 15 years down the line.
Alice Cooper, Billion Dollar Babies
Every generation needs an artist to put all the others in their ha’penny place with over the top theatrics and shock value. Elvis shook his hips, The Beatles and The Stones did drugs, KISS dressed like monsters and Alice Copper did it all and more. Rather than glamming up and writing poppy rock songs or dressing down and writing about Vietnam, Alice Cooper sang about the rotten side of life, while basking in the horrors of your worst nightmare. Along with Killer and Welcome to my Nightmare, Billion Dollar Babies embodies everything you ever need to know about the serial killing alter-ego of Vincent Furnier.
Opening with the grander than grand Hello, Horary, Alice immediately sets the scene for his very own hellish Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club opus. The dual lead guitars give a sense of celebration and introduction as the grand master of horror himself arrives to greet his unsuspecting audience. Listening to the lyrics and picturing Alice’s stage mannerisms, one can immediately project a vision of the creature being released from its confident and unleashing a dazzling array of side show horrors. Raped and Freezing arrives under the guise of a seminal 70’s pop rock track with Alice’s raspy voice always adding a sense of evil to the words. Keeping up the upbeat tempo, Elected storms through as an attack on politicians, their values and reasons for running in elections. Truly one of the stand out tracks of Billion Dollar Babies and still a regular live favorite in Alice’s set.
The title track transforms the flamboyant ring master of the first three tracks into the demonic monster hiding in the shadows. “We go dancing nightly in the attic while the moon is rising in the sky, if I’m too rough tell me, I’m so scared your little head will come off in my hands” summarizes this songs cryptic message.
Unfinished Sweet delivers another shout along classic before the iconic No More Mr. Nice Guy bursts in with one of the greatest guitar riffs of the seventies. Lyrically and musically, you can’t beat this track. It’s simple, it’s visual, it’s a description of a person more shit-on than a toilet and the transformation of a nice, polite chap into an outcast monster, hated and despised by all, including the Reverend Smithy. Generation Landslide brings the albums first quiet track, built on acoustic guitars, harmonicas and piano with upbeat melodies while Sick Things brings the demented creature back to the his horror-loving best as he delights in the darker ‘things’ in life. Distinctive horns and broken drums show early signs of the kind of song writing artists like Marilyn Manson harnessed to create their dark, savage musical landscapes.
The only ballad on the record, Mary Ann is delivered like a ghostly ball room haunting before a pre-war piano comes to the forefront to finish the song. Final song I Love the Dead attempts to delve deeper into the dark creatures mind as Alice sings about his love for rotting flesh and corpses. A truly atmospheric and horrifying finale to one of Rock ‘N’ Roll’s greatest albums.
We’re not worthy, we certainly aren’t.
Drop-d Rating 10/10
Tags: Alice Cooper, Billion Dollar Babies, classic album, Elvis, Marilyn Manson, The Beatles, The Stones
