THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

427-Alice Cooper-Teenage Lament ’74.

1973-Number 12 single.

Best Bit-At 2.46. ‘We’re not worthy, we’re not worthy.’

Alice Cooper, also known as the ‘Alice Cooper Band’ can trace their roots back to ‘Cortez High School’ in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, where a 16 year old Vincent Furnier, and his school friends in 1964 formed a band to enter a local annual ‘Letterman’s’ talent show which they subsequently won using the stage name ‘The Earwigs’ (a probable nod to the Beatles.) They soon renamed themselves ‘The Spiders,’ and recorded their first single ‘Why Don’t You Love Me’. By 1967 the band members had graduated from high school, and once again changed their stage name, this time to ‘Nazz,’ but after finding out that the artist Todd Rundgren was already using that name for his backing band, they settled upon ‘Alice Cooper in 1968, Alice cooper was a character in the 1960’s, and 1970’s American television series ‘Mayberry R.F.D.’ The band remained active until 1975, with the original line up consisting of, Vincent Furnier (vocals and harmonica) Glen Buxton (1947-1997) (lead guitar) Michael Bruce (rhythm guitar and keyboards) Dennis Dunaway (bass) and Neal Smith (drums.) Two additional members, Mick Mashbir (guitar) and Bob Dolin (keyboards) performed with the band in 1973-1974. They released seven studio Albums between 1969-1973, and achieved five top 40 singles on Billboard. Five of their singles also made the UK top 40, including the 1974 Number 1 ‘Schools Out’. When the Alice Cooper Band split in 1975 the lead singer Vincent Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper so that he could continue to perform with that stage name.

‘Teenage Lament ’74’ was taken from the Alice Cooper Band’s seventh and final studio Album ‘Muscle of Love,’ and was co-written by Furnier, and the bands drummer Neal Smith. The song tells of a young boy working his way through adolescence, with all the usual trials and tribulations. He thinks that being 15 will be a breeze, but trying to impress his peers, and hearing his parents squabble is taking it’s toll. The song is also noteworthy for it’s female backing vocals, which include contributions from Liza Minnelli,(see also best songs 182) Ronnie Spector, (1943-2022) (see also best songs 127) Labelle, and The Pointer Sisters.

Vincent Furnier was born on February 4th, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, United States.As Alice Cooper he has gone on to have a very successful solo career, releasing 21 studio Albums between 1975-2021, he has also acted in several films, and appeared on many television programmes. When a member of the Alice Cooper Band he became famously known for his elaborate stage shows, and eccentric behaviour when performing. The music press dubbed this ‘Shock Rock,’ and Cooper is recognised as a major influence on future Heavy Rock performers.

‘Well I cut my hair weird, I read that it was in. I looked like a rooster that was drowned and raised again.’