Originating in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1964, "Alice Cooper" was originally a band with roots extending back to a band called the Earwigs, consisting of Furnier on lead vocals and harmonica, Glen Buxton on lead guitar, and Dennis Dunaway on bass guitar and backing vocals. By 1966, Michael Bruce on rhythm guitar joined the three and Neal Smith was added on drums in 1967. The five named the band "Alice Cooper", and Furnier eventually adopted it as his stage pseudonym. They released their 1969 debut studio album with limited chart success. Breaking out with the 1970 single "I'm Eighteen" and the third studio album Love It to Death, the band reached their commercial peak in 1973 with their sixth studio album, Billion Dollar Babies. After the band broke up, Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper and began a solo career in 1975 with the concept album Welcome to My Nightmare. Over his career, Cooper has sold well over 50 million records.
Cooper has experimented with a number of musical styles, mainly hard rock, glam rock, heavy metal, and glam metal, but also new wave (1980–1983), art rock on DaDa (1983), and industrial rock on Brutal Planet (2000) and Dragontown (2001). He helped to shape the sound and look of heavy metal, and has been described as the artist who "first introduced horror imagery to rock 'n' roll, and whose stagecraft and showmanship have permanently transformed the genre". He is also known for his wit offstage, with The Rolling Stone Album Guide calling him the world's most "beloved heavy metal entertainer". Away from music, Cooper is a film actor, a golfing celebrity, a restaurateur, and, since 2004, a radio disc jockey (DJ) with his classic rock show Nights with Alice Cooper.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Cooper
Band studio albums
Pretties for You (1969)
Easy Action (1970)
Love It to Death (1971)
Killer (1971)
School's Out (1972)
Billion Dollar Babies (1973)
Muscle of Love (1973)
Solo studio albums
Welcome to My Nightmare (1975)
Alice Cooper Goes to Hell (1976)
Lace and Whiskey (1977)
From the Inside (1978)
Flush the Fashion (1980)
Special Forces (1981)
Zipper Catches Skin (1982)
DaDa (1983)
Constrictor (1986)
Raise Your Fist and Yell (1987)
Trash (1989)
Hey Stoopid (1991)
The Last Temptation (1994)
Brutal Planet (2000)
Dragontown (2001)
The Eyes of Alice Cooper (2003)
Dirty Diamonds (2005)
Along Came a Spider (2008)
Welcome 2 My Nightmare (2011)
Paranormal (2017)
Detroit Stories (2021)
Road (2023)
Talk Talk
Alice Cooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's an only child
Concern my reputation
As something more than wild
I know it serves me right
But I can't sleep at night
I have to hide my face
Or go some other place
No!
I won't cry out for justice
Admit that I was wrong
Stay in hibernation
'Til the talk subsides and gone
My social life's a dud
My name is really mud
I'm up to here in lies
I guess I'm down to size
To size
I can't seem to talk about
The things that bother me
Seems to be what everybody has
Against me! (ooh! ooh! ooh! yeah!)
Now here's my situation
And how it really stands
I'm out of circulation
I've all but washed my hands
My social life's a dud
My name is really mud
I'm up to here in lies
I guess I'm down to size
To size
Talk, talk
Talk, talk
Talk, talk
Talk, talk
The lyrics to Alice Cooper's "Talk Talk" dive into the emotional distress that a person may experience when their reputation has been tarnished. The first few lines of the song set the stage for the rest of the lyrics: "I got me a complication, and it's an only child; concern my reputation as something more than wild." This suggests that the singer has gotten themselves into some sort of trouble that could damage their reputation beyond repair. The second line ("And it's an only child") adds a layer of complexity to the situation, hinting at the idea that whatever trouble they are in, it is entirely their own doing.
As the song progresses, we gain more insight into the singer's inner turmoil. They know that they have brought this upon themselves ("I know it serves me right"), yet they cannot escape the shame and guilt that comes with it ("I can't sleep at night, I have to hide my face, or go some other place"). The singer is so devastated by the situation that they contemplate retreating from public life altogether, waiting for the scandal to die down before re-entering society ("stay in hibernation 'til the talk subsides and gone").
The chorus ("talk, talk") serves as a biting commentary on how easily people are willing to gossip and spread rumors, without considering the impact they may have on someone's life. Overall, "Talk Talk" is a powerful reflection on the emotional toll that a scandal can take on a person, even if they brought it upon themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I got me a complication
I have a problem that I can't resolve easily
And it's an only child
It's the only problem I have
Concern my reputation
My reputation is at stake
As something more than wild
It's not just about being wild, it's something worse
I know it serves me right
I admit it's my fault
But I can't sleep at night
It troubles me deeply
I have to hide my face
I'm embarrassed about it
Or go some other place
I can't face people
No!
I won't do it
I won't cry out for justice
I won't seek justice
Admit that I was wrong
I won't confess to being wrong
Stay in hibernation
I'll avoid people
Til the talk subsides and gone
Until people stop talking about it
My social life's a dud
My social life is ruined
My name is really mud
People have a negative opinion of me
I'm up to here in lies
People are spreading lies about me
I guess I'm down to size
My ego is hurt
To size
To a smaller size
I can't seem to talk about
I can't communicate about it
The things that bother me
The things that trouble me
Seems to be what everybody has
It seems like everyone has a problem with me
Against me! (ooh! ooh! ooh! yeah!)
People are against me
Now here's my situation
This is my current situation
And how it really stands
This is the true state of affairs
I'm out of circulation
I'm out of the loop
I've all but washed my hands
I've given up
Talk, talk
People keep talking about me
Talk, talk
It won't stop
Talk, talk
People won't stop talking about me
Talk, talk
It's all they do
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: SEAN BONNIWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Phil
on Former Lee Warmer
Interesting. I like it! I am surprised someone covered that lesser known song of Cooper’s. I will have to check out more of Valery’s work.