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)
Teenage Lament '74
Alice Cooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is this the coolest way to get though your teens?
Well, I cut my hair weird, I read that it was in
I looked like a rooster that was drowned and raised again
What are you gonna do?
Tell you what I'm gonna do
Why don't you get away?
I ran into my room and I fell down on my knees
Well I thought that fifteen was gonna be a breeze
I picked up my guitar to blast away the clouds
But somebody in the next room yelled, "You gotta turn that damn thing down"
What are you gonna do?
I'll tell you what I'm gonna do
Why don't you get away?
Well I'm gonna cry all day
And I know trouble is brewing out there
But I can hardly care
They fight all night about his private secretary
Lipstick stain, blonde hair, oh
What are you gonna do?
Tell you what I'm gonna do
Why don't you run away?
I'm gonna leave today
But even
I don't know
What I'm gonna do
Don't know what I'm gonna do, no
What are you gonna do?
Tell you what I'm gonna do
Why don't you run away?
I'm gonna leave today
What are you gonna do?
I'll tell you what I'm gonna do
Why don't you get away?
Well, I'd rather cry all day
What are you gonna do?
What are you gonna do?
What are you gonna do?
Gonna do, gonna do
What are you gonna do?
Gonna do, gonna do
What are you gonna do?
Gonna do, gonna do
What are you gonna do?
Gonna do, gonna do
What are you gonna do?
Gonna do, gonna do
What are you gonna do?
Gonna do, gonna do (Alice, Alice, Alice, Alice)
What are you gonna do?
Gonna do, gonna do
The lyrics in Alice Cooper's song Teenage Lament '74 express the common feelings of teenage angst and rebellion. The singer is struggling to fit in and conform to society's expectations, as demonstrated by his gold lamé jeans and unconventional hairstyle. He attempts to find solace in music by playing his guitar, but is met with resistance from those around him who demand that he turn down the music. Despite feeling misunderstood and isolated, the singer remains defiant and decides to leave it all behind.
The lyrics touch on several themes commonly associated with teenage life, including identity struggles, feeling isolated and misunderstood, and the desire for freedom from societal norms. The repeated phrase "what are you gonna do?" reflects the sense of uncertainty and indecision that often characterizes the teenage years, while the repeated refrain "gonna do, gonna do" suggests a desire to take action and make a change.
Overall, Teenage Lament '74 is a relatable and nostalgic ode to the ups and downs of teenage life, and a testament to Alice Cooper's ability to tap into universal emotions through his music.
Line by Line Meaning
What a drag it is these gold lamé jeans
These fancy gold pants are so annoying
Is this the coolest way to get through your teens?
Are these pants really the best way to be cool as a teenager?
Well, I cut my hair weird, I read that it was in
I tried to be cool by cutting my hair in a strange way because I read it was trendy
I looked like a rooster that was drowned and raised again
My hair looked ridiculous and messy, like a drowned rooster
What are you gonna do?
What can you do about it?
Tell you what I'm gonna do
I'll tell you what I'm going to do
Why don't you get away?
Why don't you leave?
I'm gonna leave today
I'm going to leave today
I ran into my room and I fell down on my knees
I went to my room and fell down on my knees
Well, I thought that fifteen was gonna be a breeze
I thought being fifteen would be easy
I picked up my guitar to blast away the clouds
I played the guitar to cheer myself up
But somebody in the next room yelled, 'You gotta turn that damn thing down'
Someone in the next room told me to stop playing so loudly
And I know trouble is brewing out there
I know there are problems brewing outside
But I can hardly care
But I can't be bothered to care
They fight all night about his private secretary
They argue all night about his assistant
Lipstick stain, blonde hair, oh
She has lipstick on her and blonde hair
Well, I'd rather cry all day
I'd rather cry all day
But even I don't know
But even I don't know
What I'm gonna do
What I am going to do
What are you gonna do?
What can you do?
Gonna do, gonna do
Going to do, going to do
Gonna do, gonna do (Alice, Alice, Alice, Alice)
Going to do, going to do (Alice, Alice, Alice, Alice)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE, COOPER
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.