Novocaine
Alice Cooper (The Eyes Of Alice Cooper) Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I was 10, fell out of bed
Got three stitches in my head
It hurt like hell
I saw the blood, I felt the pain
I'd like to feel it once again
'Cause I don't feel it

Then I got stung, right on the face
I screamed and ran around the place
It hurt like hell
I swoll right up, I burned for days
I'd like to feel it once again

'Cause when you touch me
When you hold me
When you kiss me
I don't feel anything
When you touch me
When you hold me
When you kiss me
It's just like Novocaine

I remember every cut and scrape
I've been numb so long
Something's wrong
So I'll take anything

I slap my face, I pull my hair
Just to see if something's there
It should hurt like hell
I miss the pinch, I miss the pain
That shock sensation in my brain

'Cause when you touch me
When you hold me
When you kiss me
I don't feel anything
When you touch me
When you hold me
When you kiss me
I don't feel anything

When you touch me (when you touch me)
When you hold me (when you hold me)
When you kiss me
I don't feel it
When you touch me (when you touch me)
When you hold me (when you hold me)
When you kiss me
It's just like Novocaine
I don't feel anything
I don't feel it
I don't feel it
I don't feel it
Well, I don't feel it




No, I don't feel it
I don't feel it

Overall Meaning

The song "Novocaine" by Alice Cooper is a reflection on the numbness that the singer feels in his life. He reminisces about the physical pain he experienced as a child and longs to feel that sensation once again, realizing that it is better to feel something than nothing at all. The lyrics suggest that he has become so accustomed to a state of numbness that he is willing to take anything to escape it. He tests himself by slapping his face and pulling his hair, hoping to feel something, anything.


The chorus of the song is an important repetition of the idea that physical intimacy with another person is no longer pleasurable for the singer. When someone touches, holds, or kisses him, he does not feel anything. It is all like novocaine, a local anesthetic that numbs the nerves and inhibits the sensations of pain. The singer's lack of sensation creates a cycle of numbness that he longs to break but cannot.


"Novocaine" is a powerful song that, according to Alice Cooper, was written in response to the numbness he was feeling after taking antidepressants. It is a cautionary tale about the human need for feeling and sensation, both physical and emotional. The song is a reminder that it is essential to feel and experience life fully, even if it involves physical pain or some emotional struggle, because numbness and lack of feeling can be much worse.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was 10, fell out of bed
When I was young, I had an accident that resulted in me getting three stitches in my head.


Got three stitches in my head
I had a cut on my head that required medical attention and stitches.


It hurt like hell
The pain was very intense, making it difficult to endure.


I saw the blood, I felt the pain
I vividly remember seeing the blood and feeling the pain in that moment.


I'd like to feel it once again
I sometimes miss the feeling of pain because it reminds me that I'm alive.


'Cause I don't feel it
I feel numb and disconnected from my emotions, making it difficult to experience physical sensations.


Then I got stung, right on the face
I had an experience where I was stung on the face, causing physical pain.


I screamed and ran around the place
The pain was so intense that I couldn't contain my reaction and had to move around to try and make it stop.


I swoll right up, I burned for days
The pain and swelling lasted for a long time and was extremely uncomfortable.


I'd like to feel it once again
Although it was painful, I sometimes miss the sensations because it reminds me that I'm alive.


'Cause when you touch me
The next section of the song switches to talking about emotional pain.


When you hold me
Being physically held or comforted is not enough to alleviate my emotional pain.


When you kiss me
Even physical intimacy doesn't spark any emotion or sensation within me.


I don't feel anything
I feel empty and disconnected from my emotions.


I remember every cut and scrape
I can vividly recall every injury or pain I've ever experienced, and sometimes miss those sensations because it reminds me I'm alive.


I've been numb so long
I've been disconnected from my emotions for a long time.


Something's wrong
I realize that something is not right and I need to address my emotional detachment.


So I'll take anything
I am willing to try anything to feel something again.


I slap my face, I pull my hair
I resort to self-harm to try and feel physical sensation, even if it means feeling pain.


Just to see if something's there
I question whether I'm really living because I feel so disconnected from my emotions.


It should hurt like hell
I want to feel something, even if it is pain, because it would remind me that I'm alive.


I miss the pinch, I miss the pain
Although painful, I miss the sensation of feeling something.


That shock sensation in my brain
The sensation of pain or shock stimulates something in my brain that reminds me I'm alive.


It's just like Novocaine
The sensation of being numb and disconnected is similar to that of being under the influence of Novocaine during a medical procedure.


I don't feel anything
I feel empty and disconnected from my emotions.


I don't feel it
I am missing out on the human experience of feeling emotions and sensations.


Well, I don't feel it
I feel like I'm missing out on something important.


No, I don't feel it
I continue to experience emotional numbness.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RYAN ROXIE, ALICE COOPER, ERIC J. DOVER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions