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Rating:
"Killer," one of the most fascinating albums by Alice Cooper and, consequently, one of the classic rock albums of the '70s. Varied, rich, and stimulating, it starts strong with "Under My Wheels" and "Be My Lover," two magnificent hard rock tracks that are very captivating. They are certainly not the most original part of the album, but they remain a decidedly pleasurable listen (it's no coincidence that they are two of the most successful singles extracted). The diversity of tone between the two tracks is also appreciable, the first more aggressive, ironic, and suggestive, the second more romantic and nostalgic. But it's with the third track that Alice Cooper decides to surprise us, and here comes "Halo of Flies," a long homage (eight minutes) to progressive and experimental rock, full of shifts, deviations, rock sections flanked by almost synth-like others. All accompanied by a highly cryptic, spy-themed text that masterfully expresses the electrifying and mysterious atmosphere of this track. A further unexpected style change occurs with "Desperado," an emotional portrait of a Wild West killer; an almost folk track, without the biting electric guitar riffs but instead with delicate string sections. Moving is the tribute that Furnier wanted to pay with this track to a dear departed friend, the late Jim Morrison. Following are "You Drive Me Nervous" and "Yeah, Yeah," pleasant hard rock songs that nonetheless pale in comparison to the overwhelming energy of the first two tracks and the lively experiments of the other four. The album soon returns to great heights with "Dead Babies," the story of a girl who died after accidentally ingesting aspirin, ignored by her own parents. A dark and sick piece (it seems the gothic atmosphere was suggested by producer Bob Ezrin), memorable from the great bass-driven start to the chorus shouted by Furnier's raspy voice, preceded by a chilling child's lament. It ends with the title track, an unsettling snapshot of a sick mind, supported once again by almost prog sounds, like the organ section, which seems straight out of an ELP song. Indeed, a varied record, catering to all tastes, bizarre and unpredictable, as in the best tradition of Alice Cooper. Highly recommended listening for rock lovers.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Under My Wheels (02:51)
The telephone is ringing
You got me on the run
I'm driving in my car now
Anticipating fun
I'm driving right up to you, babe
I guess that you couldn't see, yeah yeah
But you were under my wheels honey
Why don't you let me be
'Cause when you call me on the telephone
Saying take me to the show
And then I say, honey, I just can't go
Old lady's sick and I can't leave her home
The telephone is ringing
You got me on the run
I'm driving in my car now
I got you under my wheels
I got you under my wheels
I got you under my wheels
Yeah yeah
I got you under my wheels
Yeah yeah
I got you under my wheels
The telephone is ringing
You got me on the run
I'm driving in my car now
Anticipating fun
I'm driving right up to you, babe
I guess you that couldn't see, yeah yeah
But you was under my wheels, honey
Why don't you let me be, yeah yeah
I got you under my wheels
I got you under my wheels
I got you under my wheels
Yeah yeah
02 Be My Lover (03:21)
She struts into the room
Well I don't know her
But with a magnifying glance
I just sort of looked her over, hmm
We have a drink or two
Well, maybe three
And then suddenly she starts telling me
Her life story
She says
Baby, if you wanna be my lover
You better take me home
'Cause it's a long long way to paradise
And I'm still on my own
Told her that I came
From Detroit City
And I played guitar
In a long-haired rock and roll band
She asked me why
The singer's name was Alice
I said listen, baby
You really wouldn't understand
And I said
Oh baby, if you wanna
Be my lover
You better take me home
'Cause it's a long long way to paradise
And I'm still on my own
Oh baby, if you wanna
Be my lover
You better take me hoooooome
'Cause it's a long long way to paradise
And I'm still on my oooooown
Ooooooh
03 Halo of Flies (08:22)
I've got the answers
To all of your questions
If you've got the money
To pay me in gold
I will be living
In old Monte Carlo
And you will be reading
The secrets I sold
Daggers and contacts
And bright shiny limos
I've got a watch
That turns into a lifeboat
Glimmering nightgowns
And poisonous cobras
Silencer under the heel of my shoe
The elegance of China
They sent her to lie here on her back
But as she deeply moves me
She'd rather shoot me in my tracks
And while a Middle Asian lady
She really came as no surprise
But I still did destroy her
And I will smash
Halo of flies
I crossed the ocean
Where no one could see
And I put a time-bomb
In your submarine
Goodbye to old friends
The secret's in hand
With phony papers
And kentucky flats
You never will understand
04 Desperado (03:30)
I'm a gambler
And I'm a runner
But you knew that
When you lay down
I'm a picture
Of ugly stories
I'm a killer
And I'm a clown
Step into the street by sundown
Step into your last goodbye
You're a target just by living
Twenty dollars will make you die
I wear lace
And I wear black leather
My hands are lightning upon my gun
My shots are clean
And my, my shots are final
My shots are deadly
And when it's done
You're as stiff as my smoking barrel
You're as dead as a desert night
You're a notch
And I'm a legend
You're at peace
And I must hide
Tell me where the hell I'm going
'Let my bones fall in the dust
Can't you hear that ghost that's calling
As my Colt begins to rust
In the dust
I'm a killer
I'm a clown
I'm a priest
That's gone to town
05 You Drive Me Nervous (02:28)
Yeah, you
Seem so civilized
Your mama's tryin
To run your life
Your daddy's tryin
To pick your wife
Oh no
Yeah, you run around
With all that hair
They just don't like
Those rags you wear
You say
I'm gonna pack up my stuff
I'm gonna run away
And then you say
You drive me nervous, nervous
And then I said
You drive me nervous, nervous, nervous, oh
Nervous, nervous, nervous, nervous, whoa-oh-oh
Aaah
You're out of state
You're thrown in jail
You ain't got the bread
To pay the bail
Your mom and papa come up and said
"Honey, where did we fail?"
And then you scream
You drive me nervous, nervous
And then I screamed
You drive me nervous, nervous, nervous, oh
Nervous, nervous, nervous, nervous, whoa-oh-oh
You drive me ne-ne-ne-nervous
Ne-ne-ne-nervous
You drive me nervous
Whoa
06 Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (03:39)
You can be my slave and I'll be your stranger
We could be in passion, we could be in danger
Take you off the streets, put you under my wings, yeah,
You could pull my leg or anything
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah
You could be the devil, you could be the saviour
Well I really can't tell by the way that your behavior
I'll take you off the boat put you under my wing
Yeah, you could pull my leg or anything
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah
I don't know what you're playin'
Don't even know what you're sayin'
You gotta leave me alone
I'm gonna go on home
Aaoh, the things are gettin' tougher
Yeah, the things are gettin' rougher
This is Alice speakin'
(Suffer!)
Yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
You could be the devil, you could be the saviour
Well I really can't tell by the way that your behavior
Take you off the streets, put you under my wings, yeah
Yyou could pull my leg or anything
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
08 Killer (06:57)
What did I do to deserve such a fate
I didn't really want to get
Involved in this thing
Someone handed me this gun and I
I gave it everything
Yeah, I gave it everything
I came into this life
Looked all around
I saw just what I liked
And took what I found
Nothing came easy
Nothing came free
Nothing came all until they
Came after me
Yeah-hey, yeah
(What did I do to deserve such a fate?)
(I gave it everything)
(Now I need to escape)
(Someone near me, calling my name)
(I gave it everything)
(I gave it everything - sigh)
Miles and miles...
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Other reviews
By the green manalishi
"Killer is an album very evocative, mixing macabre humor with teenage fears, a rock approach that tends towards the hard with orchestral touches scattered here and there."
"The great masterpiece of this album is undoubtedly Halo Of Flies: the hypnotic intro... the dazzling finale."
