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“I´m eighteen And I don´t know what I want”“I’m Eighteen,” released by Alice Cooper in November 1970 on the “Love it to Death” album.
January 16, 2009
My niece just turned eighteen years old earlier in the week. Of course, my thoughts turned to when I was that age.
I saw Alice Cooper play “I’m Eighteen” in concert when I was eighteen years old in 1972 on his “Dead Babies” tour. Don’t tell my nieces and nephews.
Or was it the “School’s Out” tour? The mind is the first thing to go… Whatever.
Although I cannot say that I am a big Alice Cooper fan, the song, “I’m Eighteen” is a bit of iconography for the world of the early 1970s… I guess.
In spite of all the press, the 1972 show was just that, a show. Yeah, it was over the top, but he was quite a showman and he managed to pull it off – at least for my sensibilities at the time.
I guess I would possibly cringe to see the show today. Whatever.
It reminds me of the time a friend of mine and I were watching a documentary of “The Doors.” We were both into “The Doors” when we were young.
My friend’s kid was watching it with us and at one point, he turned to us and said, “No wonder your generation is so (messed) up.
Alice Cooper liked to play up the tabloid shock value as a marketing ploy; however, his off-stage persona was that of a really nice guy who was taking advantage of the “shock rock” and “glam rock” phenomena.
Although I have read first person accounts that reflect that the following tour, “Welcome to my nightmare” was over the top and got a little weird.
For the younger readers who are no familiar with “Alice Cooper,” his bio, “Meet Alice Cooper” explains:
“Without Alice Cooper, there might never have been the NY Dolls, KISS, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Motley Crue, Slipknot or Rob Zombie ... maybe not even David Bowie, or at least not Ziggy Stardust. The iconic hard rocker, who literally invented the concept of the rock concert as theater, returns to what he does best on Along Came a Spider (SPV Records), the 25th studio album of a long and illustrious career which began in 1969 with the release of Pretties for You on Frank Zappa's Straight label…”
In a recent published account, I read that “Alice Cooper claims he is addicted to his wife. The 60-year-old rocker - who has just released his latest album ‘Along Came a Spider’ - says he has loves spouse Sheryl Goddard so much that he has never been unfaithful to her.
“Alice said: ‘I’ve been married for 32 years and never cheated on her because I’m addicted to her.’
“The musician, who gave up drink and drugs 26 years ago after a well-documented struggle, also revealed he admires Mary Whitehouse, despite her banning the music video for his hit ‘School’s Out’.
“Alice also revealed he sent Mary - who campaigned for morality and decency on TV – flowers to thank her for her controversial decision…” (Alice Cooper addicted to wife August 7, 2008)
Oh, by the way, Alice Cooper, (Vincent Damon Furnier); was born on February 4 1948.
Yes, dear fellow boomers – he is now 60 years old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS8IBdvXBs4
Lines form on my face and hands
Lines form from the ups and downs
I´m in the middle, without any plans
I´m a boy and I´m a man.
I´m eighteen
And I don´t know what I want
Eighteen
I just don´t know what I want
Eighteen
I gotta get away
Eighteen
I gotta get out of this place
I´ll go runnin´ in outer space
Oh yeah.
I got a
Baby´s brain and an old man´s heart
Took eighteen years to get this far
Don´t always know what I´m talkin´ about
Feels like I´m livin´ in the middle of doubt
Cause I´m eighteen
I get confused every day
Eighteen
I just don´t know what to say
Eighteen
I gotta get away.
Lines form on my face and my hands
Lines form on the left and right
I´m the middle
The middle of life
I´m a boy and I´m a man
I´m eighteen and I like it
Yes I like it
Oh, I like it
Love it, like it, love it
Eighteen, Eighteen, Eighteen
I´m eighteen and I like it.
20090116 KED I am eighteen and I do not know what I want
