Five Classics from the Original Alice Cooper

My Take Five column has surveyed the work of Alice Cooper on two previous occasions: one explored his notable guest spots; the other focused on music from his solo career. But Alice Cooper the group – as opposed to the solo-work stage name adopted by singer Vincent Furnier – was a hard rocking band that turned out a series of very-good-to-great albums between 1969 and 1973 (plus a well-regarded 2025 reunion album, The Revenge of Alice Cooper). Here’s a look at five of the best tunes from Phoenix, Arizona’s finest.

NOTE: You may also enjoy my interviews with Alice Cooper the man, found HERE and HERE. 

“Reflected” from Pretties for You (1969)
While they’re often overlooked in overviews of the Alice Cooper group’s work – no songs from either Pretties for You or 1970’s Easy Action are featured on the 1975 compilation Alice Cooper’s Greatest Hits – the band’s first two albums are fascinating documents of the early band in its psychedelic form. The group-composed “Reflected” was released as a single; it didn’t chart, but the song’s central riff and melody would be repurposed with new lyrics four years later, resulting in one of the band’s biggest hits.

“I’m Eighteen” from Love it to Death (1971)
Alice Cooper’s classic period can be said to have begun with the release of 1971’s Love it to Death. Co-produced by Jack Richardson and Bob Ezrin, that album won the group its first chart action, peaking on the Billboard chart at No. 35 and eventually earning a Platinum certification. The advance single from the album, the anthemic and influential “I’m Eighteen” climbed to No. 21 on Billboard’s singles chart.

“School’s Out” from School’s Out (1972)
After the success of Love it to Death, the band continued to work with producer Bob Ezrin for their next album, 1971’s Killer. And they teamed up again for the 1972 blockbuster School’s Out LP. The title track soared to the No. 7 spot on Billboard’s singles chart, giving the band its biggest hit ever.

“Elected” from Billion Dollar Babies (1973)
In late 1972, Alice Cooper was on a run of success. The band released “Elected” in November as a single ahead of their 1973 LP Billion Dollar Babies. The first of four singles from that record – all of which charted – “Elected” recycled part of Pretties for You’s “Reflected” melody, adding politically-themed and cynical lyrics. The result earned the band a No. 26 single in the U.S. In the United Kingdom, “Elected” took the No. 1 spot; it also top-tenned in four other countries.

“Teenage Lament ‘74” from Muscle of Love (1973)
With its drab yet expensive packaging, the LP release of 1973’s Muscle of Love stood out on record store shelves. Commercially, it was a bit of a disappointment, failing to repeat the success of the chart-topping Billion Dollar Babies. While it would be the final release from the Alice Cooper group’s original run, Muscle of Love contains some fine rockers. Chief among them is “Teenage Lament ‘74.” Perhaps incongruously, backing vocals on the tune – which didn’t quite make the Top 40 – featured an all-star lineup: Liza Minelli, Ronnie Spector and the Pointer Sisters.