A Chicken's a Little Bit Smarter Than A Cat" (Hamburg/New York: Ciro Productions, 1975). A performance recording also exists. The original LP (1975) was reissued on CD by DRG in 1996. B-side: "Chicken Balls" #### **A LICE'S ARABELLA** * * * Pseudonym for **Alice Cooper**. The song was credited to "Alice Cooper And The Spooky Spectacular," the stage name of the band that Alice used for the "Star Spangled Banner" incident on _Dick Clark's American Bandstand_ , which aired on **TV** on **6** June 1964. The band performed "I'm Eighteen" as part of the set. Alice used the same makeup and costumes he had created for his _kabuki_ makeup appearance on _The Mike Douglas Show_. In the early 1970s, after a brief visit to **England** , Alice returned to California and played small clubs for a while. Afterward, he began singing and drumming in a group called The Spiders, which played various venues before settling in California. The same group provided the backing for Alice's first solo album, _Pretties For You_ (1971), which was cut in England. For his first solo single, "Teenage Lament '74" (1972), the Spiders were billed as The Alice Cooper Group. Alice recorded four albums for Warner Bros. Records: _Pretties For You_ (1972), _Billion Dollar Babies_ (1973), _Muscle Of Love_ (1973), and _Sweatin' Pig_ (1974). Following the release of _Billion Dollar Babies_ , the character of Arabelle became Alice's **"alter ego"**. In 1982, he formed a group called Hollywood Vampires with **Sammy Hagar** , Paul Stanley, and **Dennis Dunaway** ; his only solo release from the 1980s, _Solo In Japan_ , was produced by Dunaway. The Alice Cooper Group toured widely through the 1980s and early 1990s and performed until Alice's retirement from performing in 1991. Alice resurfaced with the concert documentary _The Nightmare Returns_ in 1992 and released two albums in the mid-1990s: _Dirty Diamonds_ (1995) and _From The Inside_ (1996). On the strength of his first two albums, the Alice Cooper character of Arabelle was featured in "You & Me," a novelty song by the **Fugs** , a New York avant-garde band that included **Peter Stampfel** , **Eric Andersen** , and Doug Yule. "You & Me" reached #29 on the _Billboard_ Top 100. Arabelle made a guest appearance on stage on _The Sonny And Cher Show_ in November 1971. Alice's next solo effort, _Welcome To My Nightmare_ (Alice was assisted in the studio by guitarist Richard Wagner and drummer Anton Fig), established the character of Arabelle as Alice's alter ego in full. The album included several songs that featured Alice under his birth name, Gary. Alice's _Raise Your Fist & Yell_ (1980) used the name Arsehole. The Alice Cooper Group followed with _DaDa_ (1981) and _Flush The Fashion_ (1982), before returning to the concept of Arabelle on _School's Out_ (1987). Cult leader **Jimmy Morrison** of the **Doors** acknowledged Cooper's use of his name on "School's Out" in the lyrics "Bodily secret, mental insanity / You're telling me to get the lead out, out of my head / So maybe I'll just run with Alice Cooper." However, Morrison declined the opportunity to release the song. Cooper, himself, was not interested in a legal action; he commented, "The Doors are all dead, and they're all just rotting in the sand. I just take the name and use it." Cooper also performed "I Was Made For Lovin' You," a tribute to Morrison, during a concert on 18 October 1991 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. A live version of "School's Out" was issued on a Japanese CD titled _Shaky Blitz_. Alice performed the track on the 1993 broadcast of _Late Night With Conan O'Brien_ (10 June 1993). "School's Out" was one of the highlights of Alice's 1997 Broadway musical, _The Vampire Diaries_. "School's Out" was also featured in _Alice Cooper And The Army Of_ _Satan_ (1988) and _Return To Alice_ (1997). The 1992 British movie _Alice Through The Looking Glass_ features the song. One of the highlights of the film is a musical number "Fools In Love," which showcases Alice Cooper. "School's Out" was covered by **Eddie Money** , who performed the song in a 1993 appearance on _Late Night With Conan O'Brien_. After Alice Cooper's departure from stage and television, **Cheap Trick** covered the song on their 1993 release, _The Latest. They_ also recorded "School's Out" for a 2003 album titled _Just The Beginning_ that was shelved by Reprise Records. Cheap Trick also performed the song on their television show, _Late Night With Jimmy Fallon_. In 1991 Alice Cooper and **KISS** drummer **Peter Criss** had a short-lived musical group named The Spiders With Lace Pants. The group released one album, _Alice Cooper Criss_. Other songs that feature "Arabelle," but not her name, include "I Got You," a B-side of "School's Out" (1978) that also appeared on _Flush The Fashion_ and _Raise Your Fist & Yell_ (1980), and "Be My Lover," which appeared on _Alice Cooper And The Spiders From Mars_ (1972). _See also_ . **"ALICE AND THE CURTAINS"** This track is a remake of "Alice And The Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" by Swedish pop band The Hootenanny Singers. The group's 1973 recording charted in the United States and Australia and was a hit in Sweden, where it peaked at #8. The song was covered by New Zealand singer-songwriter **Neil Finn**. The B-side, "Shake You Till You Make You Cry," is also taken from the album _Warm Love_ (1973). The Hootenanny Singers #### **"ALICE & THE DEVILS"** * * * Based on a French theatrical play called _Le Diable Marin_ ("The Devil Marlin"), the song was written and composed by Joseph D'Arienzo. It was performed by **Louis Armstrong**. Armstrong recorded it for his 1964 album _Hello Darlings_ , which won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and an Emmy Award for Best Recording for Television. The track was ranked #10 on _Rolling Stone_ 's list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time." It was also ranked #9 on _Rolling Stone_ 's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time." During a concert in 1964, John Lennon called Armstrong's recording "the best thing since sliced bread" and "simply great." **Bob Dylan** also named the song as one of his favorites on _Theme Time Radio Hour_. **"ALICE, I WANT TO BE YOUR RING TONIGHT"** This title was a takeoff on one of the film's songs "You Only Live Once" in _Wizard Of Oz_ , by Tin Pan Alley songwriters George M. Cohan and **Al Dubin** , which was originally recorded by **Leo Robin** , who also performed the song as part of his stage show. This was Alice Cooper's first single. The single was released on A&M Records in March 1974. It failed to chart in the United States, but it did have some international success, including an A-side chart position in Japan (also with no chart impact in the United States) and in the United Kingdom. _See also:Alice Cooper, Welcome To My Nightmare_ (S); The Who, _Who's Next_ (S); and . **"ALICE HAS DONE IT AGAIN"** This is a track from the 1983 Alice Cooper project _Def, Dumb & Blonde_, and is an extended version of "Parasite" that runs for 6:10. It has a B-side of "You Make My Dreams." **Liner notes** , "The concept of this album is, I think, unique in a pop recording industry. . . . You see, when all of the good things in your life take place, you think, 'Wow! I can't believe it! This is so good!' You have to write a song about it, a song to describe it, and call it 'Alice Has Done It Again.' Well, if she has done it again, she certainly is getting her money's worth, and then some! Well, it's that time of the year. My birthday is coming up in a few weeks. And here's hoping that I have already done it again! Hey!