Hello Hooray

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some wild trivia about "Hello Hooray," the electrifying opener from Alice Cooper's 1973 album Billion Dollar Babies. This track, originally written by Canadian songwriter Rolf Kempf and recorded by Judy Collins in 1968, was transformed by the Alice Cooper band into a theatrical rock anthem. Producer Bob Ezrin introduced the song to the band, and they immediately embraced its Broadway-esque vibe, aiming to craft a sound that felt like "Alice Cooper meets Cabaret." Alice Cooper himself noted in an interview that the song's grand, ballad-like quality made it the perfect show-opener, saying, "It had the kind of feel of 'Send in the Clowns.' I was thinking of it in a much bigger electrical way." The band "Cooperized" it, infusing their signature shock-rock energy, and it became a staple of their live performances, often kicking off their infamous stage shows with fog, lights, and roaring crowds. Bassist Dennis Dunaway recalled the song evoking "the stage lights coming up, the fog clearing, and the screams and faces of all the fans," capturing the thrill of their 1973 tour. Fun fact: the song hit #6 on the UK Singles Chart and even appeared in the film X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Another juicy tidbit comes from the recording process. "Hello Hooray" was laid down in multiple locations, including the Cooper Mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Morgan Studios in London. The band used the mansion’s acoustics to create unique vocal effects, even recording in a greenhouse for extra echo. Ezrin, who orchestrated the track, called it his "first real incursion into 'rock grandeur,'" blending strings, horns, and pedal steel guitar played by session musician Steve Hunter. The deluxe edition of Billion Dollar Babies, as mentioned in a 2024 post on Alice Cooper’s X account, includes a live version from the 1973 tour, showcasing the song’s raw energy. Fans on the Alice Cooper Fans Facebook group often rave about how the song’s lyrics, like "Roll out your circus freaks and hula hoops," perfectly encapsulate the band’s carnival-like spectacle. The track’s enduring appeal is evident, with Cooper noting, "People always want to hear that song, that’s how lasting it is."

Now, let’s rewind to how Alice Cooper, born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, got his start. Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, Furnier was a high school track star with a knack for music. In the mid-1960s, he formed a band called The Earwigs with friends, playing Beatles covers at talent shows. They evolved into The Spiders, then Nazz, gigging around Phoenix’s club scene with a raw garage-rock sound. By 1968, the band adopted the name Alice Cooper—chosen for its shock value after Furnier suggested it, inspired by a Ouija board session and the idea of a creepy, innocent-sounding name. The group, including Furnier (vocals), Glen Buxton (guitar), Michael Bruce (guitar), Dennis Dunaway (bass), and Neal Smith (drums), moved to Los Angeles, where they caught the eye of Frank Zappa. Zappa signed them to his Straight Records label, leading to their debut album, Pretties for You (1969). Their early shows were chaotic, blending horror theatrics with music, like throwing chickens into the audience—an accident that became rock legend.

The band’s breakthrough came with Love It to Death (1971) and the hit "I’m Eighteen," produced by Bob Ezrin, who polished their sound while amplifying their macabre stage persona. Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper, and the band leaned into shock rock, using guillotines, fake blood, and snakes to create a vaudeville-horror spectacle. By Billion Dollar Babies, they were global superstars, with Cooper drawing inspiration from horror films, Chuck Berry’s storytelling, and Anita Pallenberg’s Black Queen in Barbarella for his stage look. Known as the "Godfather of Shock Rock," Cooper’s influence spans decades, inspiring artists like Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. His wholesome offstage life—golfing, calling his mom, and watching baseball—contrasts his sinister persona, as he told Louder, "We were way too American for [drugs]. Too mid-West and too wholesome."

Zoo Freaks, you can keep up with Alice Cooper at his official website, where you’ll find tour dates, merch, and news. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates, like his recent posts about the Billion Dollar Babies deluxe edition. Join the Alice Cooper Fans Facebook group to connect with fellow fans, or check out fan sites like SickthingsUK and Alice Cooper eChive for deep dives into his career. Spin those records, and let the show begin!