Unfinished Sweet

The Zoo Crew is spinning "Unfinished Sweet" by Alice Cooper from the iconic Billion Dollar Babies album, and this track is a wild ride for all the Zoo Freaks tuning in. This six-minute masterpiece, released in 1973, dives into the bizarre world of a dental visit gone wrong, complete with sound effects like a dentist’s drill recorded by Gerry Lyon. The song’s quirky narrative, blending humor and horror, is classic Cooper, with a James Bond-style instrumental break that shifts into a dark, menacing vibe before circling back to its upbeat start. During live performances, the theatrics kicked into high gear: Alice would appear on a silver dentist’s table, while bassist Dennis Dunaway’s wife, Cindy Smith, dressed as a giant tooth, which Alice would “brush” with an oversized toothbrush before a mock assault. The Amazing Randi, a famed magician, played a crazed dentist wielding a giant drill, adding to the chaotic spectacle. Some interpretations suggest the song is a morality play about consequences, tying into the album’s theme of exploiting society’s darker impulses, but Cooper himself has described it as a playful take on dental fear, making it a standout for its sheer audacity.

Another layer to "Unfinished Sweet" comes from its production, which took place across three studios over six months, including The Cooper Mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut, The Record Plant in New York, and Morgan Studios in London. The track features contributions from session guitarists Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner, who stepped in due to original guitarist Glen Buxton’s struggles with health and personal issues during recording. This was a pivotal moment for the band, as it hinted at the tensions that would lead to their breakup after the follow-up album, Muscle of Love. Fans on sites like Welcome to My Nightmare note the song’s unique structure, with some vinyl reissues, like the 2024 Trillion Dollar Deluxe Edition, omitting a 20-second fade-out and fade-back for a fuller ending. The song’s legacy endures, with fans in the Fridays With Alice Facebook group praising its theatrical flair and its place in the band’s peak era.

Alice Cooper, born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, started his journey in Phoenix, Arizona, where he formed a band called The Spiders in the mid-1960s. Initially a high school track athlete and letterman, Furnier was far from the shock rock icon he’d become. The Spiders, later renamed The Nazz, played local gigs, covering acts like The Yardbirds and The Who, before learning Todd Rundgren’s band had the same name. In 1968, Furnier proposed the name “Alice Cooper,” inspired by a Ouija board session and the idea of a creepy, wholesome-sounding moniker that would shock audiences. The band, including Michael Bruce (guitar), Glen Buxton (guitar), Dennis Dunaway (bass), and Neal Smith (drums), leaned into a theatrical, horror-infused style, drawing from vaudeville, garage rock, and horror films. Their early albums, Pretties for You (1969) and Easy Action (1970), flopped commercially but caught the eye of producer Bob Ezrin, who helped them craft their breakthrough, Love It to Death (1971), with the hit “I’m Eighteen.”

The band’s rise was meteoric, fueled by outrageous live shows featuring guillotines, fake blood, and baby dolls, earning Furnier the title “The Godfather of Shock Rock.” By the time Billion Dollar Babies hit number one in 1973, Alice Cooper was a cultural phenomenon, though Furnier legally adopted the name as his own after the original band’s split in 1974. His solo career kicked off with Welcome to My Nightmare (1975), cementing his legacy with elaborate stage productions. Cooper’s influences, from Chuck Berry to Anita Pallenberg’s Black Queen in Barbarella, shaped his macabre persona, yet he’s described himself as a wholesome, all-American guy offstage, a devout Christian who loves golf and calls his mom. His career, spanning over five decades, has inspired artists like David Byrne and Chris Cornell, with Billion Dollar Babies cited as a formative influence.

For Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, check out Alice Cooper’s official website for tour dates and merch. Connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Fan hubs like Welcome to My Nightmare and Alice Cooper eChive offer detailed archives of his career, from magazine clippings to discographies. The Fridays With Alice Facebook group, endorsed by Alice and his wife Sheryl, is a vibrant community for fans to share stories and discuss tracks like “Unfinished Sweet.” So, keep those dials locked on THE ZOO, and let the shock rock madness continue!