The Ballad Of Dwight Fry – Alice Cooper

Deciding on Coops seven greatest songs (these are NOT his seven greatest songs) is a tough one for someone who has been obsessed with his music since the playground. So these aren’t his biggest hits, nor his BEST OF so much as they’re My Favourites. From a life time of fandom.

I think one of them has to come from Love It To Death though because rarely is an album so accurately titled. This record really has it all. The cool of the Whiskey A Go Go era is well presented in Caught In A Dream. The huge hit of I’m Eighteen, the weirdness and sexuality of Is It My Body? and the super cool riff monster Long Way To Go. They’re all on the same frikkin’ album? Yep. So is the wig out ending Sun Arise and the ‘delic delights of Black Juju. I do love this album… to death.

All of that serves as delicious trimmings around the theatrical perfection of The Ballad Of Dwight Fry. A Concept album in one song. The Alice Cooper band knew what they had with this. It featured in most of their shows from here to the end of time.

The mournful piano and the ‘Mommy where’s Daddy?’ opening leads into a rock ballad about losing your mind that is pure burlesque of the grotesque.

‘I was gone for 14 days, I could have been gone for more’

At this stage this was prophetic of what was to come for Vincent. Alice is playing a madman and channelling not only Fry himself but Vincent Price and Christopher Lee into the bargain and into the mic. Stuttering and second guessing his spoken word parts and leading up into bursts of song here and there. He’s a great Actor. Credit where it’s due.

The ‘I gotta get out of here’ rant was recorded in the studio while Alice was pushed into a phobia inducing crawlspace under piles of furniture.

Two thirds into this song the tune is derailed by an explosion and we go all woozy and wonky for the final act.

‘I grabbed my hat and I got my coat then I, I ran into the street I saw a man that was choking there I guess he couldn’t breathe’

He’s outside now, his and our ears ringing. Has Dwight escaped the Asylum during war time? Should he be running around in the street? Is this all in his head? What the hell is this story about?

By the time the album slips Second Coming your way you’re not sure if Dwight Fry is done or not. Some times less is more. Sometimes more is just right.

‘Is he ever coming home?’

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