Customer Reviews

Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a compilation album of songs from the Warner Brothers recordings of Alice Cooper(the band). After this album came out, Alice Cooper(the singer) left the band that was named after him. Or was he named after the band? Anyway, Alice Cooper the solo artist never made records as good as Alice Cooper the band did. These songs represent the height of Alice Cooper's career. I highly recommend this CD to fans of '70s rock.

Yes I gave Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits 5 stars, and Yes I don't recommend you but this CD. Sure all of the Alice Cooper Band's hits are here, 'School's Out', 'Eighteen', 'Billion Dollar Babies', 'Muscle of Love', 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' etc. And all of those songs are excellent. But what is not included are the songs that really gave the Alice Cooper Band it's image and reputation, songs like 'Dead Babies', 'Black Juju', 'Halo of Flies', 'Hallowed Be Thy Name', 'Killer'. The essence of Alice Cooper are the strange and unusual songs, music that no one had even tried creating before.
If all you want are the hits off of the 5 original Alice Cooper band recordings for Warner Brothers then you are shortchanging yourself. There was so much more to Alice Cooper than the 12 songs presented here. Each album should be heard and experienced, instead of a 'Best Of', spend the extra dough to hear the whole albums of 'Love it to Death', 'Killer', 'School's Out', 'Billion Dollar Babies' and 'Muscle of Love'. You will not regret adding these stellar CD's to your collection.

This is classic Alice Cooper. All of the greatest hits on one CD. However, I would love to see a greatest hits CD that includes all of the strange songs. Such as 'Dead Babies', 'Black Juju', 'Generation Landslide'. These are songs you wouldn't normally find on a Greatest Hits CD, yet they are the songs that launched Alice Cooper's career. If you want strange and bizarre, I recommend Alice Cooper's very first CD from 1969 'Pretties For You'. One song I would have included on this compilation is 'Tuesday Mueller'. Other than that, I would give this CD a 4 star rating and an excellent starting point for any new Alice fan.

Alice is one of the longest-performing musicians of the hard rock/heavy metal/shock rock genre (one who undeniably inspired generations of rockers). This charming collection gathers Cooper's hits from 1971-1974, most of which achieved big radio play in their time, and can still be heard on the classic rock stations of today. In 1974, Cooper disbanded his band and went solo, so his career changed directions.

This is a great introduction to early Alice Cooper, but as other reviewers have stated, there are many gems on those early albums that didn't achieve radio fame. Try this one out if you are curious about early Alice Cooper, and if it strikes you, know that there are many other undiscovered songs lying in the other Cooper early albums.

Before Manson,Kiss or even Bowie,there was the Alice Cooper Group;a hard rockin' band at the tail end of hippiedom.Alice had the voice amd wit as sharp as a razor,but could sing as soulful as a choir.They attacked some of society's stupidities with a sense of humor;as a result they were labeled "sick and obscene".This release is a record of ACG's string of hits from 1971-1974 (or if you like,I'M EIGHTEEN to MUSCLE OF LOVE). GREATEST HITS runs the gamut,from the theatrical

(ELECTED,DESPERADO) to the straight ahead rockers (UNDER MY WHEELS,BILLION DOLLAR BABIES).This is a excellent start off point for fledgling Alice Cooper fans;now,go and buy the albums.

Wish I had a nickel for every time I've seen this release in a record store.A good,worthy and well assembled disc of Alice Cooper's twelve best tunes from his golden years,1971-74.That's not to say that all of his later efforts are crap,because many of them are really quite decent.I've heard the guitar on this CD's cut of "Under My Wheels" is a bit different than the original lp version.The anthems are here,like "Eighteen","School's Out","Elected" and "Teenage Lament '74".Of course,many of us remember his tribute to Jim Morrison,"Desperado".Recommended.

Every rock collection ought to include this album. It's a hard rocking collection of irreverent pop rock tunes from the slickest, raunchiest, coolest band of the early 1970s. Most of these songs are timeless. I'M EIGHTEEN is as fresh today as it was in 1971. BILLION DOLLAR BABIES is every bit as inscrutable. There isn't a bad song on the collection. I'm sure any 15-year-old kid can still relate to the angst of TEENAGE LAMENT `74. MUSCLE OF LOVE, BE MY LOVER, and IS IT MY BODY are all feel good rock and roll. It's tough not to find yourself in a good mood shortly after putting this on. It's good for driving, partying, drinking or just rocking out.

The classic SCHOOL'S OUT is as cheerfully rebellious as ever. UNDER MY WHEELS is a garage band rocker with flawless production values. DESPERADO is a cowboy ballad that was written for Jim Morrison. ELECTED and NO MORE MR. NICE GUY still have their edgy post-punk gloss. These songs are all guitar driven and loaded with hooks and memorable riffs that grab you and won't let you go. The rhythm section is top notch. They never let the numbers lose intensity. Alice's diverse vocals, of course, are a rock and roll treasure. He can scream like a wounded banshee, croon like a Tin Pan Alley wino, and sing with powerful rocking bravado all in the same song. The lyrics are top notch; even Bob Dylan called Alice one of America's most underrated lyricists. There is a dash of debauchery, a splash of rebellion, a hint of depravity and lot of wit in every tune.

Even the Alice Cooper fan that has all the albums already ought to pick this up. Bob Ezrin, the producer, tweaked these songs just a bit from the originals so they sound a bit sharper. You can really hear the difference on a few of the tunes. Besides, it's a flawless set; a real cream of the crop of Alice Cooper's more radio friendly charters.

This is a must have for the casual listener or devoted fan.

I thought Alice Cooper was just all scary/cheezy image and no musical sense until I got this album. Damn, but this guy--and his band--whip out classic hard rock like mad! These songs now sound nearly poppy by today's hard standards, but that doesn't take a single iota away from the quality of this album. The classic "School's Out" irreverently and gleefully declares independence, and is arguably Alice's best moment on record. But then come the ripping "Under My Wheels," the theatrically inspiring "Hello Hooray," the campy "Be My Lover" (the ending's similarity to "Sweet Transvestite" from "Rocky Horror Picture Show" is hilarious), the locker room-inspired "Muscle of Love" (hmm...wonder what that could be?)...these hits don't stop. Alice connects damned well with (male) teen angst, as "I'm Eighteen" and "Teenage Lament '74" show. Wish I'd had this album growing up. Anyone can appreciate it, but man, if you're a teenager (and not a "mature" adolescent) and just want to feel your oats, grab this album, stick it in the car, and blast it at full speed.

This CD would otherwise rate five stars. I own it, I love it, but it just wasn't what it could have been. It's missing at least a second CD, and arguably, a third.

Although Alice Cooper had their hits, including the #1 "School's Out," their great success had a lot more to with their excellent album work, and a stage show like no other in its time. A career based on this type of success leads to Alice Cooper tracks falling into two distinct categories: (a) the hit singles, and (b) the deeper cut tracks helping complete albums which, although did not become US hits, either became hits in other places in the world, or became fan favorites that lived forever.

This CD does well enough covering the hit singles. It falls painfully short on selecting those tracks which helped make their album success as great as it was, as well as tracks that live on in Alice Cooper concerts to this very day.

Purchasing this CD will leave you wishing you purchased the individual albums instead. Therefore, pass on this one, and pick up "Love It To Death," "Killer," "School's Out" and "Billion Dollar Babies" instead. Strongly consider adding "Muscle of Love" as well.

The only problem with this best of set, is that it is too short. This happens to be the problem with most best ofs or greatest hits.
Now, let me tell you something, about my old man. Not a rocker. He's big on Sinatra, and easy listening stuff, church, etc. Not too much rock in his music collection at all. But he does own this disc, Alice Coopers Greatest Hits. One of his favorite albums, and by the way, how I learned of the music from this dude- back from when Alice Cooper was a band (as has been stated in every other review here)
My dad gave me all his records way back, when he first converted to CD's, and this one here instantly became one that stayed on the turntable. Sure theres no deep cuts at all, but whatever. Alice Cooper is one of those bands where you can enjoy the radio hits just as much as the deep cuts... and sometimes the deep cuts are a little too "deep" anyway.. and you just wanna hear the familiar three minute tunes.. like SCHOOLS OUT, NO MORE MR NICE GUY, BILLION DOLLAR BABIES and I'm EIGHTEEN.
This is not extremely long by any means, probably shy of fifty minutes, but every song is rock, not schlock. The longer compilations add later tunes that aren't quite in the same vibe as these early ones. My favorite overall is DESPERADO, and no its not the same as that sucky Eagles song by the same name. This tune has a cool, dark, Iggy and The Stooges type feel, with killer/clown type lyrics.
Point... if you are new to The Coop, or just a casual fan then I can easily recommend you check out this disc.... other studio albums may just blow your head off.