Billion Dollar Babies
Produced by Bob Ezrin. This was the zenith of Alice Cooper’s career. This may be considered Alice Cooper Groups “Sgt. Pepper’s” album. Each band has their turning point or most creative period and this was it. Although it sort of became their most exhausting recording and touring.
This album started out as a jam session in England with Donavan, Keith Moon, Harry Nilsson, Marc Bolan and Rick Greech. With Donovan the only person who actually made it to recording a duet with Alice on “Billion Dollar Babies”. Some of the musicians who contributed on this album were Donovan, Steve Hunter, Dick Wagner, Mick Mashbir and Bob Dolin. Unfortunately guitarist Glen Buxton was in failing health so Mick Mashbir was appointed to step in and assist at times on any studio recordings and future concerts.
This album was a big commercial success with a number of hits. I also think it’s one of the very best in creative lyrics of all the albums. Although it starts off with “Hello Hooray” a song that wasn’t penned by the band and was original sung by Judy Collins. It’s a good intro song but I have to say I was never a big fan of this track.
If you have their first album “Pretties For You” then you’ll know “Elected” sounds familiar. It is a remix of “Reflected”. Donavon’s duet with Alice is excellent on “Billion Dollar Babies” plus Neal Smith’s drumming intro is one of the best drum beats.

“Unfinished Sweet” is a theatrical song with some great creative lyrics of man visiting his dentist.

Saint Vitus dance on my molars tonight
aching to get me...

Saint Vitus Dance was an affliction (largely psychosomatic) which was widespread in the Middle Ages as was quoted in Carl G. Jung “Man And His Symbols” book.
Another great line was the S&M of Marque De Sade

De Sade’s gonna live in my mouth tonight

As a he get’s gassed during the procedure and goes into a James Bond dream along with them playing a 007 theme.

“No More Mr. Nice Guy” is a good tune of Alice telling the press he’s fed up with them making up stories of Alice’s antics.

I’ve got no friends cause they read the papers
they can’t be seen with me...

even his family has to hide

my mom’s been thrown out of the social circle
my dad’s has to hide...

Alice uses drummer Neal Smith as a character in this song. Alice mentioned
one time Neal and him had an argument when Neal in frustration struck Alice.

I went to church incognito
when everybody rose, the Reverend Smith
he recognized me and punched me in the nose

“Generation Landslide” is one of my favorite tracks from this album. It’s also the last song they wrote for this album. Supposedly it was written in one day.

“Sick Things” is a clever song talking about his audience.

I love you things I see
as much as you love me
you things are heavenly when you come worship me...

“I Love The Dead” was another tribute to horror films and became one of the biggest necrophilia songs of all times.

I love the dead before they’re cold
their bluing flesh for me to hold
cadaver eyes upon me see nothing

Artwork: They went all out on this one. The album itself resembles a snakeskin wallet with an Alice Cooper gold coin on the front and on the back the reverse of the coin with some of the
tracks listed.
As you open it up the inside cover has punch out photos of the band and some live pics of the band in concert. The other side has a Billion Dollar that pulls out with picture of the band in the President’s spot.
The credits were hard to read unless you punched out all the photos on the inside cover. The vinyl sleeve was the first time they printed their lyrics as the other side had a pic of the band in all white satin suits holding white rabbits and surrounded with large bundles of money. Alice is holding a crying baby who’s wearing Alice eye make up. The baby was Lola Pfieffer, the daughter of their press agent in Europe Carolyn Pfieffer.