Entertainment News
FONT-SIZE Plus   Neg
Share SHARE
mail  E-MAIL

Alice Cooper Reflects On 'School's Out' For The Song's 40th Anniversary

Alice Cooper Reflects On 'School's Out' For The Song's 40th Anniversary
8/20/2012 4:49 PM ET

Alice Cooper is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his signature hit song "School's Out." During a recent interview with the Huffington Post, the shock rock icon says that he knew that the song was going to be a hit from the moment its writing was completed.

"It's the song that launched my band's career - it's every school's anthem. I said, 'If this isn't a hit, I don't belong in this business.' It had every element: it was released when school was letting out, it was a summer song, it had that hook, it had the lyric," he recalls of the track.

And if the music itself wasn't enough to push the track over the top, the negative publicity furnished by decency activist Mary Whitehouse sealed its fate as a hit:

"Mary Whitehouse banning us was publicity we couldn't buy . . . At that time, 'School's Out' was very subversive compared to what was on the radio. Everything was pop-oriented, and here comes this song about kids saying, 'Let's blow the school up'."

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Entertainment News