I always love to find a good picture sleeve single and most of the ones I have are from the 80’s, however, I found a gem from 1977 that I had to have. This one was from Alice Cooper and for his hit song “You and Me” which was the first single off his 1977 album ‘Lace and Whiskey’. The album was his third solo album and his tenth overall as Alice Cooper. The single did really well going all the way to #9 on the Hot 100 chart as well as #23 on the Adult Contemporary Chart which is significant as he was considered a metal act.

The song was so popular that in 1978, Alice appeared on The Muppet Show and did the song as a duet with a bird-like character named Beakie, who was a creepy bird-ish Muppet who was actually was the embodiment of Miss Piggy after she was transformed by Cooper. If you haven’t seen it, check it out.

The song was written by Alice Cooper and Dick Wagner and it is a ballad and just a plain and simple love song. It is a celebration of the little moments in every relationship. Those little pleasures we have with each other. The song is the final in a trilogy of love songs from Alice including “Only Women Bleed” and “I Never Cry”.

In an interview with Creem magazine a few months after the release of “You and Me,” Cooper discussed the impetus behind his trilogy of ballads: “I did those songs totally out of spite,” he said. “I kept reading so many interviews and articles that I said I was never considered musical. Best rock show they ever saw, but musically lacking (songfacts).

A-SIDE:

One thing you don’t expect from the shock rocker are ballads. And “You And Me” is the quintessential ballad. It is soft rock at its very best. A gentle drum beat is accompanied by some beautiful guitars and tender piano. Alice sings it masterfully and I love the line “You and me ain’t no movie star. What we are is what we are“. He sings it with such feeling. It is a surprise song that shows Alice is more than shock rock and can be a true musician and we are all the better for it.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=TyYhd0H9bLI%3Fsi%3DVPumXRJYZJZffY6N

B-SIDE:

The B-Side is the opening track to the ‘Lace and Whiskey’ album, “It’s Hot Tonight”. And what an opener it is. The guitars are nasty and the song feels like pure classic rock & roll. There is a bluesy swagger that screams confidence and cocky. It is gritty and dramatic like any good Cooper song should be. But the stars are the guitars as they are all over this thing and as metal as you can get.

The song was written by Alice and Dick along with producer Bob Ezrin. The song paints a picture of a wild and crazy nightlife. The city comes alive at night, the crazies come out and are drawn to the energy. The pleasures of the night turn up the heat and things get a little hot.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=5W00ZaRkYnE%3Fsi%3Ds1wg-SE2OaeaAdQg

As singles go, this one is sensational. Two killer tracks and for me I like the B-Side even better than the single. I hope you enjoyed the walk through this one, I know I did. Until next time, have a great day!