I Never Cry - Alice Cooper (1977) 1/23/22

Alice Cooper calls today's "Great Song of 1977" his "Alcoholic Confession."

"I Never Cry" is all about his battle with alcoholism, but strangely, it was written a time when all was calm in his world.

Alice and his songwriting partner, Dick Wagner, were taking a leisurely vacation on Maui...and one night, as they were sitting on the veranda of their rented house--relaxing, enjoying the beautiful ocean view, and noodling around on a keyboard,--Dick came up with a melody and Alice wrote the lyrics. Just like that.

The finished song was released as a single from the "Alice Goes to Hell" album, and two things immediately happened:

#1: The song became a hit in Canada (#5) and the US (#12).

#2: It pissed of many Alice Cooper fans--who felt he was not only losing his edge, but "selling out" to "pop" music in order to make more money on record sales. (He wasn't, of course. His live shows continued to be over the top and theatrical.)

Although "I Never Cry" is a "Great Song," you almost never hear it on the radio today. Many classic rock stations think it's too soft, and many oldies stations think ANY song by Alice Cooper doesn't fit their format.

It's a shame, really, because "I Never Cry" is a "Great Song of the '70s!