Escape (Welcome to My Nightmare, 1975)

This week we take another look at the “Welcome To My Nightmare” album. Released in 1975, Alice’s 1st solo album brings excitement and flare back to the stage. A record and stage show with a stated goal and concept, the “Welcome To My Nightmare” experience is one that many fans, critics, and music historians remember fondly.

The album and show is an intense mixture of songs that combine Shock, Rock, Horror, Jazz, and hints of Funk into a tightly-knit record—coupled with a Vaudeville-Esque stage show that left a few fans scratching their heads. Still, many more folks loving every minute of the performance.

At this point, Alice’s drinking had really taken a turn for the worse.

“We were working six nights a week, selling out every show, for two years. We worked so hard for two years, that it literally almost killed me, just because of the fact that I drank so much just to try and keep up with it.” – Alice Cooper

Luckily though, the “Nightmare” did NOT kill him.

The record includes many songs still used in his shows. Songs like “Devil’s Food,” “The Black Widow,” “Cold Ethyl,” “Steven,” and “Only Women Bleed.” The LP concludes with the song “Escape.”

“Escape” is a traditional Alice Cooper anthem, in that it gives the listener a sense of celebratory fanfare. Much like “School’s Out” and “I’m Eighteen,” the song demands your attention from the very beginning and leaves you almost marching to the beat as it fades in the end.

The lyrics of the song are ones we find present at many stages in life. Lines like, “Paint on my cruel or happy face, I hide behind it” then “It takes me inside another place, Where no-one can find it.”

Does this not define us at work, or life in general, building our reputations, surviving circumstances, and navigating through stressful events strung across days and months throughout our year?

Is it not what we most often yearn to “Escape” from – the everyday minutia of it all? The grind and hard work that sort of make life no fun. It seems we need to get away sometimes, but how do we protect ourselves from staying there – settling for fantasy instead of reality?

The world has done a masterful job of providing humanity with numerous forms of “Escape” and retreat – including video games, movies, virtual reality, sports, drugs, and other forms of distraction. These distractions can often lead us to a life lived mainly focused on something other than what is right in front of us.

There’s nothing wrong with entertainment, activities, sports, or even a little “fantasy.” God wants us to live a joyful life. He wants us (His children) to have fun during our time on Earth.

A trip to Disneyland, reading a book, watching your favorite show or movie, listening to music, etc. – these things on there OWN are NOT a hindrance to our walk or faith.

However, we must continually ask ourselves some questions.

• • • Do our forms of entertainment become excessive?

    • Are they forms of “Escape” that hinder our faith or walk?
    • Have we become so consumed with distractions that we never progress any further? Further, in our careers? Further, in our walks? Further, in our faith? Further, in our love for others or our Love for Christ?

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything.” – 1 Corinthians 6:12

Paul warned the people of Corinth NOT to become too consumed by their freedom in Christ – so obsessed that it would cause them to stumble. In turn, leaving them stagnant in their faith and hindering them from propelling further into His Word or His Will for their lives.

It’s easy to get distracted in this life. No matter what we’ve been told, fun, relaxation, and entertainment aren’t bad things; they are just something we should keep in check.

As we navigate through life’s rapids, the need or want to relax and enjoy our chosen “distraction” can very quickly commit us to a lifetime of settling. We then wake up days, months, years later and wonder how we got, or strayed, there.

Many find themselves stagnated, having been slowly lured and enticed by their own desires. (James 1:14). Again, this is not some rant about any of the things mentioned above. Like all other parts of our faith, it’s a plea for self-evaluation. The main question to take away from this discussion is, “Have you settled?”

For the sake of this conversation, “settling” means we are willing to take less – less than what our Heavenly Father has planned for us. By NOT paying attention, we’ll never realize His plan for our lives (Mark 4:19). It means we have decided to sit, remain, or dwell in a comfortable place.

When we settle spiritually, it affects all the aspects of our life. God calls us to great and magnificent things. When we abandon our journey with Him, we stop before He’s been allowed to show us His full brilliance and majesty.

He wants us to keep going. Keep striving forward, carrying out His Will. Keep seeking His face. Keep “showing up.” Being consistent and diligent is vital. It keeps us from neglecting our purpose and finding our peace and happiness in this life. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Life is inherently busy. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the circumstances of life. The narrative of what-if begins to supersede everything else. “If there was only more money.” “If I was only more able.” “If I was just a little younger.” “If I was only a bit more this or a bit more of that.”

The above narratives are the lies that the enemy uses to contain us. The lies that keep us stagnant in our journeys. However, God calls us to keep going forward despite the circumstances. He asks us to keep rising and keep following Him.

If we settle, we are willing to accept mediocrity instead of His greatness – His target for our life. Life is not lived on what’s been done – life is lived on what is still to come. Our circumstances and failures in life do NOT define us. We must know and remind ourselves that our journey and His purpose is what distinguishes us.

SIDE NOTE: Stop and think about that. How reassuring is that? God never loses His desire to have us as a valuable part of His plans. You will never be “too old” or forced into “retirement.” We, His children, are comprised of all different ages, classes, occupations, and walks of life. We are all extraordinarily loved and useful to His kingdom until the day we are called Home.

Look no further than the life of Paul concerning circumstances. Paul was imprisoned for six years during his ministry. He could have called it quits. The apostle could have allowed his circumstances and surroundings to dictate his relationship and journey with God.

Instead, he continued pressing forward. In fact, the Prison Epistles – Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon – were written during his imprisonment. Looking at the book of Philippians, we find the word “Joy” used more times than any other place in the Bible.

Stop and think about that. We witness Paul pulling his purpose and strength from the Holy Spirit, NOT his circumstances.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” – Philippians 3:12

Remember, that passage was written in prison – PRISON! Paul did not allow his past or current situation to enable him to become stagnant. He stayed focused on the promises the Lord had shown him. Paul chose to move forward instead of standing still or losing ground. He decided to rise above and keep moving forward instead of rejecting what he was given.

When we settle, we deny God the opportunity to give us what He has planned for us. We reject “His best” and accept “our good enough.” Ultimately, we push Him away, and we rob ourselves in the process.

“11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:11-13

Notice in those verses, His plans for our lives lead us to prosperity, but they require us to continually seek, pray, and call upon His name with all of our hearts. We must keep searching for His plans and allow them to unfold. We must not expect to know where He’s going to lead us next.

Wrapping this up, our first and primary “Escape” should be Him and His Word. We must look for ways to integrate time for and with Him during our downtimes. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying life’s distractions – the “Escape” from it all, but we must not forget to find ways to dwell in His Presence, Process, and Purpose along the journey.

We must spend time making goals and priorities that will advance His Kingdom here on Earth. It’s not easy and doing so isn’t entirely free. It requires daily discipline. However, we get what we pay for – as we walk closer and more aligned with His Word, we will find a much easier life and road being paved for us. A road with fewer temptations, less heartache, less of self and more of Him.

We gain more from this life by continuing to move and by pressing further. Let us all continue to push further, knowing that through faith, He will provide for our means and the victory over the things of this world (1 John 5:4).

In conclusion, Alice delivers yet another impressive ending to another classic album. “Escape” leaves us all wanting to celebrate after a hard day’s work or when we successfully navigate through a turbulent season in life.

This album helped catapult Alice further into the world of music and entertainment. “The Nightmare” TV Special aired April 25^th, 1975 on ABC @ 11:30 pm EST. Alice, special guest Vincent Price, dancers (one of whom was Sheryl Goddard Cooper), and a 9-foot cyclops performed a theatrically-based version of the “Welcome To My Nightmare” album. The special won an Emmy in 1976.

During “Escape,” Alice is found striving to depart from the hellish nightmare that has consumed his slumber. The song leads the viewer and listener to think it’s all just part of the show. But looking back, one has to ask. Was Alice trying to escape his own personal “Nightmare” as well?

A nightmare that had him vomiting blood and relying on alcohol to help him dress and play the part of his alter ego. Miraculously, he would soon be healed and delivered, by our Lord, from what ailed him most – his craving for alcohol. For that, we are very thankful and Give God All The Glory and Honor. Amen.