The Love It To Death LP introduced the music industry to the signature sounds of Alice Cooper. With the help of Bob Ezrin, the band further discovered themselves and their style.

Alice developed his voice – the sneer and snarl. Dunaway, Smith, Bruce, and Buxton respectively found their styles on bass, drums, and guitar.

With Love It To Death’s release, a new era of music was born. Alice Cooper forever made their mark in the world of Hard Rock – mixing musical talent and theatrics to claim their place in music history.

“Love It To Death changed a lot of thinking about what was going on in music. It was really hard-edged, Detroit, eerie… you know, it had classical things in it, but you could tell that this band was not classically oriented. But all of a sudden, you would hear this classical piano that would come in, over top of all this horror. That’s why it’s really unique.” –Alice Cooper

The second track found on the second side of Love It To Death is “Hallowed Be My Name.” Written by drummer Neal Smith, the song points a finger directly at religious hypocrisy and the double standards many set for themselves while cursing others for their actions.

Come all you sinners, come now in your glory
And my ears will listen to your dirty stories
You’re fighting to go up, ’cause you’re on your way down
Cursing their lovers
Cursing the Bible

Hallow-ed be my name
Yelling at fathers
Screaming at mothers
Hallow-ed be my name

Sluts and the hookers have taken your money
The queens are out dancing, but now they’re not funny
’Cause there goes one walkin’ away with your sonny
Cursing their lovers
Cursing the Bible

Does this not hit home just a little bit? Maybe a lot? How often do those caught within the bowels of religious authority (and absorbed with ignorance and piety) condemn the ways of others while walking around in darkness themselves? It’s an age-old pastime. It’s as if there is this belief that focusing on others removes the stains and guilt of the one pointing the finger. It’s a dangerous game.

“Do not judge, or you will be judged. 2 For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite! First, take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. – Matthew 7:1-5

These verses are often ignored or misinterpreted. At the very heart of Christ’s words, we find Him asking us to worry more about our own hearts and actions instead of weighing our sins against one another.

“Jesus tells us to examine our own motives and conduct instead of judging others. The traits that bother us in others are often the habits we dislike in ourselves. Our untamed bad habits and behavior patterns are the very ones that we most want to change in others. Do you find it easy to magnify others’ faults while excusing your own? If you are ready to criticize someone, check to see if you deserve the same criticism. Judge yourself first, and then lovingly forgive and help your neighbor.” – excerpt from NIV Life Application Bible discussing Matthew 7:1-2

Simply put, Christ is not asking us to step away from critical thinking. We are most definitely requested to use and apply discernment. However, as we expose evil, we must first examine ourselves and then help others by offering them HIS LOVE and forgiveness in the process.

The greatest weapon we possess against the enemy is Love – Love conquers all (Romans 8:37, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 Peter 4:8, and Matthew 22:36-40).

Wrapping up this week’s post, it seems “Hallowed Be My Name,” like so many classic Alice Cooper tracks, issues a challenge. It challenges us to ask tough questions about ourselves. Are we comparing our sins, lifestyles, struggles, etc., to others? Or are we working to allow HIS LOVE to cleanse our hearts, souls, and minds?

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” – Brennan Manning, author of The Ragamuffin Gospel

Manning’s quote brings up a good point. Personally, I don’t believe the world has as much a problem with Christianity as it does with Christians that refuse to offer Christ’s grace, love, and humility to all humanity.

May we all come to see the importance of perspective. May we focus solely on the “plank in our own eye,” in turn allowing us the ability to lift others up, helping them survive and prosper through their struggles as well.

In conclusion, Love It To Death is an incredible LP. “Hallowed Be My Name” is the fifth track we’ve covered from that album, and rarely is there an LP that can be enjoyed from first to last track. However, Love It To Death is one of those records.

As we continue to travel on this journey with Alice, may we all find a way to embrace the grace of our Lord while offering the very same to those we meet on that journey. May we learn to navigate the darkness by searching out His Light and sharing His Love.

That’s it for this week, catch you next Friday.

Until then, Keep Walkin’ in Faith and Rockin’ with Alice!