I Better Be Good (Zipper Catches Skin, 1982)

Zipper Catches Skin, released in 1982, is Alice Cooper’s seventh solo studio album and is identified as one of the Blackout LPs.

According to Alice, the record carries a “minimalist” sound and approach. Cooper, along with Erik Scott (bass), John Nitzinger (guitar), and Dick Wagner (guitar), share the writing credits on most of the songs on this record.

The album cover features the song lyrics in tiny black lettering. In addition, specific letters are colored red across the top of the album, spelling out “Alice Cooper,” and the LP title appears in red lettering with a streak of actual blood, provided by Brian Nelson (Alice’s assistant/archivist), used to underline the LP title.

The album has no fundamental concept or theme. However, Alice did draw inspiration from an interesting source.

“That whole album, I took a Weekly World News and just found headlines. Like every single song title was from a headline from the Weekly World News, and the funny thing about those is that once you create the headline, there’s a rhythm to it.” – Alice Cooper.

After seeing what Alice had to say about the LP’s creative process, the album’s artwork makes perfect sense. It’s like the cover is a newspaper, and the lyrics are the written content in the articles and stories.

Zipper Catches Skin helps define this era during Alice’s career. The Blackout LPs bring raw emotion and an exciting, new approach to Alice’s style and music, yet they keep that “Cooperesque” vibe.

“I Better Be Good,” the second to last song on the LP, is a quippy tune about the cause-and-effect relationship between bad behavior and consequence. Alice weighs in on the drawbacks of annoying and offending others – a lesson in etiquette and protocol.

If I ain’t cool, my daddy gonna send me to Military School
If I ain’t nice, my girlie gonna freeze me with cold shoulder ice
If I’m real late, my teacher gonna use me for alligator bait
So, I better be good
I better be good

If I jump on the gas, the cops are gonna jump all over my back
If I smoke too much doctor says he’s gonna put my lungs in a crutch
If I’m caught without my pants, Consuelo’s dad is gonna shoot until he sees me dance

So, I better be good
I had better be good
You better be nice

As the song unfolds, it becomes apparent that the song’s main character is less concerned about being good and more concerned about getting caught or the ramifications of his actions. But maybe he is missing the point. Is it really about being good?

Maybe it’s not so much about what you do or how you do it but more about the state of your heart, mind, and soul. Perhaps it’s more about motive.

“We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.

2 People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.

3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.

– Proverbs 16:1-3 –

Isn’t it interesting how God’s Word offers simple advice? Common sense and straightforward answers to life’s dilemmas and demands.

When it comes to being good, it’s not about the ramifications of the action. It’s about motivation and commitment. It boils down to the core of the matter – the motives of your heart and soul.

When we commit ourselves to HIS plans, we find success. We discover a narrow road with a solid destination. More often than not, making plans without His consent leads to foolishness and demise. We plan to be good, then end up trapped by pride, lust, greed, etc.

We believe we are the catalyst for change and prosperity in that trap. We begin to think we know better than our Creator – or worse, we see ourselves as deities.

This life requires us to rely on Him instead of ourselves. It’s about consciously knowing that we are neither good nor evil. Instead, we choose which force and narrative direct us. Which do we choose? The way of the world or the path of our Creator?

I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2

As we walk with Him, learning from His Spirit and Word, we notice the alignment of all things GOOD and HOLY. First, we begin to see Him. Then, we want to know Him more – to be good, acceptable, and complete.

As His Spirit and Word renew our minds, we see things differently – more clearly. “I Better Be Good” transforms into “I Want To Be Good.” We become new creatures – ambassadors for Christ. We crave reconciliation and righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).

Wrapping up this week’s post, we find that our lives are not our own when we commit our goals, actions, and plans to Him (Jeremiah 10:23-24). The world sees our deeds as fleeting and sacrificial, but we know better. We know that prosperity comes from Him and a life lived with Him (Psalm 1:1-3).

The bottom line is this, if you want to know more about a piece of artwork, you go to the artist. As God’s creation, we learn more about ourselves and our journey by going to Him.

On that note, C.S. Lewis does a beautiful job conveying this point:

This act [creation], as it is for God, must always remain totally inconceivable to man, for we – even our poets and musicians and inventors – never, in the ultimate sense, make. We only build. We always have materials to build from. All we can know about the act of creation must be derived from what we can gather about the relation of the creatures to their Creator. – C.S. Lewis

In conclusion, Zipper Catches Skin was written and released during a difficult time in Alice’s life. It was a time of change and transition when music was regularly changing. It was a time that Alice doesn’t remember – a blackout.

Even though Alice struggled, isn’t it magnificent how God never turned His back on him? God never said, “You’ve gone too far; you’re unredeemable!” Instead, Alice was shown Mercy, Grace, and Love like no other. He was pulled back into the fold.

It’s often been said that God’s Light shines brightest in the dark, and miracles happen if and when we are willing to embrace Him. Luckily for Alice (and all of us), our Creator is a loving Father who believes in redemption and offers us grace and salvation. He only asks that we accept His invitation and repent.

That’s it for this week. See you next Friday!

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