Released in 2001, Dragontown is Alice Cooper’s 22nd studio LP. This record continues the themes found in the previous album, Brutal Planet. Dragontown takes a more personal approach focusing on the worst city and the worst people found on Brutal Planet.

“When I finished work on Brutal Planet, I was really pleased with the way it had turned out, but I sat back and thought the story was not finished – I could think of at least ten or eleven more things I wanted to say to finish it all up, so when I started to write the next album if just sort of turned into part two. So, I didn’t try to fight it and just let the idea run…I wanted it to be the worst part of Brutal Planet, like its capital.” – Alice Cooper

While the nature of this world is really no different than it’s ever been in the past, Dragontown depicts the current events and state of affairs that have led us to over-hyped hate and disdain for each other – the down and dirty, nitty-gritty of it all.

Tracks like “Dragontown,” “Sex, Death, and Money,” “Sister Sara,” and “I Just Wanna Be God” lay the groundwork for where such lifestyles and behaviors can lead us.

“It’s Much Too Late” is a track that speaks volumes to our society – both Christian and non-Christian. It’s about a pious man living a “littered” life with good intentions. While abstaining from the evils and vileness of this world, he still misses the boat. 

I never kicked a dog, a child, or my wife
I never looked at pornography
I swear it on my holy saint mother’s life
But somehow, she’s down here with me

The road to hell is littered with nice guys with good intentions
But once you’re there, you’re there; it’s much too late
I can cry and scream it’s just not fair
To leave me here like you don’t care
There must be some mistake up there in heaven

Now it’s much too late
My time has passed away
All my plans and dreams have all ended
Now it’s much too late
To try and plead my case
And I don’t know the God I’ve offended
It’s too late

This man, while very religious and self-righteous, never seeks out the love and relationship of His Creator. While working tirelessly to be better than others and self-sanctified in his motives and actions, he never fully comprehends the need for true mercy and grace, what they are, or why they are needed.

Unfortunately, he never tried to comprehend anything more than his deeds and works. He fell for the deception of religion instead of embracing the relationship and salvation gifted to us through Jesus Christ.

Ultimately, this man eternally offended the Almighty and was left to spend eternity alone – just another “nice guy with good intentions.”

Eternity and hell are topics that make most of us uncomfortable. No one likes the thought of themselves (or anyone else) suffering eternally (or here on earth). Thoughts of pain and suffering are not natural. Inherently, we aren’t wired to wish those things on others.

Sure, there are times when someone may offend or anger us, and we might think, “just wait – they’re gonna get theirs one day.” But do we truly mean that?

As brothers and sisters in humanity (especially as Christians), don’t most of us strive to lift each other, moving our species forward together in Love? If not, we’ve missed the boat and need to reexamine ourselves and our motives.

Alice does a great job addressing the problems associated with the thought process of the song’s character (and others like him). For the sake of this post, we will focus on three key points: good intentions, offending God, and no second chances.

Good Intentions. 
There’s no amount of good works possible to save us from an eternal demise.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:8-9

Notice in the above-listed verses that we did not earn salvation. Instead, by grace, it was gifted to us. It’s not some penance or pension plan for a life lived by abstaining from some exclusive list of vices.

Stop and think about what it means to receive a gift from someone. Do we make plans to repay them for that gift, or do we willingly accept it with gratitude, praise, and joy? 

God’s gift to humanity is salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, and there is no amount of performance, activity, or unique ability to repay Him for that. By His Grace and our acceptance of that salvation, we are given something we cannot earn by any other means.

Offending God. 
What is genuinely offensive to God is not knowing or accepting Him.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” – Romans 8:1-8

In the above-listed verses, God’s Word clearly states and discusses the offensive nature of sin. However, read those scriptures (and the whole chapter when you have time) carefully.

There’s this notion that our Creator is a cruel father or ruler that wants to control and manipulate us – ready, willing, wanting, and waiting to punish us all. However, that’s a lie.

Sin and “a mind governed by the flesh” are hostile to God, but the only thing that fully separates us from Him is the unwillingness to receive the gift of His Spirit – placed in us by the acceptance of Christ Jesus.  

Being prideful – unwilling to believe the truth and instead choosing the lie is what offends Him.  We can’t walk this life alone; we need Him. He knows that and wants nothing more than for us to receive Him and His gift.

No Second Chances. 
Only our Savior’s righteousness makes us suffice before the Almighty – no mulligans or do-overs exist.

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” – Luke 16:19-31

Check out the above-listed verses; Christ shows us that there are no second chances after this life ends. We get one shot at this. 

Even as the rich man (and the man in the song) complain and plead with the company of heaven, the fact remains, “it’s much too late.”

God’s Word is clear about eternity and death. We die once, and after that, we face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Will someone be ready to defend us and represent us as we stand before the throne?

“We are NOT righteous, not a single one of us” (Romans 3:10), nor are we promised tomorrow. If we accept Him and know Him as Lord, He will cover us and stand with us at the throne, exclaiming that we are with Him. There is no time like the present to make that declaration.

He represents the ones that choose Him, and “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Therefore, we must stand and know that He is a God of now, not tomorrow, but today! 

Wrapping up this week’s post, where do we stand?  Have we come to grips with the fact that we will never be righteous?  We will never be able to work our way into Heaven.  It seems grim and dreadful, but it’s not! 

Despite what many say and teach, our Father loves us! He’s NOT some unjust dictator looking for ways to punish and condemn us. Quite the contrary to that, He loves us so much that He sent His ONE and ONLY son to earth. 

Jesus Christ bore the weight of all sin and death upon Himself so that we might live (1 Peter 2:24-25). We are made whole and receive righteousness through Him that we could never attain on our own. Through and by Him, we are covered.

God’s gift is ours to claim and receive. There’s no need to wait; the time is now. The time is today! May we all choose to walk with Him and know Him before “it’s much too late.”

In conclusion, Alice has mastered the ability to write songs that rock and also push the envelope. There’s no possible way to listen to this song without thinking about your eternal posterity.

Questions like: Where am I going? What have I done? Am I covered? Will I go to Heaven? Hell? The song forces the listener to ponder life and its meaning.

The characters, concepts, and stories found on Brutal Planet and Dragontown are dark and grim much like some of the stories and individuals found in the Bible.

As humans, we tend to be creatures of habit. Therefore, history continues to repeat itself, yet as we continue to kick and scream while denying our Creator, He remains true and extends His hand to anyone that will take hold. Alice lovingly reminds us of the consequences for anyone that denies God’s hand and His gift of salvation.

That’s it for this week. Be well and catch you next Friday!

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