Poison (Trash, 1989)

Released in 1989, The Trash LP reached #20 on the US Billboard 200 and #2 in the UK. While Constrictor and Raise Your Fist And Yell helped Alice reemerge on the music scene, it was Trash that propelled him back to the prominence of the 70s.

“The only other two commercial albums I made were School’s Out and Billion Dollar Babies, and this album (Trash) was actually written to be more like those albums.” – Alice Cooper

The album is birthed to life with the opening track, “Poison,” which quickly becomes the most prominent hit since “School’s Out,” reaching #7 in the U.S. and #2 in the UK.

“Poison” is the seductive tale of someone caught in the “web” of temptation. Admittedly, they know that this affair with lust is a “venomous” ordeal. It’s obvious there’s a sexual nature to the song, but let’s also look at it from the perspective of other addictions.

I wanna love you, but I better not touch (Don’t touch)
I wanna hold you, but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you, but I want it too much (Too much)
I wanna taste you, but your lips are venomous poison
You’re poison running through my veins
You’re poison
I don’t want to break these chains

Your mouth, so hot
Your web, I’m caught
Your skin, so wet
Black lace on sweat

I hear you calling, and it’s needles and pins (And pins)
I wanna hurt you just to hear you screaming my name
Don’t wanna touch you, but you’re under my skin (Deep in)
I wanna kiss you, but your lips are venomous poison
You’re poison running through my veins
You’re poison
I don’t wanna break these chains
Poison

Couldn’t the “senses be trying to stop” any number of substances or afflictions? Alcohol. Gambling. Drugs. Couldn’t the “kiss” be from the rim of a bottle? The “hot mouth” from the heat of a pipe? The temptations of sin are all quite the same. They are “poison running through the veins” of humanity.

The Bible has so much to say about this topic. Temptations and addictions are battles that start in the landscape of the mind – good thoughts and evil ones that manifest and lead us to action or inaction. Thoughts that either bless or torment us.

“I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me;
    hear me when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;
    may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it,
    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

– Psalm 141:1-5 –

This post will focus on winning that battle. But first, we must take a closer look at temptation and addiction.

Temptation.
First and foremost, as we’ve discussed before, no one is immune to temptation. Even Christ, being led by the Spirit into the wilderness, was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13). Therefore, no one should feel singled out or alone in their temptations.

However, knowing and obeying the Word of God is the best weapon against the enemy. God’s Word, the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), is in our armor – the only offensive weapon we wield as Believers.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13

Read those verses above closely and know that God is NOT the source of our temptations (James 1:13-18). Our evil desires pull us away from His nature. His truth. His mercy. His strength. These verses show us that shifting blame from ourselves to something else is dangerous.

Have you ever blamed someone else for your actions? Maybe you feel like you couldn’t help it. Everybody else is doing it; why shouldn’t you? Perhaps you didn’t know or think it was wrong. Or maybe the Devil made you do it.

Whatever the excuse is, it’s dangerous. The proper action and response to temptation and sin are to own them. Accept responsibility for them. Confess them. Ask for forgiveness and repent.

When we profess and present those sins to the Father, we focus on other alternatives – His alternatives. The road of this world, the most traveled one, leads to the conception of sin.

Then, the compounding of sin manifests into a full-grown “web” of lies and deception. The ultimate trap – addiction – gives birth to death.

Addiction.
Addiction on its own isn’t a bad thing. The definition reads “the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.”

For instance, someone claiming to be addicted to life, eating healthy, the Word, Jesus, etc., are positive things. An addiction to the Word or yearning to know more about who our Creator is leads us further away from our earthly desires. Closer to Him. Closer to His nature and character.

However, we look at this from the scope of temptation, which leads to sin. Then that sin leads to the addiction of the activity, substance, or thing attached to the sin.  Addiction to the action (or sin) narrows our focus and pulls our lives away from reality and the conscious ability to choose right from wrong.

For many, addiction seems like the end. Even family and friends may issue a death sentence for the addict. But the truth is that renewal is attainable. It is an option. That being said, how does one recover from addiction?

Our restoration comes from Him – His Grace.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.” – 1 Peter 5:10

The keyword in this verse is the word ’called.’ We must answer that call. It may take the help of family, friends, or a rehabilitation clinic (maybe all). But addiction is cured when one chooses to accept His grace.

It’s not the vessel by which the healing occurs, but it is the medicine – His medicine. Alice, once an addict, has recounted his battle through rehabilitation many times. However, he’s adamant about the fact that he wasn’t rehabilitated.

Alice was cured. He was healed of his afflictions, and Jesus Christ (through the power of the Holy Spirit) intervened on his behalf, not through the help of a sponsor but by the ‘stripes’ of his Savior (Isaiah 53:5).

The death and resurrection of Christ is the medicine – the inoculation we need to heal our tortured, damaged souls. The healing process begins with the acceptance of what happened on the cross.

Moving Forward.
No matter where we are – tormented by temptation, dabbling in sin, or imprisoned by addiction, His righteousness is our way out. Righteousness does not stem from striving for something unattainable, but instead, it is attained by relying on His lead through His Life (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We must learn to displace those evil thoughts and temptations with His Word.

“The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” – Psalm 119:130

Read that again. Digest it. His Word is LIGHT. Even the darkness must flee when there is a spark or hint of light. Therefore, we must use His Word to abolish the dark thoughts in our minds.

But how?

Reciting scripture orally and mentally are good places to start. Allowing it to radiate throughout your mind, forcing out the thoughts, temptations, and lies used by the enemy – serving him an eviction notice from your conscience.

For instance, visualize a glass of tea or coffee in your mind. The darkness of the solution represents the hurtful or harmful thoughts occupying your thoughts.

If we were to take a pitcher of water (His Word) and begin pouring that water into the glass, the liquid would slowly become more and more translucent.

As we continue pouring the water in, it would, at some point, consume the mixture – forcing the coffee/tea to spill out. Exit Darkness, enter the light, His Light.

Wrapping up this week’s post, Religion has done a first-rate job of beating up any of us trapped in sin and addiction. However, Christ and His Word don’t condone or do that. Instead, they offer healing – an alternative.

Don’t look into the mirror and believe the reflections of the world or the lies of the enemy. Instead, look into the Word and learn who He wants us to be and whom He has created us to be. There’s no one unworthy of His Love. He yearns for you to seek and embrace Him.

Also, know that no one walks a life free from temptation. However, we’ve been given an opportunity – a way out – a better path to follow.

Many view Christianity as a prison or toxic indoctrination forcing its will upon its followers. However, according to God’s Word, it’s about relationships and knowing that we, as broken people, choose His healing instead of some fallible self-help program.

Our minds and habits are only sometimes instantly transformed. We may be cured of addiction or specific sinful natures, yet we struggle in other areas. Transformation is a process – one that gives Him the glory.

Replacing wrongful thoughts with His character is a process. It takes practice. Are we willing to put in the work?

As we stumble, we must allow His Word and grace to cover us. The more time we spend replacing our thoughts with the Word, the further we will be from this world’s ‘venomous poison.’

We must learn to use the weapon (His Word) and the armor He’s given us (Eph. 6:10-18) to replace the darkness of our minds with His Light.

NOTE: Are you on the edge of addiction? Stuck in it? Reach out to Him and His Word. An excellent place to start is the books of Psalms and Proverbs. Focus not on the struggles of the authors – but instead on where they find refuge. Focus on who they are in Him, not without Him.

Also, reach out to a trusted source – a pastor, mentor, friend, or professional – someone qualified and honest. Know that a life with Christ is NOT one to walk alone. He wants us, as Believers, to walk and lean on each other when and as needed.

In conclusion, “Poison” is a fan-favorite and one of Cooper’s staple songs played live on tour. The song also introduced Alice Cooper to a new generation of listeners. It catapulted Alice back into the limelight and paved the way for future LPs.

”Poison” was out there. That was the main hit off that record, and I’m glad it was ‘cause it was one that was really unique-sounding. It kinda paved the way for me to write the things for this album (referring to his next LP, Hey Stoopid). – Alice Cooper

Thankfully, Coop’s work with Desmond Child helped pave the way for future albums and endeavors. Now that “Poison” and so many other songs from that era and after are “Classicks,” it’s tough to imagine Alice Cooper without them.

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

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