Skeletons In The Closet (Special Forces, 1981)

Special Forces, the sixth Alice Cooper solo album, was released in 1981. It is the first of three LPs that have been dubbed the “blackout” albums – LPs Alice doesn’t remember writing or recording.

Special Forces, another concept album, finds Alice playing the role of a decorated war general – an arrogant persona gloating about his military career and achievements. The cover art finds a picture of Alice dressed in an army uniform and adorned with war medals and other paraphernalia.

Coop’s portrait is between two crossed swords facing upwards – a universal symbol for readiness and willingness to fight. Highlight tracks from the album include “Who Do You Think We Are,” “You’re A Movie,” “Vicious Rumours,” and a cover of the 1966 proto-punk song, “Seven and Seven Is,” initially recorded by the band Love.

This week our focus is on the song “Skeletons In The Closet.” With the content of this album being military-based, this song offers vibes of a soldier who has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Haunted by his past actions and crimes, the character is forced to deal with them subconsciously during his slumber.

It’s as if the façade, his charisma, and his disposition are eating away at his conscience and soul. Dream-like in nature, the tune finds Alice screaming, “What? Whaddya want?” at the song’s end.

This character, the general, is one of the more complex personalities Alice has portrayed. A few interviews during that time find him embracing the role off stage as well, and his makeup made him look bruised and battered with his hair held up in a bun – the concept is neatly placed together and believable.

I said Woah-oh, Woah-oh
I got skeletons in my closet
I said Woah-oh, Woah-oh yeah
Skeletons in my closet

Skeletons in my basement
Loitering on my streets
Wearing my best pajamas
Sandwiched between my sheets

I said Woah-oh, Woah-oh yeah
Skeletons in my closet
I said Woah-oh, Woah-oh yeah
Skeletons in my closet

The song itself is catchy and recites the same premise throughout its stanzas. On the surface, the character seems grand, but what ails his conscience? What horrendous acts has he committed to elevate his rank and career?

The song is a somewhat comical tune filled with dark humor and more profound meaning. It leaves you with an unsettling feeling – a creepy and disturbing vibe. The accompaniment of a harpsichord heightens that feeling, and the drums also sound like gunshots at times.

Most likely, some of the hauntings this man encounters are murders or violent acts that he regrets. Intentional and to the point, the lyrics force listeners to stop and ask themselves what skeletons are hiding in their closets? What things from their past are still haunting them or causing them strife?

It’s a legitimate question and topic – is there anything holding us back in our faith? Is there something in our past that keeps us from striving forward, deeper into His presence and His Word?

The Bible makes no bones (pun intended) about the flaws and failures of humanity. And, scripture gives us a detailed account of who our forefathers were and what sins they committed along the way.

For example, Abraham was too old (Gen. 18:11), lied more than once (Gen. 12:10-20, Gen. 20:1-16), and allowed his situations to cloud his judgment. We find Isaac also deceiving the same people Abraham did (Gen. 26:7-11). Then, Jacob deceives Isaac (his father) while cheating his older brother, Esau, out of Isaac’s inheritance (Gen. 27).

In other stories, we find multiple examples of people just like us:

• King David had an affair with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:4). He then had Uriah, his loyal friend, killed to keep Bathsheba for his own (2 Sam. 11:15). He also failed miserably as a father to Absalom (2 Samuel, chapters 13-19).
• Jonah wasn’t interested in seeing Nineveh repent; instead, he would have been okay with its annihilation (Jonah, chapters 3 & 4).
• Peter was quick to anger (John 18:10) and denied Christ three times(John 18:13-27).
• Paul was a murderer (Acts 22).
• Miriam and Aaron opposed Moses and gossiped about him and God (Numbers 12).
• Thomas doubted the resurrection of Christ (John 20:24-29).
• Martha worried more about appearances than substance (Luke 10:38-42).
• Elijah was known for being moody, depressed, and paranoid (1 Kings 19:1-4).

While these are only a few stories and characters found within God’s Word, they help to paint a better picture of what God’s grace and mercy look like – how much He loves us despite our faults.

We are His children, and as we help and guide our children, He will always be there to encourage us and walk with us through the messes we sometimes make, even in our adult lives.

Stop and think about something – what if God’s Word only accounted for the victories of our forefathers? For example, the times when they walked in step with the Lord, led others to Him, stood up to those that opposed His Word, carried the Gospel into hostile territories, and so forth.

Without a more detailed and complete biographic tale of who these people were, we might feel unworthy or incapable of carrying out His Word. Instead, we find an honest account of deeply flawed individuals – men and women used by God despite their shortcomings (sometimes even through those faults).

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

His grace sufficiently covered those listed above; His power was made perfect in their weaknesses. Therefore, these men and women should inspire us not to allow our faults to distract or define us but instead help us focus on what we can do through Him.

There’s no doubt our past life can and does play a role in our present. However, God doesn’t hold our previous actions against us. Instead, we are the ones that bind them against ourselves through our guilt and fear of never being “good enough.”

God wants nothing more than to wipe the slate clean and have us move forward with Him – erasing our past and writing a better future. One that allows Him to help guide our decisions and find us relying on Him and His Word.

There may be a good deal of us that believe our “skeletons” are too gruesome, too large, too daunting for us to overcome. Yet, look at the sins of those that came before us and know that those thoughts are a lie. It’s the greatest lie the enemy tells us mainly because we neglect to hear and believe God’s Word.

Those “skeletons” are the things we have not surrendered and instead keep secret. They may seem harmless at first, but they become more harmful the longer they dwell in our conscience.

Ultimately, they threaten our prosperity, trap us, and prevent us from living a life fulfilled by His Love (Proverbs 28:13).

So, how do we deal with these pesky cadavers? The things that are dead and gone but still live in our psyche?

First and foremost, we deceive ourselves by thinking our sins are secret. However, much like our shadows, those sins follow us everywhere we go. But the truth is, God knows them (Hebrews 4:12-13) and wants nothing more than for us to deal with them and be victorious over sin (Romans 6:14).

Dealing with them through confession and repentance opens the door and channels of communication with God. However, keeping our transgressions hidden inside and away from Him keeps us from fully embracing His Love. In turn, we keep ourselves detached from His grace and mercy.

“If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God, and we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us. Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit, He has given us.”­ – 1 John 3:20-24

There is this notion or misconception that God wants us to confess our sins so that He can render down all smite and condemnation upon us, yet nothing could be further from the truth.

God wants the air to be clear between Him and us. He wants the lines of communication to be open and honest – exposed, everything on the table. By doing so, we are allowed to live life knowing His Love and acceptance freely. A life free from the guilt, shame, and bondage of sin.

The enemy knows this – he knows that an open dialogue (free from all secrets) with our Heavenly Father removes the chains of sin and instead connects us to the Righteousness of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:15-18). Therefore, he does his best to have you believe things are better when you keep God in the dark.

Submission to the Father is the only actual path to Freedom (1 Peter 2:16). An odd concept but one with everlasting truth. When we accept this Truth, it releases the “skeletons” from our “closets” and hurls them into the pits of hell.

Wrapping up this week’s post, there are some things to remember and consider. First, accepting Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as Lord and Savior, then showing up is all our Heavenly Father asks of us. There are no other prerequisites expected from those that answer His call.

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” – 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

Our forefathers did not meet a set list of required traits, abilities, or obligations. They became qualified when they answered His call.

One final note, we should also do our best to confess our sins to one another. A confession is a powerful act that leads to healing (James 5:16). And in the same manner that we would expect to be forgiven, we must also forgive others.

Forgiveness is a two-way street. God’s Word requires us to forgive one another as He forgives us (Mark 11:25). By following these words, we open the door to a whole new life. One that allows us the ability to discard the “skeletons” in our “closets.”

In conclusion, Special Forces was the last album Alice would tour until the 1986 LP, Constrictor. By the end of the Special Forces tour, Coop was flirting with death. Two more studio albums would be released during that time, but Alice’s skeletons were haunting him in real-time. They wanted him dead.

But miraculously, this is the point in Alice’s story where everything flips. Up to this point, the story seemed as if it was headed towards the end – his end. However, instead of finding death, the Holy Spirit granted Alice an extension on life with a healing touch.

As he puts it, the craving for alcohol was miraculously removed from him. He was healed. His skeletons were cast off and thrown into the pits of hell.

Through this transformation, a new Alice was born. An Alice that would become the man we know and admire today. A new creation not only on the stage but also through Christ.

That’s it for this week. Be well, and we will see you next Friday.

In the meantime, Keep Walkin’ in Faith and Rockin’ with Alice.