Billion Dollar Babies (song)
Encyclopedia
Billion Dollar Babies is a popular 1973 single by rock
group Alice Cooper
, taken from the album "Billion Dollar Babies
". It was released in July 1973, months after the album had been released. The track is a duet between Alice Cooper and Donovan
, who provides the falsetto vocals.http://www.creemmagazine.com/_site/BeatGoesOn/Donovan/MoltenTruths0506.html
BMI
lists http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&keyid=116467&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID the composers of "Billion Dollar Babies" as Alice Cooper
, Michael Bruce and Reggie Vinson (a session guitarist who had worked with the Alice Cooper band previously.http://www.rockinreggie.net/bio.html). Some sources list the composers as Cooper, Bruce, drummer Neal Smith, and "R. Reggie" []. The chorus has the same melody as The Hollies
's 1966 song "Tell Me to My Face."
Billion Dollar Babies also became the name of a band which descended from the Alice Cooper band that recorded the song. The Billion Dollar Babies album was one of the last recorded by the Alice Cooper band, before singer Alice Cooper went solo. Legal complications ensued; all five Alice Cooper band members had shared ownership of the band's name. The original band never again recorded under the name Alice Cooper, but former Alice Cooper Band members Michael Bruce
, Dennis Dunaway
, and Neal Smith, along with additions Bob Dolin and Mike Marconi, recorded as Billion Dollar Babies. []. The band Billion Dollar Babies only released one album, 1977's 'Battleaxe', before disbanding.http://www.musicmight.com/linkto/artist/{A2565CA7-F8EF-44FD-83A7-BF7B9E5
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
group Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, taken from the album "Billion Dollar Babies
Billion Dollar Babies
Billion Dollar Babies is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Alice Cooper, released in 1973. The album became the best selling Alice Cooper record at the time of its release, hit number one on the album charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and went on to be...
". It was released in July 1973, months after the album had been released. The track is a duet between Alice Cooper and Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, who provides the falsetto vocals.http://www.creemmagazine.com/_site/BeatGoesOn/Donovan/MoltenTruths0506.html
BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
lists http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&keyid=116467&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID the composers of "Billion Dollar Babies" as Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Michael Bruce and Reggie Vinson (a session guitarist who had worked with the Alice Cooper band previously.http://www.rockinreggie.net/bio.html). Some sources list the composers as Cooper, Bruce, drummer Neal Smith, and "R. Reggie" []. The chorus has the same melody as The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
's 1966 song "Tell Me to My Face."
Billion Dollar Babies also became the name of a band which descended from the Alice Cooper band that recorded the song. The Billion Dollar Babies album was one of the last recorded by the Alice Cooper band, before singer Alice Cooper went solo. Legal complications ensued; all five Alice Cooper band members had shared ownership of the band's name. The original band never again recorded under the name Alice Cooper, but former Alice Cooper Band members Michael Bruce
Michael Owen Bruce
Michael Bruce is a US rock musician. He was a guitarist, keyboard player and backing vocalist for the original Alice Cooper group .Bruce co-wrote many of the hit songs with some or all of the other members of the band...
, Dennis Dunaway
Dennis Dunaway
Dennis Dunaway was the bass guitarist for The Spiders , The Earwigs , Alice Cooper group from 1969–1974.He co-wrote such hits as "I'm Eighteen" and "School's Out"....
, and Neal Smith, along with additions Bob Dolin and Mike Marconi, recorded as Billion Dollar Babies. []. The band Billion Dollar Babies only released one album, 1977's 'Battleaxe', before disbanding.http://www.musicmight.com/linkto/artist/{A2565CA7-F8EF-44FD-83A7-BF7B9E5
Appearances
- It appears in The Secret Life of GirlsThe Secret Life of GirlsThe Secret Life of Girls is a 1999 film starring Majandra Delfino, Linda Hamilton, Eugene Levy, and Meagan Good.-External links:...
. - It appears in the episode "Monty Can't Buy Me LoveMonty Can't Buy Me Love"Monty Can't Buy Me Love" is the twenty-first episode of The Simpsons tenth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 2, 1999. In the episode, Mr Burns is jealous of megastore owner Arthur Fortune, who is beloved by the people of Springfield...
" of cartoon The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. - Cover version,which is mislabeled in the manual as "Million Dollar Babies",appears in Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version of Guitar Hero IIGuitar Hero IIGuitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
. - Live version is downloadable content for Rock Band series.
Tracklisting
- "Billion Dollar Babies" (Bruce, Cooper, Vinson) - 3:43
- "Mary Ann" (Bruce, Cooper) - 2:21
Personnel
- Alice CooperAlice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
- vocals - Glen BuxtonGlen BuxtonGlen Edward Buxton was an American musician, and guitarist for the original Alice Cooper band. He was born in Akron, Ohio....
- lead guitar - Michael BruceMichael Owen BruceMichael Bruce is a US rock musician. He was a guitarist, keyboard player and backing vocalist for the original Alice Cooper group .Bruce co-wrote many of the hit songs with some or all of the other members of the band...
- rhythm guitar - Dennis DunawayDennis DunawayDennis Dunaway was the bass guitarist for The Spiders , The Earwigs , Alice Cooper group from 1969–1974.He co-wrote such hits as "I'm Eighteen" and "School's Out"....
- bass - Neal Smith - drums
- DonovanDonovanDonovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
- vocals
Charts
| Year | Country | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | US | 57 |
| 1972 | Germany | 30 |