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DaDa
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 28, 1983 (US)[1]
November 4, 1983 (UK)[2]
StudioESP Studios (Buttonville, Ontario, Canada)
Genre
Length42:15
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerBob Ezrin
Alice Cooper chronology
Toronto Rock 'n' Roll Revival 1969, Volume IV
(1982)
DaDa
(1983)
Constrictor
(1986)
Singles from DaDa
  1. "I Love America"
    Released: November 18, 1983 (UK)[5]

DaDa is the eighth solo and overall fifteenth studio album by American rock singer Alice Cooper, released in September 1983, by Warner Bros. Records. DaDa would be Cooper's final studio album until his sober re-emergence in 1986 with the hard rock album Constrictor.

Background and recording

[edit]

DaDa was produced by long-time collaborator Bob Ezrin, at the time his first production with Cooper in six years since his third solo studio album Lace and Whiskey (1977), during that interim Ezrin had produced Pink Floyd's studio album The Wall (1979), with people comparing the sound of certain tracks on DaDa to Pink Floyd.[6] The guitar solo on "Pass the Gun Around" was compared to David Gilmour's playing style.[7]

The album was recorded at ESP Studios in Buttonville, Ontario, Canada, and made use of local musicians with contributions from Juno Award-winning vocalist and keyboardist Graham Shaw, bassist Prakash John and vocalist Lisa Dal Bello, who would soon be known by her stage name Dalbello. A mostly synthesizer-focused album, it made extensive use of the then-new digital sampling synthesizer, the Fairlight CMI.

Guitarist and co-songwriter Dick Wagner revealed in 2014 that Cooper had relapsed to drinking heavily during the recording of DaDa,[8] and had suggested that the album was a contract fulfillment requirement for which Warner Bros. was not pleased and consequently made no effort to promote,[9] though Warner Bros. has never confirmed or denied this. This and other details, like the real-life cocktail waitresses that inspired "Scarlet and Sheba" are in his autobiography Not Only Women Bleed (2011).[10]

DaDa is the final of three albums in which Cooper refers to as his "blackout" albums, the others being preceding studio albums Special Forces (1981) and Zipper Catches Skin (1982), due to substance abuse. Cooper stated "I wrote them, recorded them and toured them and I don't remember much of any of that",[11] though he toured only Special Forces, the tour for which ended in February 1982.[12]

In 1996, Cooper said that DaDa was the scariest album he ever made,[13] and that he never had any idea what it was about. There was no tour to promote DaDa, and none of its songs have ever been played live.

Artwork and packaging

[edit]

The front cover for DaDa was based on a painting by Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí titled Slave Market with the Disappearing Bust of Voltaire (1940). The back cover features a photograph of a young Cooper holding a dog with a separate photograph of an old man next to it.

Release and legacy

[edit]

DaDa failed to chart on the US Billboard 200, marking a continued commercial downturn for Alice Cooper in his home country. However, the album achieved modest success in the UK, where it peaked at No. 93. According to a Warner Bros. press release issued at the time, "Dyslexia" was intended to serve as the album's lead single.[14] Despite this designation, no single was ultimately released from DaDa in the US. Instead, "I Love America" was issued as a single exclusively in the UK shortly after the album's release there, though it failed to chart.

Interestingly, also in 1983, Warner Home Video released Alice Cooper: The Nightmare, the 1975 television special, on VHS and Betamax formats. Despite the limited promotion for DaDa, the release of The Nightmare attracted significant attention and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Long Form Music Video at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards in 1984.

Although DaDa was Cooper’s final studio album for Warner Bros., followed by a three-year gap between albums, it did not signal a full retreat from music. Cooper stayed active — getting sober in 1983, presenting at the 1984 Grammy Awards, filming Monster Dog, collaborating on songwriting with Joe Perry, Andy McCoy, and Kane Roberts, and recording with Twisted Sister in 1985. During this time, he also focused on his health and family — navigating divorce proceedings in late 1983 before reconciling with his wife and relocating to Chicago in 1984, where their son was born the following year, and developing a deep, lasting passion for golf. Occasional public appearances continued, including attending the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards and the 1985 premiere of Pee-wee's Big Adventure.

Influence

[edit]

DaDa is cited as[15] the main inspiration behind the birth of the Italian gothic and shock rock band the Mugshots, the first ever European band produced by Dick Wagner, who is also featured on Love, Lust and Revenge. That EP contains the first cover ever recorded of "Pass the Gun Around", a live favourite for the Mugshots.[16]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star[17]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Gary Hill wrote that "As Alice Cooper albums go, this one is really far above average." Adding that "This album is a rather varied release, showcasing several sides of Cooper's musical tastes, but it is all very entertaining. If you missed it when it first came around, do yourself a favor and give it a try now."[17]

Track listing

[edit]
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."DaDa"Bob Ezrin4:45
2."Enough's Enough"4:19
3."Former Lee Warmer"
  • Cooper
  • Wagner
  • Ezrin
4:07
4."No Man's Land"
  • Cooper
  • Wagner
  • Ezrin
3:51
5."Dyslexia"
  • Cooper
  • Wagner
  • Shaw
  • Ezrin
4:25
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Scarlet and Sheba"
  • Cooper
  • Wagner
  • Ezrin
5:18
7."I Love America"
  • Cooper
  • Wagner
  • Shaw
  • Ezrin
3:50
8."Fresh Blood"
  • Cooper
  • Wagner
  • Ezrin
5:54
9."Pass the Gun Around"
  • Cooper
  • Wagner
5:46
Total length:42:15

Personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from the DaDa liner notes.[18]

Musicians

Production

[edit]
  • Shep Gordon: Executive Producer
  • Produced by Bob Ezrin; associate producers: Dick Wagner and Robert (Ringo) Hrycyna
  • Recording and mix by Bob Ezrin
  • Track 1 copyright Under-Cut Co. Inc. Tracks 2 and 5 copyright Ezra Music Inc./Mystery Man Music/Rightsong Inc. /G. Shaw Music Publishing Ltd./Under-Cut Co. Inc. Tracks 3, 4, 6 and 8 copyright Ezra Music Inc./Mystery Man Music/Rightsong Inc./Under-Cut Co. Inc. Track 7 copyright Ezra Music Inc./G. Shaw Music Publishing Ltd. Track 9 copyright Ezra Music Inc./Mystery Man Music/Rightsong Inc.

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1983) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[19] 93

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
DaDa is the eighth solo studio album by singer , released on September 28, 1983, by Warner Bros. Records. Produced by , it marked Cooper's final studio album before he sought treatment for and made a sober comeback with the 1986 album Constrictor. The album blends , new wave, and experimental elements, running 42:15 in length.

Creation

Background and conception

Following the release of his 1981 album Special Forces, the final installment in what would become known as his "blackout trilogy," (born Vincent Furnier) experienced a severe into , marked by heavy drinking and use that led to blackouts and erratic behavior, profoundly influencing the chaotic and surreal tone of his subsequent project. This period represented a low point in Cooper's career and personal life, with the substance abuse exacerbating his mental instability and contributing to a sense of that permeated his creative output. DaDa was conceived as a surreal, experimental album drawing inspiration from the early 20th-century Dada art movement, which emphasized absurdity, dreamlike elements, and rejection of conventional logic to mirror Cooper's fractured mental state during his addiction. The title itself nods to Dadaism's focus on the irrational and nonsensical, with the album's themes exploring twisted personalities and psychological turmoil as a reflection of Cooper's inner chaos. This artistic direction allowed Cooper to channel his personal demons into a cohesive, if disjointed, narrative of madness and self-destruction. Under pressure from , who held Cooper to a contractual obligation for one final album amid his declining commercial fortunes and erratic reliability, he reunited with longtime producer after a six-year hiatus since Lace and Whiskey (1977), aiming for a potential comeback. Ezrin's involvement was pivotal in steering the project, bringing structure to Cooper's hazy vision while co-writing several tracks. Early songwriting sessions commenced in 1982 at Cooper's home in , where he collaborated with guitarist and other session musicians, drawing from his alcohol-fueled subconscious to develop raw ideas that evolved into the album's experimental edge. Cooper's deteriorating health during the recording process infused the work with urgency and raw experimentation, culminating in his hospitalization in fall 1983 for and of the liver, shortly after the album's completion and release. This underscored the album's themes of personal collapse and pushed its dadaist as a outlet for Cooper's turmoil, though he later recalled little of the process due to blackouts.

Recording and production

The recording sessions for DaDa took place primarily in 1983 at Phase One Studios in , , with additional work at E.S.P. Studios in Buttonville, . These locations allowed for a collaborative environment leveraging local talent and facilities suited to the album's experimental approach. The sessions marked Bob Ezrin's return as producer after a six-year hiatus from working with Cooper, bringing his experience from earlier collaborations like Killer and School's Out. Ezrin handled production duties, supported by associate producers Dick Wagner and Robert "Ringo" Hrycyna, while engineering was led by Ezrin, Hrycyna, and Lenny DeRose, with assistance from Ringo Hrycyna and Carol Saxton. The core lineup featured Cooper on vocals and , Wagner on guitar, bass, and backing vocals, and Toronto-based musician Graham Shaw on synthesizers including the OB-X and Jupiter, along with backing vocals. Additional contributors included bassist , drummer Dean Castronovo, guitarists Ken Kessel, , and others such as Steve Fagen on piano and keyboards, with Ezrin contributing programming, keyboards, drums, percussion, and backing vocals. Backing vocals were provided by Karen Hendricks, Lisa Dal Bello, and Sarah Ezrin. The production emphasized synthesizers and the sampler to generate experimental, unconventional sounds, often employing multi-tracking techniques to build dense, chaotic layers reflective of the album's disjointed aesthetic. Sessions were marked by significant challenges stemming from Cooper's peak , which left him in a constant state of intoxication and malnourishment, impairing his recall and performance capabilities. Ezrin navigated these difficulties by incorporating improvised elements born from Cooper's unstable condition, transforming potential setbacks into raw, creative energy that infused the recordings with an authentic sense of disorder.

Musical content

Style and instrumentation

DaDa marked a notable evolution in Alice Cooper's sound, fusing new wave, , , and experimental elements, a stark departure from the theatrical that defined his 1970s output. This blend reflected the album's embrace of electronic innovation while retaining traces of Cooper's dramatic flair, creating a surreal, multi-layered sonic landscape that prioritized atmosphere over conventional song structures. Central to the album's instrumentation was the prominent role of synthesizers, including the cutting-edge for digital sampling and sequencing, which handled much of the melodic and textural foundation, alongside Graham Shaw's contributions on the and for lush, analog keyboard tones. provided driving guitars and bass lines, adding grit and melodic hooks, while contributed keyboards, programmed drums, and percussion that incorporated unconventional sampled sounds to enhance the experimental edge. This setup emphasized electronic textures over traditional rock arrangements, with drums often derived from Fairlight programs rather than live kits, evoking a robotic, otherworldly quality. Track-specific highlights underscore these innovations: the opening "DaDa" deploys electronic dissonance through layered Fairlight samples and echoing effects, building a Floydian sense of foreboding and surreal tension. In "Former Lee Warmer," Wagner's guitar work introduces more straightforward rock propulsion, blending with subtle synth undercurrents for a haunting yet accessible melody that contrasts the album's noisier experiments. The production, helmed by Ezrin, drew on 1980s trends like digital sampling to amplify the album's dadaist surrealism, creating disjointed sonic collages that mirrored the era's synth experimentation while grounding them in Cooper's penchant for theatrical eccentricity, akin to the quirky new wave explorations of bands like Talking Heads and Devo.

Themes and song analysis

The album DaDa draws its central themes from absurdity and madness, heavily inspired by the art movement's emphasis on irrationality and anti-establishment surrealism, as reflected in the title and cover art derived from Salvador Dalí's painting Slave Market with the Disappearing Bust of . These elements mirror Alice Cooper's personal turmoil during recording, including his struggles with and deteriorating , which infused the with raw depictions of inner chaos and familial dysfunction. The work also offers societal critique through satirical lenses on identity, conformity, and American culture, portraying a fractured psyche navigating and alienation without resorting to the overt horror motifs of Cooper's earlier albums like . The title track "DaDa" serves as a manic opener, featuring repetitive chants and fragmented dialogue simulating a disjointed therapy session between a father and , evoking the absurdity of ist performance art while hinting at repressed family secrets and mental unraveling. Co-written by producer , the song's stream-of-consciousness structure—replete with puns like "Da Da" as both artistic reference and paternal address—sets a tone of dark humor and psychological disorientation, drawing from Cooper's real-life haze of without explicit resolution. "Enough's Enough" addresses feelings of guilt and through lyrics lamenting a mother's and paternal , symbolizing the Sonny's battle with and emotional inheritance. This track, co-authored by Cooper, guitarist , and Ezrin, uses terse, accusatory verses to explore personal culpability in familial breakdown, blending dark humor with raw confession to underscore the album's motif of inescapable madness. "Former Lee Warmer" presents a surreal narrative of identity crisis, depicting a hidden brother locked in an attic as a metaphor for suppressed alter egos or the "former" self discarded amid career and personal collapse—explicitly referencing Cooper's impending departure from Warner Bros. Records, with the character's name a pun on "former Lee Warner." Written by Cooper, Wagner, and Ezrin, the song's lyrics evoke isolation and delusion through imagery of "mops and brooms" as companions, avoiding traditional horror in favor of psychological entrapment, and tying into recurring themes of split personalities and hidden trauma. For satirizing conformity, "No Man's Land" (potentially misattributed in some analyses to similar-titled works) critiques societal pressures through its portrayal of existential , where the narrator searches for an authentic self amid "" of inauthenticity, using stream-of-consciousness pleas like "I'm looking for the real me" to mock rigid identities. Similarly, "I Love America" employs ironic and puns on to lampoon cultural homogeneity, with lines celebrating excess while exposing underlying insanity, co-written by Cooper and Ezrin to highlight as a false refuge from madness. Overall, the lyrics exhibit a stream-of-consciousness style characterized by puns, non-sequiturs, and dark humor, largely co-written by Cooper, Ezrin, and Wagner, which creates a non-linear structure without a conventional arc—recurring motifs of , fractured families, and futile escapism weave through tracks like "Dyslexia" (exploring perceptual distortion) and "Fresh Blood" (vampiric urges as ), forming a cohesive yet ambiguous portrait of mental descent inspired partly by Cooper's dream-like states during his struggles. This approach marks a shift from prior horror-centric works, prioritizing introspective over shock value.

Artwork and release

Cover art and packaging

The cover art for Alice Cooper's DaDa draws direct inspiration from Salvador Dalí's 1940 oil painting Slave Market with the Disappearing Bust of Voltaire, adapting the surrealist's use of optical illusions where the profiles of two women and surrounding elements form the bust of the philosopher Voltaire, to mirror the album's embrace of dadaist absurdity and visual distortion. This choice ties into the album's conceptual framework, evoking the chaotic, anti-establishment ethos of the Dada art movement through fragmented and illusory imagery that challenges perception and identity. The design was handled by artist Glen McKenzie, whose work for the front cover aligned with producer Bob Ezrin's vision for a surreal aesthetic that complemented the record's thematic disarray. In 2015, DaDa was reissued as part of the 15-CD The Studio Albums 1969-1983, which preserved the original in reproduced card sleeves while incorporating updated offering historical context on the album's production and themes.

Commercial release and promotion

DaDa was released in the United States on September 28, 1983, by Warner Bros. Records. In the United Kingdom, the album followed on November 4, 1983, also via Warner Bros. Promotion for the album was notably restrained, primarily due to Alice Cooper's ongoing battle with alcoholism, which left him unable to undertake a full tour. Warner Bros. provided minimal support, resulting in limited marketing efforts overall. The track "I Love America" was issued as a single exclusively in the UK, marking the album's primary promotional push in that market. Commercially, achieved modest success, peaking at number 93 on the and spending just one week in the listing after entering on November 12, 1983. The failed to enter the 200. Originally available in vinyl LP and cassette formats, saw CD reissues in the , including a 1990 Japanese edition and a 1999 European version. A limited edition orange swirl vinyl reissue was released in 2018 by Rhino Records. It was later featured in the 2015 box set The Studio Albums 1969–1983, a 15-disc collection with remastered tracks and bonus content.

Reception and legacy

Initial critical response

Upon its release in September 1983, DaDa elicited a mixed critical response, with reviewers appreciating its bold experimentation and thematic variety while critiquing elements of overproduction and uneven execution in Alice Cooper's vocal delivery. In Kerrang!, critic Neil Jeffries lauded the album's "tongue-in-cheek sick sense of humour" and quirky, mature AOR style, emphasizing its madcap energy in tracks like "Enough's Enough" and "Former Lee Warmer," where Cooper explores dynamics with twisted wit; he suggested the record marked a graceful for the artist, potentially rivaling his earlier classics despite a shift away from punchy rock anthems. A retrospective aggregate score from AllMusic, penned by Gary Hill, awarded DaDa 3.5 out of 5 stars, positioning it as far above average within Cooper's catalog for its conceptual depth and sonic innovation, though no Metacritic score exists due to the pre-digital era. Contemporary retrospectives from 2023 have addressed historical gaps in coverage by framing DaDa as an underrated work, with Distorted Sound highlighting its authenticity as a metaphor-laden reflection of Cooper's personal struggles during a turbulent period.

Long-term impact and reappraisal

Over the decades, has been recognized as a pivotal transitional album in Alice Cooper's career, marking the end of his "blackout" period amid severe issues that preceded his sobriety in 1983. Produced during a time when Cooper later admitted to having no recollection of the recording process due to his addictions, the album served as a chaotic culmination of his experimental phase before his return to with Constrictor. This context has positioned as a raw, unfiltered artifact of personal turmoil, influencing perceptions of it as a bridge between Cooper's theatrical roots and his later, more stable output. In the 2010s and beyond, DaDa underwent significant reappraisal, emerging as a cult favorite among dedicated fans for its unpolished authenticity and bold artistic risks. Critics and enthusiasts have praised its willingness to embrace surrealism and vulnerability, with a 2023 retrospective describing it as an "honest and authentic representation" of Cooper's mindset in 1983, reckoning with his demons through metaphor and dark humor. By the early 2020s, it had solidified its status as a misunderstood masterpiece, appreciated for defying commercial expectations in an era dominated by MTV-friendly pop metal. Discussions in 2025, amid Cooper's reunion with his original bandmates for a new classic rock album, though no direct musical ties were drawn in promotional materials. The album's legacy extends to its influence on subsequent artists, particularly in experimental and genres. Italian dark/shock rock band The Mugshots, formed in 2001, was inspired by Alice Cooper's album following frontman Mickey E. Vil's exposure to the record during a U.S. visit, crediting it as a core inspiration for their sound blending Alice Cooper's theatrics with punk and goth elements. More broadly, 's fusion of synthesizer-driven new wave, hard rock riffs, and loose concept narrative—exploring themes of fractured identity and familial dysfunction—has impacted synth-rock acts and modern concept albums by emphasizing narrative ambiguity over straightforward horror tropes. Within Cooper's , DaDa endures as a "lost classic," often overlooked in mainstream retrospectives but revered by connoisseurs for its sonic daring and prescience. Its heavy reliance on the sampler for atmospheric textures foreshadowed digital production trends in rock, while tracks like "Former Lee Warmer" exemplify a stream-of-consciousness style that prefigured indie and alternative explorations of mental fragmentation. Despite limited commercial sampling in indie music—such as unverified nods in goth tracks—the album's reissues and fan-driven advocacy have cemented its role as an essential, if eccentric, chapter in Cooper's evolution.

Credits and performance

Track listing

DaDa features nine tracks divided across two sides of the original vinyl release. The songwriting credits vary by track, primarily involving , , , and Graham Shaw.
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
14:45
2Enough's Enough, , , Shaw4:19
3Former Lee Warmer, , 4:07
4, , , Shaw3:51
5, , , Shaw4:25
6Scarlet and Sheba, , 5:19
7I Love America, , , Shaw3:47
8Fresh Blood, , 6:53
9Pass the Gun Around, 5:43
The durations and track order are from the original 1983 Warner Bros. release. Specific songwriting credits for "I Love America" are confirmed as Cooper, Ezrin, Wagner, and Shaw.

Personnel

The album DaDa was produced by , who also contributed keyboards, synthesizers (including Fairlight and OBX-8), drums, percussion, and backing vocals. provided lead vocals and additional synthesizer parts. Guitar, bass, and backing vocals were handled by , while bassist played on select tracks. Graham Shaw contributed synthesizers (Roland Jupiter), keyboards, and backing vocals. Additional musicians included Lisa Dal Bello and Karen Hendricks on backing vocals, with drums by Richard Kolinka on tracks 2, 6, and 9, and John Anderson on track 8. Sarah Ezrin provided vocals on "DaDa". Engineering was led by Bob Ezrin, Lenny DeRose, and Robert Hrycyna, assisted by Carol Saxton and Ringo in Toronto. Executive production was overseen by Shep Gordon. Recording took place primarily at Phase One Studios in Toronto, Ontario, with additional sessions at E.S.P. Studios in Buttonville, Ontario. Mastering was done by Brian "Renfield" Nelson.

Charts

DaDa achieved modest commercial success, peaking at No. 93 on the for one week in November 1983. The album did not enter the US Billboard 200. The lead single "I Love America" was released in the UK in 1983 but did not chart on the UK Singles Chart or the US Billboard Hot 100. No other international chart entries for the album or its singles have been documented in major markets.

References

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