Escape (Welcome to My Nightmare, 1975)

Released in 1975, Welcome To My Nightmare (WTMN) was Alice’s 1st solo album. The LP is filled with excitement and flare and brings those elements back to the stage as well.

A record and stage show with a stated goal and concept, the “Welcome To My Nightmare” experience is one that many fans, critics, and music historians remember fondly.

SIDE NOTE: Current Alice Cooper guitarist Ryan Roxie sat down with Jordan Peterson in Episode No. 7069 of Roxie’s podcast, In The Trenches. During that discussion, Peterson lays out a brilliant abstract about Welcome To My Nightmare’s impact on him and his peers. It’s well worth a listen.

For anyone interested, here’s that discussion.

As Peterson discussed, WTMN is an intense experience. Artistically, it is a mixture of Shock, Rock, Horror, Jazz, and hints of Funk into a tightly-knit LP—coupled with a Vaudeville-like stage show that left a few fans scratching their heads and yet, loving every minute of the performance.

“We were working six nights a week, selling out every show, for two years. We worked so hard for two years, that it literally almost killed me, just because of the fact that I drank so much just to try and keep up with it.” – Alice Cooper

At this point, Alice’s drinking had taken a turn for the worse. Luckily, though, the “Nightmare” did NOT kill him.

The LP includes many songs still used in his shows, such as “Devil’s Food,” “The Black Widow,” “Cold Ethyl,” “Steven,” and “Only Women Bleed.” In conclusion, the LP ends with “Escape.”

“Escape” is a traditional Alice Cooper anthem that gives the listener a sense of celebratory fanfare. Much like “School’s Out” and “I’m Eighteen,” the song demands your attention from beginning to end, leaving you almost marching to the beat as it fades.

Paint on my cruel or happy face
I hide me behind it
It takes me inside another place
Where no-one can find it
Escape
I get out when I can
Escape
Anytime I can
Let’s all Escape
I’m crying in my beer
C’mon lets Escape
Just get me out of here

Does this not define us at work, or life in general, building our reputations, surviving circumstances, and navigating through stressful events strung across days and months, perhaps years, as we endure?

Is it not what we most often yearn to “Escape” from—the everyday minutia? The grind and hard work that sort of make life no fun. It seems we need to get away sometimes, but how do we protect ourselves from staying there—settling for fantasy instead of reality?

The world has done a masterful job of providing humanity with numerous forms of “Escape” and retreat, including video games, movies, virtual reality, sports, drugs, and other forms of distraction. These distractions can often lead us to live lives mainly focused on something different than what is right in front of us.

There’s nothing wrong with entertainment, activities, sports, or even a little “fantasy.” God wants us to live a joyful life. He wants us (His children) to have fun during our time on Earth.

A trip to a theme park, reading a book, watching your favorite show or movie, listening to music, etc. – these things on their OWN are NOT a hindrance to our walk or faith.

However, we must continually ask ourselves some questions.

• • • • Do our forms of entertainment become excessive?
      • Are they forms of “Escape” that hinder our faith or walk?
      • Have we become so consumed with distractions that we never progress further? Further, in our careers? Further, in our walks? Further, in our faith? Further, in our love for others or our Love for Christ?

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything.” – 1 Corinthians 6:12

Paul warned the people of Corinth NOT to become too consumed by their freedom in Christ—so obsessed that it would cause them to stumble. This would leave them stagnant in their faith and hinder them from diving deeper into His Word or His Will for their lives.

As we navigate life’s rapids, the need or want to relax and enjoy our chosen “distraction” can quickly commit us to a lifetime of settling. We then wake up days, months, or years later and wonder how we got there.

Many stagnate, having been slowly lured and enticed by their desires. (James 1:14). Again, this is not some rant about the abovementioned things. Like all other parts of our faith, it’s a plea for self-evaluation. The main question to take away from this discussion is, “Have we settled?”

For the sake of this conversation, “settling” means we are willing to take less—less than what our Heavenly Father has planned for us. Not paying attention means we’ll never realize His plan for our lives (Mark 4:19). It means we have decided to sit, remain, or dwell in a comfortable place.

When we settle spiritually, it affects all the aspects of our life. God calls us to great and magnificent things. When we abandon our journey with Him, we stop before He’s been allowed to show us His full brilliance and majesty.

He wants us to keep going, keep striving forward, seek His face, keep “showing up,” and carry out His Will. Being consistent and diligent is vital. It keeps us from neglecting our purpose and finding peace and happiness in this life (2 Timothy 2:15).

We are inherently busy. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the circumstances of life. The narrative of what-if begins to supersede everything else. “If there was only more money.” “If I was only more able.” “If I was just a little younger.” “If I was only a bit more of this or more of that.”

The above narratives are the lies that the enemy uses to contain us. The lies that keep us stagnant in our journeys. However, God calls us to keep going forward despite our circumstances. He asks us to keep rising and keep following Him.

If we settle, we are willing to accept mediocrity instead of His greatness—His purpose for our lives. Life is not lived on what’s been done but on what is still to come.

Our circumstances and failures in life do NOT define us. We must know and remind ourselves that our journey and finding His purpose distinguishes us.

Stop and think about that. How reassuring is that?

God never loses His desire to have us as a valuable part of His plans. We will never be “too old” or forced into “retirement.” We, His children, are comprised of all ages, classes, occupations, and walks of life.

We are all extraordinarily loved and valuable to His kingdom until we are called Home.

Look no further than Paul’s life concerning circumstances. Paul was imprisoned for six years during his ministry. He could have called it quits. The apostle could have allowed his circumstances and surroundings to dictate his relationship and journey with God. Instead, he continued pressing forward.

The Prison Epistles—Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon—were written during his imprisonment. In the book of Philippians, the word “Joy” is used more than anywhere else in the Bible.

Stop and think about that. We witness Paul pulling his purpose and strength from the Holy Spirit, NOT his circumstances.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:12

Remember, that passage was written in prison – PRISON! Paul did not allow his past or current situation to hinder him. He stayed focused on the promises the Lord had shown him.

Paul chose to move forward instead of standing still or losing ground. He decided to rise above and set his sights forward instead of rejecting what he was given.

When we settle, we deny God the opportunity to give us what He has planned for us. We reject “His best” and accept “our good enough.” Ultimately, we push Him away, and we rob ourselves in the process.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:11-13

Notice in those verses that His plans for our lives lead us to prosperity, but they require us to continually seek, pray, and call upon His name with all our hearts. We must keep searching for His plans and allow them to unfold. We must not expect to know where He will lead us next.

Wrapping this up, our first and primary “Escape” should be Him and His Word. We must look for ways to integrate time for and with Him even during life’s interruptions.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying life’s distractions – the “Escape” from it all, but we must not forget to find ways to dwell in His Presence, Process, and Purpose along the journey.

We must set goals and priorities that advance His Kingdom on Earth. It’s not easy, and it isn’t entirely free. It requires daily discipline.

As we walk closer and more aligned with His Word, we will find a much easier life and a road paved for us, not according to the world’s ways but according to His standards—a road with fewer temptations, less heartache, less of self, and more of Him. It’s an entirely different way of thinking and experiencing life.

We gain more from this life by continuing to move and pressing ahead. Let us all continue to push further, knowing that through faith, He will provide for our means and the victory over the things of this world (1 John 5:4).

In conclusion, Alice delivers yet another impressive ending to another classic album. “Escape” leaves us all wanting to celebrate after a hard day’s work or successfully navigating through a turbulent season in life.

This album helped catapult Alice further into the world of music and entertainment. The Nightmare TV Special aired on April 25th, 1975, on ABC @ 11:30 pm EST.

Alice, special guest Vincent Price, dancers (one of whom was Sheryl Goddard Cooper), and a 9-foot cyclops performed a theatrically based version of the Welcome To My Nightmare LP. The special won an Emmy in 1976.

During “Escape,” Alice strives to depart from the hellish nightmare that has consumed his slumber. The song leads the viewer and listener to think it’s all just part of the show. But looking back, one has to ask. Was Alice trying to escape his own personal “Nightmare” as well?

Miraculously, he would soon be healed and delivered, by our Lord, from what haunted him most – his craving for alcohol. We are forever grateful for that. We give God all the glory and honor. Amen.