from FROM THE INSIDE
written by Alice Cooper, Bernie Taupin & Dick Wagner
“From The Inside,” released in 1978, was Alice Cooper’s 11th studio album. Produced and arranged by David Foster, that record matched Cooper’s most typical hard rock style with Foster’s slick and elegant sounds. “From The Inside” is a concept album based on the singer’s stay in a New York mental hospital to fight his alcoholism.
The songs were based on various characters that Cooper met during that experience. Most of the music was co-written by the singer with guitar player, Dick Wagner while for the lyrics there was a fruitful collaboration with Bernie Taupin of Elton John fame.
Foster co-wrote a few numbers, including the fantastic title-track, and impeccably arranged the whole work. One of the most interesting moments for Foster fans is an intense ballad entitled “The Quiet Room.”
Here’s how Cooper remembers it: “That was David Foster, and my whole backing band was Toto, you know? It was, like, every major great musician on the scene, because everybody who was any good worked for David Foster. In fact, the only duet that Maurice White from Earth, Wind & Fire ever did was on “The Quiet Room.”
White wasn’t credited on the album but he’s all over this power ballad embellishing with his trademark vocalizing. Another strong point is Foster’s irresistible instrumental arrangement based on his keyboards and great guitar licks played by Jay Graydon. What’s absolutely priceless on this song is the juxtaposition of the very dark lyrics sung by Cooper with the sweet and tender musical setting provided by Foster.
The Canadian super-producer, to this day, considers that recording “From The Inside” was one of his best times ever spent in the studio.
Listen
[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/the_quiet_room.mp3|titles=The Quiet Room|artists=Alice Cooper]
Lead Vocals: Alice Cooper
Keyboards: David Foster
Guitars: Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather & Dick Wagner
Bass: David Hungate, Lee Sklar & John Pierce
Drums: Rick Schlosser
Backing Vocals: Maurice White (uncredited)
Produced & Arranged by David Foster
Lyrics
The California air
Your nightgown on the stairs
I remember every night
Scenes from home in the Quiet Room
How long have I been gone
Did winter kill the lawn
And all those polaroids you sent
Are on the wall in the Quiet Room
They’ve got this place
Where they’ve been keeping me
Where I can’t hurt myself
I can’t get my wrists to bleed
Just don’t know why
Suicide appeals to me
The Quiet Room
Is sterilized and white
It’s like a tomb
With just a moth stained naked night
Plastic forks and spoon
No laces in my shoes
They allknow what I tried to do
Outside the Quiet Room
This quiet place
It ain’t so new to me
It’s haunted atmosphere
Has heard so many scream
My home from home
My twilight zone
My strangest dream
My confidant
I have confessed my life
The Quiet Room
Knows more about me than my wife
They’ve got this place
Where they’ve been keeping me
Where I can’t hurt myself
I just can’t
I just can’t get these damn wrists to bleed
A mattress on the floor
No handles on the door
I really need nothing here
I’m alone
All the pa*sion I hold inside
Was simply just a dream, yeah
‘Cause out of your heart you gave to me
I know it’s real
And I’ve fallen so in love with you
Send me a lover someone to believe in
Please send me someone that I can hold
Send me a lover a new beginning
Someone to take away my cold
And give me back
All that I’ve been missing
All the love that lays
And waits inside your heart