Alice Cooper Group: Eighteen Single US (1970)

A Teen Angst Anthem

Alice Cooper Group’s “Eighteen” 7-inch vinyl single, was released in the US on November 11, 1970, on Warner Bros. Records (catalogue: 7449). Backed with “Body,” this raw hard rock track, written by Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith, was produced by Bob Ezrin and Jack Richardson. Both tracks from the album Love It to Death, the A-side’s teen rebellion anthem peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks. Issued in a Warner Bros. company sleeve, it’s a defining moment of Cooper’s shock rock ascent.

Single Overview

A-Side: “Eighteen”  3.00 (Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith)

Produced by Bob Ezrin, Jack Richardson.

B-Side: “Body” 2.39 (Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith)

Produced by Bob Ezrin, Jack Richardson.

Release Details:

Label: Warner Bros. Records (US pressing, 45 RPM).

Formats:

7" Vinyl Single (7449): “Eighteen” / “Body.” In a company sleeve.

A: “Eighteen” (Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith) – Written-By – Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith – Produced by Bob Ezrin, Jack Richardson

B: “Body” (Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith) – Written-By – Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith – Produced by Bob Ezrin, Jack Richardson

Notes: Both tracks from Love It to Death.

US Country Variations

7", 45 RPM, Single

Warner Bros. Records – 7449

7", 45 RPM Single, Promo

Warner Bros. Records – 7449

7", 45 RPM, Single, Styrene, Intro

Warner Bros. Records – 7449

7", 45 RPM, Single, Styrene

Warner Bros. Records – 7449

7", 45 RPM, Single

Warner Bros. Records – 7449

7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, Terre Haute Pressing

Warner Bros. Records – 7449

7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, Santa Maria Pressing

Warner Bros. Records – 7449

US (Warner Bros. 7449): Released November 11, 1970.

Other Country Releases:

Canada - Warner Bros. - 1970

Argentina - Warner Bros. - 1971

Argentina - Music Hall - 1971

Australia - Warner Bros. - 1971

Brazil - Warner Bros. - 1971

Denmark - Stateside - 1971

Germany - Stateside - 1971

Greece - Warner Bros. - 1971

Italy - Warner Bros. - 1971

Japan - Warner Bros. - 1971

Lebanon - Warner Bros. - 1971

Mexico - Warner Bros. - 1971

Netherlands - Stateside - 1971

New Zealand - Warner Bros. - 1971

Philippines - Warner Bros. - 1971

Portugal - Warner Bros. - 1971

Singapore - Warner Bros. - 1971

South Africa - Warner Bros. - 1971

UK - Straight - 1971

Venezuela - Warner Bros. - 1971

Production and Context

Produced by Bob Ezrin and Jack Richardson. Recorded in 1970 at RCA Studios, Chicago, during Love It to Death sessions. The lineup: Alice Cooper (vocals), Glen Buxton (guitar), Michael Bruce (guitar/keyboards), Dennis Dunaway (bass), Neal Smith (drums). “Eighteen” was a teen identity crisis anthem, while “Body” added dark humor. Released amid Cooper’s rise, it preceded Love It to Death (No. 35 US, 1971) and competed with Black Sabbath and Deep Purple.

Singles Released and Chart Performance

“Eighteen” was the lead single from Love It to Death:

Chart Performance:

US: No. 21 (Billboard Hot 100), charting for 13 weeks.

International: No chart entries in UK, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, France, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Sweden, or elsewhere.

US Chart Data:

Debut Date: February 20, 1971.

Peak: No. 21 (April 24, 1971).

Weeks on Chart: 13.

Note: Cooper’s first US Top 40 hit.

Legacy and Collectibility

“Eighteen” is Cooper’s teen angst classic, with “Body” a dark B-side gem. Original US 7-inch vinyls fetch £5–£15 on eBay/Discogs. Verify catalogue 7449.

Streams on Spotify via Love It to Death reissues preserve the analog menace. This single is a must-have for Cooper fans and ‘70s rock collectors.

Have you snagged this Cooper debut hit in your vinyl collection? Does Eighteen still rebel? Share in the comments!

Sources

Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Prince Vault, Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts Company, Billboard Chart History and YouTube

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