Last Man on Earth

Album: Welcome 2 My Nightmare (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Welcome 2 My Nightmare was recorded with longtime Alice collaborator Bob Ezrin, who produced the original Welcome To My Nightmare album in 1975 as well as 10 other albums in the rocker's catalog. Ezrin and the veteran rocker also wrote this track together.
  • Cooper told the story of the song in an interview with Classic Rock Revisited: "Bob and I learned a long time ago that when you start writing a song, and it starts developing it's own personality; you just have to let it be what it is. You can't try to force a round peg in a square hole. Just write the song, see what it ends up being and then see if it works. You can't start trying to twist it into what you want it to be. Bob and I started writing this song, "Last Man On Earth" and it ended up being a Tom Waits song – I sing it somewhere between Tom Waits and Jimmy Durante. When I saw Tom at the Hall of Fame I said, 'Tom, this is going to sound weird, but I've always been a big fan of yours. I have written a new song that, coincidentally, is a tip of the hat to you. When you hear it, you will know which song I am talking about.'

    That song really ended up coming out well and it really fit the story line well. It reminds of that old Twilight Zone with Burgess Meredith where he ends up in the basement because of an atomic explosion. When he finally goes upstairs, he's now got all of the books in the world but he then breaks his glasses and now he can't read them. That was kind of this idea. Alice is the last man on earth. He can stink, he can swear and he can do anything he wants to do because there is no one there to tell him 'yes' or 'no'."

Comments: 1

  • John from Pittsburgh, Pathere's also a horror movie called this name... one of the best in the 60's.. thecelebritycafe.com/feature/2012/09/top-horror-films-1960s-0
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jonathan Cain of Journey

Jonathan Cain of JourneySongwriter Interviews

Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary MachineSong Writing

Fiona's highly-anticipated third album almost didn't make it. Here's how it finally came together after two years and a leak.

Howard Jones

Howard JonesSongwriter Interviews

Howard explains his positive songwriting method and how uplifting songs can carry a deeper message.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A Timeline

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A TimelineSong Writing

Untangling the events that led to the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit.