“Hello, Hooray,” which has also been referenced as “Hello Hurray,” opened one of Alice Cooper’s biggest-selling albums, Billion Dollar Babies. Though Cooper had written the majority of the songs on his albums, “Hello, Hooray” was a standout track, penned several years earlier by Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer Rolf Peter Kempf.
After moving from Toronto to Los Angeles to pursue music, Rolf Kempf’s band split shortly after, and his guitar was stolen. Playing on a borrowed guitar, and reflecting on everything that transpired, Kempf began writing “Hello, Hooray,” while sitting near a swimming pool. A few days later, he gave the song to Judy Collins. “I fell in love with it the moment I heard it,” said Collins who released a more folk-driven version on her 1968 album Who Knows Where the Time Goes.
The song dug into the elation of performing and bringing the audience into a musical journey. The lyrics were about “renewing the spirit at those times when you have to pick yourself up and start over,” according to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, something Cooper connected with immediately as the perfect setting for his stadium-filled shows. “He got the emotional essence of the tune right,” said Kempf, “and added a tag to bring it home.”
Following a childhood bout with polio, Kempf suffered from Post-Polio Syndrome, which can occur 15 to 40 years after the initial diagnosis and recovery. He continues to perform standards in jazz, blues, and pop originals and has released several albums. Kempf also recorded his own version of “Hello Hurray” and has performed the song during athletic events, including the Vancouver Paralympic Games. Cooper famously opened his shows for more than 40 years since 1973 with “Hello Hooray” and continues to include it on his set lists today. From: https://americansongwriter.com/who-wrote-judy-collins-song-and-alice-coopers-jubilant-hit-hello-hooray/
