Songfacts®:

• This song has a strong anti-drug message in which Cooper warns young people about the dangers and pitfalls of drug abuse and espouses the benefits of living drug-free. The track also addresses suicide among teens and young adults and stresses that it should never be an option, no matter how depressed, lonely or isolated an individual may feel.
• Slash (who was still a member of Guns N' Roses at the time) plays the guitar solo on the song. The track also features axe master Joe Satriani and heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, who provided backing vocals.
• "Hey Stoopid" was written by Cooper, Jack Ponti, Vic Pepe, and Bob Pfeifer. Ponti also co-wrote Glen Burtnick's song "Follow You" (#65 1987); Pfeifer was an executive at Epic Records who signed Cooper to the label.
• This was the only charting hit from the Hey Stoopid album, although Cooper's concert favorite "Feed My Frankenstein" is also on the tracklist (that's the one Cooper performed in the famous concert scene from the 1992 comedy Wayne's World).
  
  In addition to Slash, Ozzy and Satriani, other well-known musicians who made guest appearances on the album include Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx, Vinnie Moore and Mick Mars. It was helmed by Peter Collins, who has also worked with Rush, Bon Jovi and Suicidal Tendencies.