This song was in the first scene of The Stand (1994), where they were showing all the dead bodies in the lab. It helped to make it the creepiest scene I ever saw.
Yeah, "Don't Fear the Reaper" is one of the ten greatest songs ever recorded. Actually, that entire album ( _Agents of Fortune_ ) is amazing. When I saw them in concert about 14 years ago, they opened with "This Ain't the Summer of Love." Another hidden gem is "The Revenge of Vera Gemini," which has one of the greatest (albeit shortest) guitar solos ever. BOC absolutely needs to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 I'd really have to think about it, but three that would definitely be on the list would be "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys, "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones, and "California Dreaming" by The Mamas and the Papas. Oh, "Baker Street" by Jerry Rafferty.
@@mournblade1066 I like your list. Might I humbly submit "Never Been Any Reason" by Head East, "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles, and "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" by Elton John to fill in a few of the vacant spots? For BOC, "Reaper" is legendary, but "Black Blade" is tops in my book, though I know I'm on my own with that.
This has always been one of my favorite songs. I vividly remember hearing it on June 21, 1985. I was downtown playing with the kids at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago where I volunteered. My mom left a message at the hospital telling me to meet her at Lake Point Tower. That’s when she told me that my best friend, Charlie, had killed himself the night before-two short weeks after we graduated from high school. After driving the first 15 minutes home in silence, I turned on the radio as we exited Lake Shore Drive and heard the first notes of (Don’t Fear) The Reaper. I remember getting a chill and knew instantly it was a message from Charlie that he was ok. The second time this showed up as a sign of sorts was in 2015, not long after I was diagnosed with lymphoma. I had gone in for a scan to get a better sense of the prognosis. Immediately after the test, I pulled out of the Northwestern Memorial Hospital parking lot, turned on the radio, and heard it again. That would have been a lot more scary than it was, but my friend, Robbie Schaefer, one of the lead singers of the fantastic band Eddie from Ohio, called that very moment. When I told him I had just heard the song and hoped it wasn’t an ominous sign, he burst out laughing and said: “Never doubt the Universe has a sense of humor.” Had it not been for Robbie, I would never have thought of it as a cosmic joke. My angels probably sensed my panic and had Robbie call to help me see it differently. Thank God for Robbie.
I remember as a teen, this song would always come on the radio at night when I was getting ready for bed.. along with The Moody Blues "Nights in White Satin" and Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven", I slept with the radio on, and these songs were always eerie to me. Now they are one of my favorites and bring back many good memories.
I always thought reaper was eerie too. I remember hearing it on the Halloween soundtrack as Jamie lee Curtis was in her car. Always gave me the creeps as a very young kid for years. But nevertheless, it’s an amazing song that’s a staple in American rock music.
I have loved the song for more years than I can remember, but I never felt it was eerie. Surreal, yes. I can always build an image of a too young woman finding death at a young age (like me). My experience was a fatal car over motorcycle encounter that was interdicted by a surgical and hospital team that took me from the edge and back to the world of life. For me, eerie is Fire On High by ELO. Back masking always does that since The Exorcist, maybe because I read the book before seeing the movie.
@@JW...-oj5iw maybe you may have been older than me, at the time, and understood it better...I was a young teen and at the time our pass time was watching the horror shows on Saturday late night. So yeah, anything with "The Reaper" in it was eerie to me. LOL
One thing I've noticed is that whenever you do a video on a song that I haven't heard in a while is that as soon as the video has ended I go back and listen to the song as well as any covers mentioned. That, for me, is so cool. Thanks so much.
Have you ever truly listened to Lead Zeppelin's Kashmir? I grew up with it, but until a year or so ago had never really paid attention to its composure, structure, instrumentation (especially the studio version with the backing orchestra!), etc. It's an incredible piece of music! Truly genius when you hear all that's going on! Give it another listen if you haven't heard it in a while!
Don't Fear The Reaper - truly a Rock classic. As you said Professor it's such a hypnotic and riveting tune. Next to Zeppelin's Heartbreaker, this has the best bridge and guitar solo. Thanks for doing this excellent & insightful episode of Revelations.
Don't Fear the Reaper and the entire Agents of Fortune album are pure gold. BOC never gets their props as the rock pioneers they truly were. Dense, fantastical, poetic lyrics and intricately layered music is why BOC was called "the thinking man's rock band". Very early on they incorporated Lazer lights and other amazing effects in their live shows, so early in fact that when they decided to move to something new, none other than Pink Floyd bought their equipment. Thanks for this fantastic interview. BOC will forever be my favs! (And I love how Eric STILL won't be seen in public w/o his dark shades!)
My 2 kids were little in the 90's, and I cruised around with them in their car seats, with classic rock stations on the radio. I also had a cd of the Grassroots greatest hits, and the three of us howled all the lyrics, windows rolled up, of course. At a family reunion, I overheard my then-3-yo daughter singing "Take a piece of my heart, baBAY!" A few years later, my then-11-yo daughter won a karaoke game at a party, singing "Don't Fear the Reaper". She got the highest score because she knew the song so well. Her host's parents were impressed.
I had just graduated college and moved to Falls Church, Virginia. There is a remarkable intersection there called Seven Corners. As I drove across the bridge on a soft and cool autumn evening, one with a perfect sunset and clear azure sky fading quickly to black, with a softly lit skyscraper resting in the orange glow, this incredible song that captured the moment perfectly came on the radio: Don’t Fear the Reaper. The song and the memory are beautiful, joyful, and a bit sad, all at the same time. They have stayed with me for my entire life and will to the end.
Loved how "Don't Fear the Reaper" was used in the opening credits of the TV miniseries "The Stand". Knew nothing of the book, but that song placement was perfect - eerie and hypnotic.
I would love to see an interview covering their debut album. “Cities on Flame”, “She’s as Beautiful as a Foot”, “Then Came the Last Days of May”… legendary!
This interview was awesome! The Bouchards are from my hometown. There's a barn across the road from where I live now that they held band practices and barn dances in back in the sixties.....before my time. They still have family here. Joe was home a few years back. He came into our most popular bar and thrilled us all by joining a hometown band on stage. Brought the house down and we Los our minds! Thanks for continuing to bring us the best in Rock History & music news! You totally Rock!!!
When this song first came out, it was the subject of many conversations. I myself thought it was about someone killing themselves. Never heard anyone saying it was Satanic though. Excellent interview Professor!
It’s obviously about suicide to some extent. All these old rock stars lie about their songs. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds anyone? It’s just a school boy drawing done by Julian Lennon 🙄 that inspired a song. Lol.
When I was 12 (1980), the kid next door told me, "Blue Oyster Cult is a real cult!" I wasn't sure what a cult was, but I knew it sounded dangerous. I became even more of a BOC fan that day.
Around 1987, my bro had a friend give him a cassette of some preacher talking about Satan in Rock n Roll. BÖC were mentioned specifically, including the cover of Fire of Unknown Origin, which was the record we owned. Our Dad had sent it to us years earlier after our parents divorced. We both listened to a lot when it first came. We were like 12 and 10 when we heard the preacher tape, and had been raised LDS . Unfortunately, it sent on a mini witch hunt of our collection at the time, which resulted in BB gun then buring a few LPs. Fire of Unknown Origin, Duran Duran "Arena" for " Union of the Snake" ,and This is the Voice by Agent Orange for "Bite the hand that Feeds" and we swore we heard Satan my Satan when we played it backwards. My dad was pissed when he found out about what we did, and would bring it up through the years. Fortunately, when I hit my later teen years I realized I didn't believe any of that crap anymore and picked up Fire of Unknown Origin and a Best of during college. When my Dad was in town I snuck into the CD player of his rental to surprise him. He was like I told you they weren't Devil Worshipers!
@@pequalsa The 80s were a stupid and perilous time in the music industry because religious zealots were believing what they were fed. Of course for a lot of musicians that only meant more publicity and higher sales (like Ozzy and Kiss). For others (as in your case) it meant kids were buying replacements for the records that they'd burned. Tipper Gore and her PMRC had a dangerous amount of political clout, and she was pushing for censorship and ratings. That put Frank Zappa and Donny Osmond on the same side of that debate. Zappa didn't want people restricting his artistic potential, and Donny didn't want the G rating because it wouldn't be cool for people to buy his music. (As if it was already to people who cared about being cool!) I remember seeing the two of them next to each other on Nightline making their case that way. It was surreal.
Odds are that kid that lived next door to you grew up and now goes to a cult gathering every Sunday where they pray to an imaginary deity who lives in the sky. Afterwards, they all go to Denny's to make the wait-staff miserable as they act rude and entitled while simultaneously preaching about how good and kind they think they are.
I remember finding an unspooled cassette of that album on the side of the road near my house in 1986 or 1987 where I got to hear Don't Fear the Reaper for the first time. Unfortunately the magnetic coating was showing signs of deterioration causing the tape to have dragging issues. Which explains why it ended up on the side of the road. That didn't stop me from playing it though. I just had to bypass the pegs in the top corners of the cassette shell to reduce drag, and make sure to clean the tape head, capstan, and pinch roller in the cassette player after playing it.
Wow! That is some real dedication to preserving a recording! Funny how unspooled cassette tapes were such a common sight in parking lots and roadsides in the 1980s-90s. Now that would look mysterious to young folks today who aren't familiar with cassette tapes.
@@LazyIRanch I sure do miss those days of "downloading" music the physical old school way. In the 80's, pretty much every one of them I found had something good on them. In the 90's every now and then I would end up with a stinker like rap. Through the 2000's, it was mainly just 70's, 80's, and 90's music I was finding because all the newer stuff was only being sold on CD. So even in the 2000's as finds were getting fewer and fewer as the decade progressed, I was still finding good ones. 2010 was the last year I've ever caught sight of a cassette on the side of the road, putting an end to my free physical "downloads".
When we were kids we were trash picking & my bro's friend found a CCR cassette & some headphones. He cleaned them up & we listened to Have You Ever Seen The Rain. Lol, I found a light switch cover brand new in the plastic with the Walmart sticker still on. I gave it to my mom. 😄
I get so annoyed when radio stations play the edited version which has that whole section of the song removed. It makes the song so repetitive and unimaginative. That middle section is what really elevates the song to greatness.
Man. You're sitting there in the intro with a Bowie shirt on, Led Zeppelin IV open on the shelf behind you, talking about Don't Fear the Reaper. You sir are everything that I desire to be. And I mean that sincerely.
I really appreciate how, whenever you refer to a song, movie, or TV show, you always provide a clip at that moment. Then if I want to hear or see more, I can go to it.
BOC is the most under rated Rock bands ever - from their hypnotic riffs, amazing lyrics and the penchant for combining metal and tongue in check humor to many of their songs to their everlasting impact on pop culture.
Needs more cowbell! LOL - I've been a fan of B.O.C. since forever. "Don't Fear The Reaper" is a TRUE classic. Even people who have never heard of the band have heard of this song. This band is amazing ... so glad to see some love for it today. :)
The Band HIM (Rip) did an amazing cover of Chis Isaac's "Wicked Game" it's amazing. Aldo the did "Don't fear the reaper" it's fantastic and stylistically HIMs sound but so so so Blue Oyster Cuklt at same time. Check the cover songs out.
What an informative interview, thanks for doing that. I remember the edited DFTR being played on the radio and catching my attention. Imagine my surprise when I finally got to hear the full version of the song, thinking momentarily that the station had switched songs entirely as I'd never heard the bridge before, and then the guitar solo hits... Sometimes musical moments etch a memory of where I was right then, and that's one of them. I've been a fan of BOC since. Something I've seen lately was a ranked list of rock bands by the number of live concerts they've performed, and BOC was at the top of the list, and 2nd place was not even close. I know I try to get to as many of their concerts as I can manage.
A passed loved one coming to take you home when you die is perhaps the greatest thing that could happen. This remains one of my very favorite songs that I will stop whatever I'm doing to listen to.
Dude, the level of research that you do to create these episodes is next level man. I always thought that I had a very broad knowledge of music from the time I can remember hearing the first song that I ever fell in love with. Having been born in 1970 I've had the pleasure of enjoying music for several years. But I have to tell you you never cease to amaze me. And I always look forward to the next video
Great job Sir! I remember when I was in the Army in the late '70s, one of our trucks had the BOC logo painted on its huge air cleaner. Awesome! As for gripping songs, one of my favorites is the epic folk rock tune by the incomparable Gordon Lightfoot, "If You Could Read My Mind."
Thank you for this Professor of Rock! The music of Blue Oyster Cult was my influence for my first novel, "Dragonwulf and the Destiny of Tyr." This band will live forever as it will always live in my fantasy novels.
About 15 years ago I was re-introduced to the song one night in the East Village. The artist Banksy had an outdoor installation in which he used the song on a loop to accompany a giant reaper riding a carnival bumper car back and forth in a cyclone fenced area on Houston St. A 9 years-old Australian boy visiting a friend of mine was called to come see the visual spectacle. But it turned out that his favorite rock song was "Don't Fear The Reaper." I made that kid's night.
❤🎉 Dont Fear The Reaper! Yes, I remember the controversy about this song. And it will be forever tied to Christopher Walken, Will Ferrell, and SNL. "NEED MORE COWBELL, BABY"!!! Thanks Professor! Happy Friday!
Eric and Buck are such great interviews - and it is nice to hear someone asking deeper questions about their songs. Their music is so much richer and complex than most people give them credit for. Should be in the Hall.
Ah, B.O.C. Finally "Don't Fear the Reaper". This is classic rock. B.O.C. belongs the Rock Hall, no questions asked. I literally almost met the Reaper when I had a stroke nearly two weeks ago, so the timing is spot on. If you haven't done "Godzilla", it wound be a great vid. Great episode!
Great video! Love BOC. I emailed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame several years back shaming them for not inducting this band yet (because I'm crazy and feel they are vastly overlooked on the rock scene). Really hope they get their dues. I've got several albums on vinyl. Best story/horror/supernatural songs since Roky Erickson. Back when you could set songs as ring tones, I had this one as my cellphone ringer. Got stuck in a tornado in Spfld Illinois at a theatre, and Mom and I were in the "safe space" with the other movie goers and Dad's calling our phones to see if we're okay. We're huddled waiting out the storm and "Don't Fear the Reaper" starts playing and I gotta feel bad for some of the young folks since it was kinda scary, but Mom and I were cracking up about it afterward XD Everyone was okay, but her car got picked up by the storm and the windows blown out. Made it home okay, gave a few kids some rides home since their cars got demolished. But it was pretty spooky. I kinda appreciated the song. Helps you meditate, calm down, and not freak out. The end is inevitable. There's a time to rage against the dying of the light, and there's a time to embrace the cold long rest as a friend.
An interesting bit of historical trivia is that when the Loma Prieta Earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area on October 17th 1989 it was playing on one of the local Rock stations. KSJO was one of the largest radio stations in the bayarea and had a large audience and anyone who was listening to Don't Fear The Reaper on their way home from work (it hit at 5:04PM) were struck by the eerie circumstance! The song was playing, the earthquake hit and 63 people died............ what an unusual coincidence.....
When my wife passed, I made a mix for the wake and included “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”. Every song I chose was meaningful. We loved that song and saw BOC in the late 90’s. Awesome show!
I will never forget the 1st Blue Oyster Cult album , I was 17 and my older brother brought it home. I was hooked. Great to see Eric and Buck, they feel almost like family as many times as I saw them through the 70s and 80s...... Great upload, Adam. No doubt BOC belong forever in our hearts, they are truly legendary.
Yup, the first 3 BOC albums-Blue Oyster Cult, Tyranny and Mutation, and Secret Treaties. To this day they remain my favorite BOC albums. Never quite really got into Agents of Fortune in the same way, but I do love Don’t Fear the Reaper as one of my favorite GOAT rock songs.
I remember The Reaper on the juke box when I was tending bar. I remember hearing it on the radio. But for all the decades that passed, I can't say I Really Listened to and Heard or understood the lyrics, because I just wasn't listening close enough. Many years after my husband unexpectedly died at 48, and I had more access to the internet, and RUclips, I finally heard the song with lyrics and was blown away. It is Beautiful. And I Won't fear the Reaper when it's my time, as long as it crosses me over to my Tom. 🥀🌹💔🌹🥀❤️🩹❤️🔥
"Reaper" is one of those Blue Oyster Cult tunes that I heard on the radio during my classic rock-fueled teen years. (It was also neat hearing Buck with John Hall and Larry Hoppen of Orleans at a 2010 fundraiser when John was seeking a 3rd congressional term.) I didn't catch that SNL sketch with Christopher Walken until decades after it was on the air. It was easily telling how impacting that sketch was when my Dutch-born neighbor whose trade was musical theater and classical singing referenced it on a friend's Facebook posting about recipe ingredients; he simply typed "More cowbell" in his comment.
The intro guitar and harmony vocals got me hooked right away. I never thought twice about the lyrics until much later. Iconic for sure..always will be a favourite!
This song is so eerily haunting, and hypnotic. It played perfectly over the opening credits of the 1994 version of "The Stand", depicting apocalyptic America.
The definitive breakdown on one of the best rock songs right here. So much I didn't know, great interviews and episode! BOC captured exactly what they were aiming for, haunting music and mystical lyrics
Blue Oyster Cult...the best of the best!! I remember my early days in the radio business when I had to run the board for the NASCAR race on Sundays (when humans were a necessity). MRN and PRN would always send some music down so that we would know that we were getting the satellite feed. One Sunday, they were sending Blue Oyster Cult. I thought that I was in heaven. Buck Dharma had one of the best videos back in the '80s with his solo record "Your Loving Heart". It always reminded me of watching a Roger Corman movie at a drive-in movie theater. Great stuff!! Thanks again for a wonderful video!!
when this song came out i just got home from school and had the radio on washing my car, and the next day i bought Agents of Fortune . and the rest is history. the only thing i dont get is why "The Revenge of Vera Gemini," didnt take off ,i played it more than the reaper. great interview you stayed on track and got to the point
what a fantastic video! thank you so much. The timing is really eerie for me because I just heard yesterday someone beloved of me was tragically taken, still young. Liara Kaylee Tsai was a proud, stunning trans woman, electronic musician and DJ, psychonaut, gothic and ethereal fashionista, and deeply spiritually connected to the kitsune and fae. For such a spiritual and fitting song to come up today is quite the thing... but I suppose it had to happen to 40,000 people, didn't it? Rest in power forever, sis. For anyone who struggles with fearing the reaper, you can find out what death really is for fifteen minutes by taking three strong hits of DMT. Don't break the law in your area, by any means, but it's time to organize for the legalization of this and other psychedelic substances. Especially DMT given that it is literally naturally produced in our bodies and in many animals and plants. You right now reading this, if you're in the U.S., for example, you're breaking U.S. law. You have DMT in your bloodstream. Your body made it!
Absolutely one of my all time favorite songs. I love it when it shows up in movies too. My favorite instance is probably the opening of the 1990's version of The Stand. Truly haunting. Great episode. Thank you!
every once in a great while a perfect song is released. It catches you with the opening line ''All our times have come'' then continues a journey or a descent that we can't escape to the end.I have always loved songs that had that truthful element of darkness. BOC, thank you.
Just listened to the song with lyrics scrolling,I think it addresses what every human being faces that is our mortality.Being 66 and seeing that most of my oldest friends have passed away is pretty sobering
Great interview! Loved the song since first hearing it in Tasmania in '81...never fussed about the deeper meaning, just soaked in the sound. Lucky to have seen them twice in Portland, Oregon, '87 & '88. Keep up the good work... Cheers!
I’m surprised that the movie The Stoned Age wasn’t mentioned! It’s a cult classic that has an entire subplot based on this song, BOC is the central band throughout! Plus it’s absolutely hilarious and one of the most quotable movies ever lol. It even has these two in it for a cameo! That being said, it’s one of the best songs ever written. It’s the holy trinity- Stairway to Heaven, Freebird, and Don’t Fear the Reaper! (In no particular order)
Maybe they didn’t mention it because it was being made fun of by Hubbs. Lol I love The Stoned Age and BOC so I’ve seen that movie countless times because my brother is Hubbs when we were kids. Haha
First time i heard this song I was going into a haunted house. The song made the experience so cool. It was actually a cheesy carnival ride but the song scared the hell out of me and my friend. But love the song ever since.
I played Don’t Fear the Reaper with my band when I was stationed in England in 1985, so it always makes me think of my band mates I played it with my band in Oregon in the 90s and 00s. And the night I had to end life support for my dad, I went to see BOC live (something like my 20th time) and heard Don’t Fear the Reaper, so now it makes me think of my dad.
The live version from Some Enchanted Evening is just about my favorite live performance of all-time. That instrumental section at the end was what sold me, I think, on hard rock and heavy metal. So savage, intense and beautiful.
This is my funeral dirge! Seriously, this song was on repeat for three years in jr high. I always felt this song was about true love moving between the planes of existence. It also reminds me of the older Wuthering Heights movie. Epic interview and another great lesson! 👍🏼
@forakermm. Wuthering Heights. Kate Bush. What a song. What a voice. I love all the tangents that this channel's community supplies. 📢 Thanks Professor's peeps. 🎼🖤🎸 This notes for you!
Saw them at a casino around 20 years ago. They were mesmerizing. The sound just gently wove it's way through the crowd, covered the room and embraced us like a warm familiar friend.
I am in that group who thought this was a song about suicide. In fact mere days ago, I heard a bit of this and told friends exactly that. But being a believer, I do feel there is life after death. Fascinating to learn the truth of this song!
I just enjoyed this edition of Professor of Rock so much! I remember hearing this song when I was kid and being mesmerized and haunted by it even at a such a young age. That feeling continues to this day every time I hear it. That really says something. I feel this song is eternal, just as the song is about eternity. Pure Magic. On another note, I have never read The Stand. I just ordered it. Thanks, Professor!
Until they decided to ditch it in pursuit of more singles, which aside from the mediocre 'Burning for You' was a fruitless effort that cost them most of their fan base.
First song I heard on the radio on the way to bury my Mom was this song "Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult, My brother turned that song up full tilt and we were totally rockin' out in the funeral procession, the fact that song playing was so eerie but cool all at once, what an awesome song to remember her by!!!!😭💔❤😎🤘🎸🎶👍👍👏👏
RE: SNL sketch. Additional Music nod in addition to Blue Oyster Cult. Christopher Walkin is named Bruce Dickenson. The singer for Iron Maiden. Very funny
Not really - they got Bruce Dickinson’s name from the credits of the greatest hits album (as “reissue producer). He was a mid-level manager at Columbia Records. No connection to the Iron Maiden vocalist and also not the producer of Agents Of Fortune. SNL just either didn’t do good research or saw the Dickinson name and thought it sounded good enough for a sketch.
This song was all over AM radio when I was about 12 years old , but Born To Be Wild was probably the song that turned me onto the band and the very first BOC album I bought was one of the first albums I bought in general, was On Your Feet Or On Your Knees and I still have the original vinyl. It took me literal DECADES before my schedule synced up with theirs and I got a chance to see them live and now I've seen them twice, and they are fantastic live. Ill go see them every time they are in town when I can.
One of the books in Robert Galbraith's series of Cormoran Strike novels, 'Career of Evil' had titles and lines from the band's songs as part of the narrative.
I love "Godzilla"! No Halloween playlist is complete without "Godzilla" and the Who's "Boris The Spider"! Creepy, crawly, creepy, crawly, creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly...! My son loved both songs when he was a kid.
I can remember listening to "Agents" at my high scool best friend's house the week the album first came out. I already owned their double live "On Your Feet or On your knees" so we kinda thought we knew what to expect. But man... when "The Reaper" rolled under the needle we were shocked and transfixed. I think we knew this was something really different. If we only knew.... A few decades later after seeing BOC live numerous times, I had the amazing "fortune" (pun intended) of meeting Buck Dharma on the NAHA Rock Legends Cruise. He was as cordial and pleasant as you could ever imagine. He actually sat and had breakfast with us in the cafe and came across just as he did in this interview. Talk about a Rock Legend! I think we all subconsciously avoided bringing up the SNL skit. Although the NAHA team was humorous enough to include a mini-cowbell in our cruise goodie bag that year! 😂
@@ogam5 oh yeah? Name one. I'm not saying they don't have any other good songs, I've listened to most of their albums, but when was the last time you heard one on the radio? Maybe "In Thee" or "Shooting Shark" every leap year. lol
I think they are much more than “3 hit wonders”. As a teenager in L.A. county Ca in the early 80’s their song “Going thru the motions “ was played regularly on the radio for, I guess years, for a long time I didn’t even know it was them. “Take me away” was played a lot when new and I seem to recall “Dr. Music” too, etc. They were an FM album rock band, a great live band, some people didn’t get them and lots did., they were real popular back then in southern Ca. It never ceases to amaze me how decades later, often people bring them up in conversation (on how much they like them) and the pop culture presence that they’ve had for decades.
When I deployed on my 5th combat tour to Afghanistan I figured my luck was probably close to running out after being seriously wounded on my 4th tour. To make things easier on my wife I had made as many funeral arrangements as was possible and left instructions with a close friend of mine. "Don't Fear the Reaper" was the song to be played, it's always been one of my favorites and it seemed like a fitting send off. I never felt it was satanic or evil.
***PROF. DOESN'T FEAR REVELING IN THE TALE OF A PSYCH-ROCK BAND'S CLASSIC 1976 TUNE GETTING A COMEDY TOUCH UP...AND RINGS THE "COWBELL", OF A NEW GENERATION...*** ....wow, Prof. digs DEEP today, into ROCK! ...I was a passing Blue Oyster Kid, so I'm digging the education Prof. is giving me today! ...SO, allow me to reciprocate...Oct., 1976....(cont.) 12. ***Don't Fear The Reaper*** - Blue Oyster Cult 11. Do You Feel Like We Do - *FRAMP* 10. Just To Be Close To You - Commodores 9. Magic Man - Heart 8. Tonight's The Night - Rod Stewart (...up, from #22! ..uh-OH! ...ha-HAA!) 7. She's Gone - Daryl Hall PLUS John Oates 6. Muskrat Love - Captain & Tennille 5. Love So Right - Bee Gees 4. If You Leave Me Now - Chicago 3. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald - *GORD* 2. Disco Duck - Rick Dees & The Idiots 1. Rock N' Me - Steve Miller Band ....well, "Muskrat Love" got into the Top Ten, but the Oysters didn't.....maybe the 'Cowbell' spooked the RATS, Man! ...ha-HAA! ...keep on Rock N' Me, Prof.! ; )
Yes my favorite Bee Gees song! Look at the variety of songs so epic. What a great list muskrat love must be love so right as long as you don't fear the reaper and stay off Fitzgerald!
@ProfessorofRock Can we add "Hocus Pocus" by Focus? PROF ever do any content on them and the song? It's a Banger still to this day. Would love to learn the history of it. Especially the yoddleing.
Agents of Fortune is all-killer-no-filler complete work. Great songs start to finish. Reaper was my on-ramp to that album and BOC in general. I remember wearing out my stepdad's eight track replete with dropouts caused by capstan burns and tape jam wrinkles. One of my all time favorite bands.
This song is mostly nice and gentle melody wise in the verse and chorus, but the eerie, sad, terrifying guitar solo rips right out of the song and into your conscience. The main song says "Don't fear the Reaper" but the solo says "DO fear the Reaper". I slept with a nightlight after hearing Buck Dharma rip through reality with this one when I heard it as a kid.
Only an idiot would think this song was satanic. It obviously refers to not fearing death which is consistent with the BOC's symbol the ankh which represents the eternal afterlife.
few ones like we had had police rush etc niw sell.big dollara store manager said some reprints vintage over 40.each in store we looked at like reissue records replicas manager reord store was showing me on phone origunal tees huge dollars now
They are are a seriously underrated band that deserves to be noticed most often. Top notch musicians and the lyrics are just amazing. My favorite track of theirs is Astronomy. I would love to see an episode on that one. Its one of those rare songs that just draws you in and makes you wonder.
Poll: What is your pick for the MOST GRIPPING SONG of the Rock era? One you have to listen to the VERY END EVERY TIME?
Tell Laura I Love Her!
Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne
Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Red Sovine - Phantom 309
Jungleland The Boss
Whiter Shade of Pale
Pink Floyd's "Time"
This song was in the first scene of The Stand (1994), where they were showing all the dead bodies in the lab. It helped to make it the creepiest scene I ever saw.
That is one of the best opening scenes in media
@DameTara I agree. It's fantastic.
So good!
For sure!
I was going to say the same thing.
Yeah, "Don't Fear the Reaper" is one of the ten greatest songs ever recorded. Actually, that entire album ( _Agents of Fortune_ ) is amazing. When I saw them in concert about 14 years ago, they opened with "This Ain't the Summer of Love." Another hidden gem is "The Revenge of Vera Gemini," which has one of the greatest (albeit shortest) guitar solos ever. BOC absolutely needs to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
What are the other nine, in your opinion?
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 I'd really have to think about it, but three that would definitely be on the list would be "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys, "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones, and "California Dreaming" by The Mamas and the Papas. Oh, "Baker Street" by Jerry Rafferty.
Yep, The Revenge of Vera Gemini is fantastic! TBH it might be my favorite song on the album.
@@mournblade1066 I like your list. Might I humbly submit "Never Been Any Reason" by Head East, "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles, and "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" by Elton John to fill in a few of the vacant spots? For BOC, "Reaper" is legendary, but "Black Blade" is tops in my book, though I know I'm on my own with that.
Morning Final is the most under-appreciated song on AOF, IMO.
This has always been one of my favorite songs. I vividly remember hearing it on June 21, 1985. I was downtown playing with the kids at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago where I volunteered. My mom left a message at the hospital telling me to meet her at Lake Point Tower. That’s when she told me that my best friend, Charlie, had killed himself the night before-two short weeks after we graduated from high school. After driving the first 15 minutes home in silence, I turned on the radio as we exited Lake Shore Drive and heard the first notes of (Don’t Fear) The Reaper. I remember getting a chill and knew instantly it was a message from Charlie that he was ok.
The second time this showed up as a sign of sorts was in 2015, not long after I was diagnosed with lymphoma. I had gone in for a scan to get a better sense of the prognosis. Immediately after the test, I pulled out of the Northwestern Memorial Hospital parking lot, turned on the radio, and heard it again. That would have been a lot more scary than it was, but my friend, Robbie Schaefer, one of the lead singers of the fantastic band Eddie from Ohio, called that very moment. When I told him I had just heard the song and hoped it wasn’t an ominous sign, he burst out laughing and said: “Never doubt the Universe has a sense of humor.” Had it not been for Robbie, I would never have thought of it as a cosmic joke. My angels probably sensed my panic and had Robbie call to help me see it differently. Thank God for Robbie.
Wow, I hope you're well and that your angels are with you.🪽
@@laurat1129, thank you! That’s so sweet of you. I am well.
Wow” got my eye on Amazon’s books.❤
I remember as a teen, this song would always come on the radio at night when I was getting ready for bed.. along with The Moody Blues "Nights in White Satin" and Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven", I slept with the radio on, and these songs were always eerie to me. Now they are one of my favorites and bring back many good memories.
I always thought reaper was eerie too. I remember hearing it on the Halloween soundtrack as Jamie lee Curtis was in her car. Always gave me the creeps as a very young kid for years. But nevertheless, it’s an amazing song that’s a staple in American rock music.
I have loved the song for more years than I can remember, but I never felt it was eerie. Surreal, yes. I can always build an image of a too young woman finding death at a young age (like me). My experience was a fatal car over motorcycle encounter that was interdicted by a surgical and hospital team that took me from the edge and back to the world of life. For me, eerie is Fire On High by ELO. Back masking always does that since The Exorcist, maybe because I read the book before seeing the movie.
@@JW...-oj5iw maybe you may have been older than me, at the time, and understood it better...I was a young teen and at the time our pass time was watching the horror shows on Saturday late night. So yeah, anything with "The Reaper" in it was eerie to me. LOL
Same here !
@dayzey40. Pastime
One thing I've noticed is that whenever you do a video on a song that I haven't heard in a while is that as soon as the video has ended I go back and listen to the song as well as any covers mentioned. That, for me, is so cool. Thanks so much.
Very cool indeed!
And many times there are comments from others who watched the videos after an episode of The Professor.
Yes, can't wait to hear the Big Country version!
Agree! And makes the song almost always better IMHO.
Have you ever truly listened to Lead Zeppelin's Kashmir? I grew up with it, but until a year or so ago had never really paid attention to its composure, structure, instrumentation (especially the studio version with the backing orchestra!), etc. It's an incredible piece of music! Truly genius when you hear all that's going on! Give it another listen if you haven't heard it in a while!
Don't Fear The Reaper - truly a Rock classic. As you said Professor it's such a hypnotic and riveting tune. Next to Zeppelin's Heartbreaker, this has the best bridge and guitar solo. Thanks for doing this excellent & insightful episode of Revelations.
You are SO WELCOME!
Don't Fear the Reaper and the entire Agents of Fortune album are pure gold. BOC never gets their props as the rock pioneers they truly were. Dense, fantastical, poetic lyrics and intricately layered music is why BOC was called "the thinking man's rock band".
Very early on they incorporated Lazer lights and other amazing effects in their live shows, so early in fact that when they decided to move to something new, none other than Pink Floyd bought their equipment.
Thanks for this fantastic interview. BOC will forever be my favs! (And I love how Eric STILL won't be seen in public w/o his dark shades!)
They are.
My 2 kids were little in the 90's, and I cruised around with them in their car seats, with classic rock stations on the radio. I also had a cd of the Grassroots greatest hits, and the three of us howled all the lyrics, windows rolled up, of course. At a family reunion, I overheard my then-3-yo daughter singing "Take a piece of my heart, baBAY!"
A few years later, my then-11-yo daughter won a karaoke game at a party, singing "Don't Fear the Reaper". She got the highest score because she knew the song so well. Her host's parents were impressed.
Glad most of BÖC are still living and doing so many interviews to tell their stories. RIP Allen and Sandy
I had just graduated college and moved to Falls Church, Virginia. There is a remarkable intersection there called Seven Corners. As I drove across the bridge on a soft and cool autumn evening, one with a perfect sunset and clear azure sky fading quickly to black, with a softly lit skyscraper resting in the orange glow, this incredible song that captured the moment perfectly came on the radio: Don’t Fear the Reaper.
The song and the memory are beautiful, joyful, and a bit sad, all at the same time. They have stayed with me for my entire life and will to the end.
Loved the picture that you painted with your description of a moment in time.
Loved how "Don't Fear the Reaper" was used in the opening credits of the TV miniseries "The Stand". Knew nothing of the book, but that song placement was perfect - eerie and hypnotic.
For sure!
Same, odd The stand is what I've always associated this song with, not SNL. (although funny and I love walken)
I read the book they had the lyrics at the beginning of the chapters
Great song placement indeed.
The book was a long read, but with the time!! I recommend it
References to Blue Oyster Cult and their music are all over movies and TV. It's friggin awesome every time one pops up.
I would love to see an interview covering their debut album. “Cities on Flame”, “She’s as Beautiful as a Foot”, “Then Came the Last Days of May”… legendary!
I used to chill out to this song before going out on combat patrols
I hear dust in the wind at every funeral I’ve been to for years. I can’t listen to it casually anymore. This song rocks!
This interview was awesome! The Bouchards are from my hometown. There's a barn across the road from where I live now that they held band practices and barn dances in back in the sixties.....before my time. They still have family here. Joe was home a few years back. He came into our most popular bar and thrilled us all by joining a hometown band on stage. Brought the house down and we Los our minds! Thanks for continuing to bring us the best in Rock History & music news! You totally Rock!!!
BOC has been one of my favorite groups for the last 44 years. They have a very eclectic catalogue of music. DFTR is timeless. It never gets old.
So glad you mentioned The Byrds as a reference for harmonies. That always stuck out to me too, and surprised no one really brings that up.
When this song first came out, it was the subject of many conversations. I myself thought it was about someone killing themselves. Never heard anyone saying it was Satanic though. Excellent interview Professor!
Yes, my thoughts too.
It’s obviously about suicide to some extent. All these old rock stars lie about their songs. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds anyone? It’s just a school boy drawing done by Julian Lennon 🙄 that inspired a song. Lol.
I remember watching "The Stand" when it premiered on TV and I was floored by the haunting use of the song.
When I was 12 (1980), the kid next door told me, "Blue Oyster Cult is a real cult!" I wasn't sure what a cult was, but I knew it sounded dangerous. I became even more of a BOC fan that day.
Around 1987, my bro had a friend give him a cassette of some preacher talking about Satan in Rock n Roll. BÖC were mentioned specifically, including the cover of Fire of Unknown Origin, which was the record we owned. Our Dad had sent it to us years earlier after our parents divorced. We both listened to a lot when it first came. We were like 12 and 10 when we heard the preacher tape, and had been raised LDS . Unfortunately, it sent on a mini witch hunt of our collection at the time, which resulted in BB gun then buring a few LPs. Fire of Unknown Origin, Duran Duran "Arena" for " Union of the Snake" ,and This is the Voice by Agent Orange for "Bite the hand that Feeds" and we swore we heard Satan my Satan when we played it backwards.
My dad was pissed when he found out about what we did, and would bring it up through the years. Fortunately, when I hit my later teen years I realized I didn't believe any of that crap anymore and picked up Fire of Unknown Origin and a Best of during college. When my Dad was in town I snuck into the CD player of his rental to surprise him. He was like I told you they weren't Devil Worshipers!
@@pequalsa The 80s were a stupid and perilous time in the music industry because religious zealots were believing what they were fed. Of course for a lot of musicians that only meant more publicity and higher sales (like Ozzy and Kiss). For others (as in your case) it meant kids were buying replacements for the records that they'd burned. Tipper Gore and her PMRC had a dangerous amount of political clout, and she was pushing for censorship and ratings. That put Frank Zappa and Donny Osmond on the same side of that debate. Zappa didn't want people restricting his artistic potential, and Donny didn't want the G rating because it wouldn't be cool for people to buy his music. (As if it was already to people who cared about being cool!) I remember seeing the two of them next to each other on Nightline making their case that way. It was surreal.
And let me guess: you are a Democrat to this very day?
It was also a real oyster. And really blue.
Odds are that kid that lived next door to you grew up and now goes to a cult gathering every Sunday where they pray to an imaginary deity who lives in the sky. Afterwards, they all go to Denny's to make the wait-staff miserable as they act rude and entitled while simultaneously preaching about how good and kind they think they are.
So close, from the title I guessed "I'm burning for you" from the same band. Both classics frankly. Great work as always maing
I remember finding an unspooled cassette of that album on the side of the road near my house in 1986 or 1987 where I got to hear Don't Fear the Reaper for the first time. Unfortunately the magnetic coating was showing signs of deterioration causing the tape to have dragging issues. Which explains why it ended up on the side of the road. That didn't stop me from playing it though. I just had to bypass the pegs in the top corners of the cassette shell to reduce drag, and make sure to clean the tape head, capstan, and pinch roller in the cassette player after playing it.
WOW! That's quite a find!
Wow! That is some real dedication to preserving a recording!
Funny how unspooled cassette tapes were such a common sight in parking lots and roadsides in the 1980s-90s. Now that would look mysterious to young folks today who aren't familiar with cassette tapes.
@@LazyIRanch I was fascinated reading the comment!
@@LazyIRanch I sure do miss those days of "downloading" music the physical old school way. In the 80's, pretty much every one of them I found had something good on them. In the 90's every now and then I would end up with a stinker like rap. Through the 2000's, it was mainly just 70's, 80's, and 90's music I was finding because all the newer stuff was only being sold on CD. So even in the 2000's as finds were getting fewer and fewer as the decade progressed, I was still finding good ones. 2010 was the last year I've ever caught sight of a cassette on the side of the road, putting an end to my free physical "downloads".
When we were kids we were trash picking & my bro's friend found a CCR cassette & some headphones. He cleaned them up & we listened to Have You Ever Seen The Rain. Lol, I found a light switch cover brand new in the plastic with the Walmart sticker still on. I gave it to my mom. 😄
That gtr solo is absolutely astounding!!
One of the greatest ever recorded!
And it comes right after a very haunting bridge section.
Yes, both incredibly good, individually and together. The way the whole song just stops, and then... What is THIS?? 😮❤
I get so annoyed when radio stations play the edited version which has that whole section of the song removed. It makes the song so repetitive and unimaginative. That middle section is what really elevates the song to greatness.
Man. You're sitting there in the intro with a Bowie shirt on, Led Zeppelin IV open on the shelf behind you, talking about Don't Fear the Reaper. You sir are everything that I desire to be. And I mean that sincerely.
I really appreciate how, whenever you refer to a song, movie, or TV show, you always provide a clip at that moment. Then if I want to hear or see more, I can go to it.
BOC is the most under rated Rock bands ever - from their hypnotic riffs, amazing lyrics and the penchant for combining metal and tongue in check humor to many of their songs to their everlasting impact on pop culture.
Saw them in concert twice growing up and they were great. Loved Godzilla too!
Needs more cowbell! LOL - I've been a fan of B.O.C. since forever. "Don't Fear The Reaper" is a TRUE classic. Even people who have never heard of the band have heard of this song. This band is amazing ... so glad to see some love for it today. :)
Thanks for watching!
The Band HIM (Rip) did an amazing cover of Chis Isaac's "Wicked Game" it's amazing.
Aldo the did "Don't fear the reaper" it's fantastic and stylistically HIMs sound but so so so Blue Oyster Cuklt at same time.
Check the cover songs out.
I love the band name too.
And after a close call with cancer, I can vouch this song's chorus is sound advice. Take it to heart and live accordingly.
What an informative interview, thanks for doing that. I remember the edited DFTR being played on the radio and catching my attention. Imagine my surprise when I finally got to hear the full version of the song, thinking momentarily that the station had switched songs entirely as I'd never heard the bridge before, and then the guitar solo hits... Sometimes musical moments etch a memory of where I was right then, and that's one of them. I've been a fan of BOC since. Something I've seen lately was a ranked list of rock bands by the number of live concerts they've performed, and BOC was at the top of the list, and 2nd place was not even close. I know I try to get to as many of their concerts as I can manage.
Great interview! Thanks for revealing the concept behind this song. ❤
We used "Don't fear the Reaper" at my brothers funeral in 1977. He would have loved it!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Sorry for your loss.
A passed loved one coming to take you home when you die is perhaps the greatest thing that could happen. This remains one of my very favorite songs that I will stop whatever I'm doing to listen to.
Dude, the level of research that you do to create these episodes is next level man. I always thought that I had a very broad knowledge of music from the time I can remember hearing the first song that I ever fell in love with. Having been born in 1970 I've had the pleasure of enjoying music for several years. But I have to tell you you never cease to amaze me. And I always look forward to the next video
Rick Beato analyzed the instrumental track of "Don't Fear the Reaper" a while back, and did an in-depth analysis of the guitar solo itself.
Great job Sir! I remember when I was in the Army in the late '70s, one of our trucks had the BOC logo painted on its huge air cleaner. Awesome! As for gripping songs, one of my favorites is the epic folk rock tune by the incomparable Gordon Lightfoot, "If You Could Read My Mind."
I credit all my cowbell proficiency to this song!
And to think I wasted 4 years and $160k at Juliard to master the cowbell! 😭
Ha ha! Thanks Flave!
You will never understand how much more cowbell is needed.
Keep it up and you'll be the next Gene Frenkel
“I gotta fever”!
Thank you for this Professor of Rock! The music of Blue Oyster Cult was my influence for my first novel, "Dragonwulf and the Destiny of Tyr." This band will live forever as it will always live in my fantasy novels.
About 15 years ago I was re-introduced to the song one night in the East Village. The artist Banksy had an outdoor installation in which he used the song on a loop to accompany a giant reaper riding a carnival bumper car back and forth in a cyclone fenced area on Houston St. A 9 years-old Australian boy visiting a friend of mine was called to come see the visual spectacle. But it turned out that his favorite rock song was "Don't Fear The Reaper." I made that kid's night.
Awesome episode Professor! One of my favorites! Awesome interview! Thanks for keeping the music alive!👍
❤🎉
Dont Fear The Reaper!
Yes, I remember the controversy about this song.
And it will be forever tied to Christopher Walken, Will Ferrell, and SNL. "NEED MORE COWBELL, BABY"!!!
Thanks Professor!
Happy Friday!
❤❤
Happy weekend my friend! Hope you have a great one!
@@Sweet--Richard.4981 Hello sir!
Just a little more cowbell
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 “It's that thing of when a guy has the stumpy arms, but with the belly.”
Eric and Buck are such great interviews - and it is nice to hear someone asking deeper questions about their songs. Their music is so much richer and complex than most people give them credit for. Should be in the Hall.
Ah, B.O.C. Finally "Don't Fear the Reaper". This is classic rock. B.O.C. belongs the Rock Hall, no questions asked. I literally almost met the Reaper when I had a stroke nearly two weeks ago, so the timing is spot on. If you haven't done "Godzilla", it wound be a great vid. Great episode!
Epic song: History shows again and again How nature points out the folly of men
Godzilla!!
Great video! Love BOC. I emailed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame several years back shaming them for not inducting this band yet (because I'm crazy and feel they are vastly overlooked on the rock scene). Really hope they get their dues. I've got several albums on vinyl. Best story/horror/supernatural songs since Roky Erickson.
Back when you could set songs as ring tones, I had this one as my cellphone ringer. Got stuck in a tornado in Spfld Illinois at a theatre, and Mom and I were in the "safe space" with the other movie goers and Dad's calling our phones to see if we're okay. We're huddled waiting out the storm and "Don't Fear the Reaper" starts playing and I gotta feel bad for some of the young folks since it was kinda scary, but Mom and I were cracking up about it afterward XD Everyone was okay, but her car got picked up by the storm and the windows blown out. Made it home okay, gave a few kids some rides home since their cars got demolished. But it was pretty spooky. I kinda appreciated the song. Helps you meditate, calm down, and not freak out. The end is inevitable. There's a time to rage against the dying of the light, and there's a time to embrace the cold long rest as a friend.
An interesting bit of historical trivia is that when the Loma Prieta Earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area on October 17th 1989 it was playing on one of the local Rock stations. KSJO was one of the largest radio stations in the bayarea and had a large audience and anyone who was listening to Don't Fear The Reaper on their way home from work (it hit at 5:04PM) were struck by the eerie circumstance! The song was playing, the earthquake hit and 63 people died............ what an unusual coincidence.....
OMG!
When my wife passed, I made a mix for the wake and included “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”. Every song I chose was meaningful. We loved that song and saw BOC in the late 90’s. Awesome show!
I will never forget the 1st Blue Oyster Cult album , I was 17 and my older brother brought it home. I was hooked.
Great to see Eric and Buck, they feel almost like family as many times as I saw them through the 70s and 80s......
Great upload, Adam. No doubt BOC belong forever in our hearts, they are truly legendary.
Thanks!
Yup, the first 3 BOC albums-Blue Oyster Cult, Tyranny and Mutation, and Secret Treaties. To this day they remain my favorite BOC albums. Never quite really got into Agents of Fortune in the same way, but I do love Don’t Fear the Reaper as one of my favorite GOAT rock songs.
@@57hound Yep, that's me too. The first 3. Agents of fortune was ok, but as far as my favorite, it would have to be Tyranny and Mutation....
I was a teen in the 70’s and I can use BOC as my first concert. A group named Mahogany Rush opened for them, I wonder what became of them.
@@rocky8758 That is Frank Marino and he is still around....He live in Canada
Please do many, much more BOC, Proff!
Cheers, man! Love to you and yours!
Thank you for this one!
I made arrangements to have Don't Fear the Reaper played at my funeral several years ago. Obviously,I am still kicking and still enjoying the song.
I remember The Reaper on the juke box when I was tending bar. I remember hearing it on the radio. But for all the decades that passed, I can't say I Really Listened to and Heard or understood the lyrics, because I just wasn't listening close enough.
Many years after my husband unexpectedly died at 48, and I had more access to the internet, and RUclips, I finally heard the song with lyrics and was blown away. It is Beautiful. And I Won't fear the Reaper when it's my time, as long as it crosses me over to my Tom. 🥀🌹💔🌹🥀❤️🩹❤️🔥
"Reaper" is one of those Blue Oyster Cult tunes that I heard on the radio during my classic rock-fueled teen years. (It was also neat hearing Buck with John Hall and Larry Hoppen of Orleans at a 2010 fundraiser when John was seeking a 3rd congressional term.) I didn't catch that SNL sketch with Christopher Walken until decades after it was on the air. It was easily telling how impacting that sketch was when my Dutch-born neighbor whose trade was musical theater and classical singing referenced it on a friend's Facebook posting about recipe ingredients; he simply typed "More cowbell" in his comment.
Thanks for sharing Eric. That's cool!
To give the recipe some groove
The intro guitar and harmony vocals got me hooked right away. I never thought twice about the lyrics until much later. Iconic for sure..always will be a favourite!
This song is so eerily haunting, and hypnotic. It played perfectly over the opening credits of the 1994 version of "The Stand", depicting apocalyptic America.
Indeed!
I couldn’t even get through that movie.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 paws noddings in agreements
The definitive breakdown on one of the best rock songs right here. So much I didn't know, great interviews and episode! BOC captured exactly what they were aiming for, haunting music and mystical lyrics
EXCELLENT interview. Buck and Eric were so intelligent and insightful here......Thx!
Blue Oyster Cult...the best of the best!! I remember my early days in the radio business when I had to run the board for the NASCAR race on Sundays (when humans were a necessity). MRN and PRN would always send some music down so that we would know that we were getting the satellite feed. One Sunday, they were sending Blue Oyster Cult. I thought that I was in heaven. Buck Dharma had one of the best videos back in the '80s with his solo record "Your Loving Heart". It always reminded me of watching a Roger Corman movie at a drive-in movie theater. Great stuff!! Thanks again for a wonderful video!!
when this song came out i just got home from school and had the radio on washing my car, and the next day i bought Agents of Fortune . and the rest is history. the only thing i dont get is why "The Revenge of Vera Gemini," didnt take off ,i played it more than the reaper. great interview you stayed on track and got to the point
what a fantastic video! thank you so much.
The timing is really eerie for me because I just heard yesterday someone beloved of me was tragically taken, still young. Liara Kaylee Tsai was a proud, stunning trans woman, electronic musician and DJ, psychonaut, gothic and ethereal fashionista, and deeply spiritually connected to the kitsune and fae. For such a spiritual and fitting song to come up today is quite the thing... but I suppose it had to happen to 40,000 people, didn't it? Rest in power forever, sis.
For anyone who struggles with fearing the reaper, you can find out what death really is for fifteen minutes by taking three strong hits of DMT. Don't break the law in your area, by any means, but it's time to organize for the legalization of this and other psychedelic substances. Especially DMT given that it is literally naturally produced in our bodies and in many animals and plants. You right now reading this, if you're in the U.S., for example, you're breaking U.S. law. You have DMT in your bloodstream. Your body made it!
It played in the opening scene on the TV series version of "The Stand". 👍🏽
Absolutely one of my all time favorite songs. I love it when it shows up in movies too. My favorite instance is probably the opening of the 1990's version of The Stand. Truly haunting. Great episode. Thank you!
This is a classic rock song, it always reminds me of that Christopher Walken sketch on "Saturday Night Live." "We need more cowbells!"
Ha ha!
That sketch is classic!
Bruce Dickinson asked me to leave a comment and a like. 🤎
every once in a great while a perfect song is released. It catches you with the opening line ''All our times have come'' then continues a journey or a descent that we can't escape to the end.I have always loved songs that had that truthful element of darkness. BOC, thank you.
I saw them open for Rush after Club Ninja came out. Talk about a double incredible concert
Oh man! What a show that must have been! It would be hard to top that lineup.
Saw them on the same tour in Philly. Great shows!
What a great interview POR! You and the guys from BOC were amazing!
Just listened to the song with lyrics scrolling,I think it addresses what every human being faces that is our mortality.Being 66 and seeing that most of my oldest friends have passed away is pretty sobering
It’s sad. I’m far from death, but I always think about my grandparents and other senior citizens.
Great interview! Loved the song since first hearing it in Tasmania in '81...never fussed about the deeper meaning, just soaked in the sound. Lucky to have seen them twice in Portland, Oregon, '87 & '88. Keep up the good work... Cheers!
I’m surprised that the movie The Stoned Age wasn’t mentioned! It’s a cult classic that has an entire subplot based on this song, BOC is the central band throughout! Plus it’s absolutely hilarious and one of the most quotable movies ever lol. It even has these two in it for a cameo! That being said, it’s one of the best songs ever written. It’s the holy trinity- Stairway to Heaven, Freebird, and Don’t Fear the Reaper! (In no particular order)
I loved how the ticket hustler in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" was trying to move BÖC tickets too. It's always sort of a cultural in-joke.
Maybe they didn’t mention it because it was being made fun of by Hubbs. Lol
I love The Stoned Age and BOC so I’ve seen that movie countless times because my brother is Hubbs when we were kids. Haha
I was @ that Long Beach show when Joe got hit with the laser 👁️
@@rebelsuiter9306yeah it lit his head up like a freaking Christmas tree 😂
@@jimbones858 🤣🤣🤣
I just wanted to say that you sir and Mr. Rick Beato are my go-to guys for music knowledge.
First time i heard this song I was going into a haunted house. The song made the experience so cool. It was actually a cheesy carnival ride but the song scared the hell out of me and my friend. But love the song ever since.
I played Don’t Fear the Reaper with my band when I was stationed in England in 1985, so it always makes me think of my band mates
I played it with my band in Oregon in the 90s and 00s.
And the night I had to end life support for my dad, I went to see BOC live (something like my 20th time) and heard Don’t Fear the Reaper, so now it makes me think of my dad.
Saw their Godzilla Tour!! Incredible show!🤘🔥
Great song! Thanks Brent!
Go go Godzilla!! Points out the folley of man....
The live version from Some Enchanted Evening is just about my favorite live performance of all-time. That instrumental section at the end was what sold me, I think, on hard rock and heavy metal. So savage, intense and beautiful.
This is my funeral dirge! Seriously, this song was on repeat for three years in jr high. I always felt this song was about true love moving between the planes of existence. It also reminds me of the older Wuthering Heights movie. Epic interview and another great lesson! 👍🏼
Thanks for sharing!
@forakermm. Wuthering Heights. Kate Bush. What a song. What a voice. I love all the tangents that this channel's community supplies. 📢 Thanks Professor's peeps. 🎼🖤🎸 This notes for you!
@@komitkaziI prefer Pat Benatar's version.
@@jeff7.629 yeah yeah. Pat sounds very much like Kate on We Live For Love. Kate can't rock it like Benetar.
Saw them at a casino around 20 years ago. They were mesmerizing. The sound just gently wove it's way through the crowd, covered the room and embraced us like a warm familiar friend.
I am in that group who thought this was a song about suicide. In fact mere days ago, I heard a bit of this and told friends exactly that. But being a believer, I do feel there is life after death. Fascinating to learn the truth of this song!
Thanks for watching!
I never thought suicide
Me too. I took it as “when the devil comes, give in to him.”
Me too!
I just enjoyed this edition of Professor of Rock so much! I remember hearing this song when I was kid and being mesmerized and haunted by it even at a such a young age. That feeling continues to this day every time I hear it. That really says something. I feel this song is eternal, just as the song is about eternity. Pure Magic. On another note, I have never read The Stand. I just ordered it. Thanks, Professor!
They had their own sound. Mysterious and hidden.
Until they decided to ditch it in pursuit of more singles, which aside from the mediocre 'Burning for You' was a fruitless effort that cost them most of their fan base.
I was wondering when you were going to feature this song. Well done!
To me, Don't Fear The Reaper will be forever linked to the opening scene in Stephen King's The Stand when the virus escaped & SHTF.
It'll always remind me of the closing scene of The Frighteners.
The original stand. The new one was okay. But nothing really ever beats the OG
First song I heard on the radio on the way to bury my Mom was this song "Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult, My brother turned that song up full tilt and we were totally rockin' out in the funeral procession, the fact that song playing was so eerie but cool all at once, what an awesome song to remember her by!!!!😭💔❤😎🤘🎸🎶👍👍👏👏
RE: SNL sketch. Additional Music nod in addition to Blue Oyster Cult.
Christopher Walkin is named Bruce Dickenson. The singer for Iron Maiden. Very funny
Not really - they got Bruce Dickinson’s name from the credits of the greatest hits album (as “reissue producer). He was a mid-level manager at Columbia Records. No connection to the Iron Maiden vocalist and also not the producer of Agents Of Fortune. SNL just either didn’t do good research or saw the Dickinson name and thought it sounded good enough for a sketch.
@@cwizestill a great sketch
Is it a coincidence? Iron Maiden's producer Martin Birch took the helm on BÖC's Fire of Unknown Origin. 😊
Haha, I caught that and loved it!
This song was all over AM radio when I was about 12 years old , but Born To Be Wild was probably the song that turned me onto the band and the very first BOC album I bought was one of the first albums I bought in general, was On Your Feet Or On Your Knees and I still have the original vinyl. It took me literal DECADES before my schedule synced up with theirs and I got a chance to see them live and now I've seen them twice, and they are fantastic live. Ill go see them every time they are in town when I can.
This is how pervasive the cowbell joke got: they still play clips of SNL at Mississippi State football games (IYKYK).
@@marktait2371 Starkville is fun on a gameday. However, those bells are LOUD!
One of the books in Robert Galbraith's series of Cormoran Strike novels, 'Career of Evil' had titles and lines from the band's songs as part of the narrative.
Godzilla was always my fav of favorite B.O.C. hits
It's so good!
I love "Godzilla"!
No Halloween playlist is complete without "Godzilla" and the Who's "Boris The Spider"! Creepy, crawly, creepy, crawly, creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly...!
My son loved both songs when he was a kid.
I can remember listening to "Agents" at my high scool best friend's house the week the album first came out. I already owned their double live "On Your Feet or On your knees" so we kinda thought we knew what to expect. But man... when "The Reaper" rolled under the needle we were shocked and transfixed. I think we knew this was something really different. If we only knew....
A few decades later after seeing BOC live numerous times, I had the amazing "fortune" (pun intended) of meeting Buck Dharma on the NAHA Rock Legends Cruise. He was as cordial and pleasant as you could ever imagine. He actually sat and had breakfast with us in the cafe and came across just as he did in this interview. Talk about a Rock Legend!
I think we all subconsciously avoided bringing up the SNL skit. Although the NAHA team was humorous enough to include a mini-cowbell in our cruise goodie bag that year! 😂
BOC are 3 hit wonders. Reaper, Burnin and Godzilla.....but they are three of the greatest songs of the classic rock era!
.....ohhhh, there ARE a FEW more than that.....
@@ogam5 oh yeah? Name one. I'm not saying they don't have any other good songs, I've listened to most of their albums, but when was the last time you heard one on the radio? Maybe "In Thee" or "Shooting Shark" every leap year. lol
I think they are much more than “3 hit wonders”. As a teenager in L.A. county Ca in the early 80’s their song “Going thru the motions “ was played regularly on the radio for, I guess years, for a long time I didn’t even know it was them. “Take me away” was played a lot when new and I seem to recall “Dr. Music” too, etc.
They were an FM album rock band, a great live band, some people didn’t get them and lots did., they were real popular back then in southern Ca.
It never ceases to amaze me how decades later, often people bring them up in conversation (on how much they like them) and the pop culture presence that they’ve had for decades.
Fantastic interview!
Agreed, a memorable song for myriad reasons. Interesting to learn from writer inspiration, context, et al. Good job.
When I deployed on my 5th combat tour to Afghanistan I figured my luck was probably close to running out after being seriously wounded on my 4th tour. To make things easier on my wife I had made as many funeral arrangements as was possible and left instructions with a close friend of mine. "Don't Fear the Reaper" was the song to be played, it's always been one of my favorites and it seemed like a fitting send off. I never felt it was satanic or evil.
Don’t forget that it was on the tv show Supernatural too. The episode was about a reaper. Great episode and the song was eerie and perfect👍
***PROF. DOESN'T FEAR REVELING IN THE TALE OF A PSYCH-ROCK BAND'S CLASSIC 1976 TUNE GETTING A COMEDY TOUCH UP...AND RINGS THE "COWBELL", OF A NEW GENERATION...*** ....wow, Prof. digs DEEP today, into ROCK! ...I was a passing Blue Oyster Kid, so I'm digging the education Prof. is giving me today! ...SO, allow me to reciprocate...Oct., 1976....(cont.)
12. ***Don't Fear The Reaper*** - Blue Oyster Cult
11. Do You Feel Like We Do - *FRAMP*
10. Just To Be Close To You - Commodores
9. Magic Man - Heart
8. Tonight's The Night - Rod Stewart (...up, from #22! ..uh-OH! ...ha-HAA!)
7. She's Gone - Daryl Hall PLUS John Oates
6. Muskrat Love - Captain & Tennille
5. Love So Right - Bee Gees
4. If You Leave Me Now - Chicago
3. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald - *GORD*
2. Disco Duck - Rick Dees & The Idiots
1. Rock N' Me - Steve Miller Band
....well, "Muskrat Love" got into the Top Ten, but the Oysters didn't.....maybe the 'Cowbell' spooked the RATS, Man! ...ha-HAA! ...keep on Rock N' Me, Prof.! ; )
What an amazing top 12 though! JUST WOW! RBS! for the win
@@ProfessorofRock ...the GOOD Ol' Days, Man! ...ha-HAA!
Yes my favorite Bee Gees song! Look at the variety of songs so epic. What a great list muskrat love must be love so right as long as you don't fear the reaper and stay off Fitzgerald!
@ProfessorofRock Can we add "Hocus Pocus" by Focus?
PROF ever do any content on them and the song? It's a Banger still to this day. Would love to learn the history of it. Especially the yoddleing.
I need to put these all in a Playlist except for Disco Duck
Agents of Fortune is all-killer-no-filler complete work. Great songs start to finish. Reaper was my on-ramp to that album and BOC in general. I remember wearing out my stepdad's eight track replete with dropouts caused by capstan burns and tape jam wrinkles. One of my all time favorite bands.
Masterpiece of a song 🔥
Amen! So great!
This song is mostly nice and gentle melody wise in the verse and chorus, but the eerie, sad, terrifying guitar solo rips right out of the song and into your conscience. The main song says "Don't fear the Reaper" but the solo says "DO fear the Reaper". I slept with a nightlight after hearing Buck Dharma rip through reality with this one when I heard it as a kid.
Only an idiot would think this song was satanic. It obviously refers to not fearing death which is consistent with the BOC's symbol the ankh which represents the eternal afterlife.
I heard it all through school as a kid. It's evil! They would say. I knew better
@@ProfessorofRock Maybe it was your generation's interpretation. I was in highschool in 1976 when it came out and I never heard any such nonsense.
have to say, when I was in my darkest depths of depression, before I got on some good meds, this song always, always brought me back.
I remember $15 $20 for rock shirts
Me too! Now, they are worth $300-$500 on ebay.
few ones like we had had police rush etc niw sell.big dollara store manager said some reprints vintage over 40.each in store we looked at like reissue records replicas manager reord store was showing me on phone origunal tees huge dollars now
That’s pretty cheap compared to today’s standards.
Dropped 60 for Stones tour shirt in Glendale.
They are are a seriously underrated band that deserves to be noticed most often. Top notch musicians and the lyrics are just amazing. My favorite track of theirs is Astronomy. I would love to see an episode on that one. Its one of those rare songs that just draws you in and makes you wonder.
You know what this video needs? More cowbell!!