What Makes This Song Great? "Don’t Fear The Reaper" Blue Oyster Cult
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- Опубліковано 29 бер 2022
- In this episode I discuss the song behind Music's Greatest Meme from the "More Cowbell' comedy sketch featuring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell.
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Classic rock artists need to watch this carefully and understand that Rick is the most important person carrying the torch of their music to the next generations, and if they don't stop this copyright madness, they will be left behind. Thank you Dharma and Rick!
This comment above is so accurate, I can't like it hard enough.
Mixed feelings. I can't blame a professional musician for wanted to get paid for their work. That's how they make their living. Would you work for free?
@@magicbrownie1357 they don’t get paid unless people buy their music, how do you know to buy something you haven’t been exposed to?
Commenters need to read this carefully and understand that there are many people just as important as Rick carrying the the torch of this music to the next generation and if they don't stop this continued use of cliche ridden, overblown hyperbole they will be laughed of of UA-cam
Well said!
It's ironic that NBC does a skit about a song and then decades later won't allow three seconds of the skit to be shown in a video interview with the actual writer of the song. Too many damn lawyers.
Blue Ouster Cult is the most diverse band I've ever heard. Why they've been completely snubbed by the music industry is beyond comprehension.
100% true, just too good to comprehend for many it seems.
The fact that they haven't been recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is just one more reason that the RnRHoF is completely bogus.
(Another reason? Iron Maiden! WTF?)
I've tried to tell this to other classic rock fans but it goes in one ear and out the other. Listen to Mirrors then listen to Secret Treaties. Like two different bands.
Because they're weird.
@@RetroRooNE001It's a shame that the weirdness screens so many people out, because as far as I'm concerned it's one of their best qualities.
Which BÖC are we gonna get today? Existential musing on the nature of death? A love song about a vampire? A hype song for their favourite monster movie? Nobody knows!
Buck is such a great guitarist. Criminally underrated. He is one of the great innovators
Have thought that since their 1st album, then seeing them live in '72.
And emulators, Skoob. He's the master of variation!
Saw them live and yes, he's incredible 👍
Such a great guitarist. His solo on the live version of Veteran of the Psychic Wars is incredible.
I just heard his solo improv on Oct 26th 1979 live rendition of "Astronomy" and was blown away 🤯
When I was recovering from major open heart surgery and a severe stroke. My daughter and I sang it in the hospital ward, while she hit a book with a pencil intimating Will Ferrell. Sometimes you just gotta laugh at death.I'd rather hit the end of the trail with a smile on my face and laughter, than slouched over with self pity. thank you gentlemen.It's amazing what music and laughter can do for the human soul.
Dude, glad you're still here!
Great story, and a great attitude!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I know exactly what you mean about laughing at death. When I woke up from quintuple bypass, my Boss, who actually Did care about his employees. Visited me still groggy from anesthesia, "How are you doing?" He asked.
"I can kick every ass on this floor., ' I said.
'He's still doped up, ' my wife said.
@@michaellefort6128 damn, my husband got a stent in February and I was scared he was going to die, God bless you and hope you enjoy many years of health with your wife.♥️🙏
@@jdenino6022 nothing to fear, I have four stents. It's the kidney failure that might kill you.
This song is pure genius. Just the opening riff would have made it an iconic song. But there are a dozen more parts of this song that are equally iconic. I honestly don't know how any mortal human being can create such a masterpiece. Buck, if you're reading this, you've brought joy to people the world over with this song. Thank you.
Totally! and "Burning for You" is also one the greats. Music Lightning in a Bottle. The songs are total works of art and genius writing/arrangements. What makes them so good is all the tasteful guitar licks (and as RB mentioned a middle eastern sound). As a young guitar player growing up in the 70"s, you had to have these tunes in your R&R repertoire and learning the solos made you a better player! I agree with RB- Reaper has to be one of the best Classic R&R hits, the song is just perfect :)
The opening riff is just stunning in its almost eerie persistence.
And like many big hits, they were surprised at its popularity. Great song which has many great parts from the main riff to the blistering screeching solo!
I never get sick of hearing this song and have it in my workout playlists (great energy for working out).
This is my favorite rock song ever recorded. But I don't hear dozens of different parts in this song, it basically only has two (plus the solo section) and that's one of the reasons why I love it so much.
Cities aflame with Rock & Roll........off their first album was pretty awesome as well!! Jim C.
Don “Buck Dharma” Roeser is one of the most underrated guitarists ever.
100% agree. What a thrill to see the lead guitarist of my favorite band on my favorite UA-cam music channel!
Agreed!
So true ! One of my favorite bands during my HS days. I saw them play in 73 in NYC on New Years eve and I was hooked ( kiss and iggy pop played too)
Buck Dharma is god.
@WisdomJX No, either have I . To clarify, most folks have no idea who Don Roeser or his on-stage persona Buck Dharma are unless they are BOC fans; and that’s unfortunate. The guy can flat-out play with the best of ‘em. L.I. has Joe Satch, Steve Vai, Don Roeser, I’m sure many more great guitarists.
I remember when my daughter was in her mid-teens when she wanted nothing to do with me or anything I liked, especially music. We were in the car together and this song came on the radio. I could literally see it grab her attention as she heard the lyrics and the music for the first time. It was a great example of the amazing power of music to bridge gaps between people. We could agree on at least one thing...'This is a REALLY good song!'
That's an amazing story.
👏 Thank you 👍 😊
You've gotta try showing her some of their other songs.
I didn’t know Mike Ditka played guitar on that song!
The solo in this song is one of the creepiest and most interesting leads I've ever heard. Every time I hear it I wonder how they came up with it. Also NBC sucks for making you take a 3 second GIF out.
I agree- I would say "Haunting" because the song's theme, mood and emotion is carried along so well with all of the guitar playing. I am glad there are these classic 70's hits like Reaper and that Ric Beato can share them with us with the theory and interviews! I don't hear any modern music that is a emotional and clever. BOC built the Mold then Broke it. Fantastic music all the way around :)
The pre-solo intro riff does NOT help at all. (min to diminished minor?)
Buck Dharma must be the most exquisitely melodic guitarist I can think of. His vocal and lead style are so far removed from the posturing norm of 70s rawk yet he can really rip. And he's written some great songs.
True, along with the pre-solo riff. I had this song on a 45 pretty soon after it came out. Whenever that solo section started my sister got upset because she thought it was satanic. She said she could actually feel the evil spirits in the house.
@@cozmicpfunk Yes ... I like the word "haunting" or even "mournful". The solo fits the theme of the lyrics so well. The whole song is sorrowful while also somehow life-affirming and just bloody majestic. Hits me smack in the heart every time I hear it.
The cowbell is thematically fitting as a stand-in for the ticking away of time to the inevitable meeting with the Reaper. Hear the ticking? It means you're still alive in the now. And maybe it's also a symptom of a very minor or tongue in cheek demo-itis - hommage au métronome?
Genius level comment - I’ll always hear it this way now!
Brilliant take on it.
That's effing brilliant. I feel like I've known that semi-subconsciously when listening to the song but just never verbalized it.
I have always thought this. It also explains why it ever so slightly gets louder as the song goes on. He's getting closer.
i visualize a metronome going back and forth when i hear it now. i think that's it.
People should listen to the album they put out in 2020, The Symbol Remains. One of the best albums they've made and easily my favorite new album over the last few years.
I agree. The Symbol Remains is irrefutable proof that an older band can still produce masterpieces.
It’s one of the their best
Totally. It's awesome. Crazy awesome.
Absolutely brilliant. More and better Buck Dharma guitar work than anything since Agents of Fortune, and great songwriting.
TSR is as good as "new" music gets in my book. Brilliant release, and so happy they're still out there AND putting out new music...Nightmare Epiphany, Florida Man, and the mighty Alchemist all 10/10s!
The solo after the key change is like a struggle or a fight with the reaper. Crying out in pain as Buck goes through a heart attack. Then calm again as his life is returned to normal and the bell keeps beating with the high hat tremors of a heart murmur. Beautiful to know the story behind the song. Than you Rick.
I was B.O.C.'s sound man for the first 12 years of their endless touring journey and, indeed, Buck's Reaper demo features a cardboard box accompaniment. He does play drums,
by the way. I have a UA-cam channel where I post many of the exclusive tracks I collected back in the day from our rehearsal process and tours.
Post the link for your channel ???
@@ekayaniperforms Just search for my name on UA-cam. There IS a channel from Greece (yes, another George Geranios..one of many it seems) but he has modified his name.
Hey George - I opened for them many years as the soft white underbelly at Suny Stony Brook (I was Cummin' Tyde). I worked with Sandy Perlman and Howie Klein on school concerts at Stony Brook....
@@paulfeuerstein6143 That was how I met Sandy Pearman and his crew. Long long time ago my friend!
I always liked "Cities on flame" & "Godzilla" just as much...just say'n 👋🤓🤙
I love Buck’s solos because he builds them, weaving different phrases together, changing tempo at times, creating solos that you rarely hear. His solos take you on a journey
That Fm solo reminds me of something from mid-70's Yes. I've looked through other comments and seen others who were reminded of different guitarists, so maybe there was just something about the mid-70's that encouraged a little more out there guitar solos.
Totally agree on the journey aspect. His Veteran of the Psychic Wars solo on Extraterrestrial Live makes one feel as if one is standing outside of space and time. David Gilmour is the only one who outshines him in that regard.
What a legend.
My solos take you on a journey as well. Usually to the bathroom. I do what I can.
Agreed. My favorite is on Nosforatu, but as far as taking you on a journey type, that would be Veteran of the Psychic Wars or Last Days of May live.
It really is one of the greatest songs ever. I remember hearing it the first time in a friend's car on party night. We were all blown away. Same thing happened when Heart's Magic Man came on. They gave us hope in the disco era.
The genius of the man is unreal. How could he put together such sophistication at such a young age? Wow!
Buck's feel when he plays that solo still whips ass.
74 years young!
Random thought but Don seems like a dude you’d see at a local breakfast cafe and not even realize your sitting next to a legend. Also love how he played his parts for the interview you can tell he loves to play guitar ❤️ 🎸
He’s very low key. They still tour because they love to play, not to pay of debt.
100
He's like everybody's uncle.
With his heart condition and all makes him even more mellow and loveable.
We just saw BOC live (7/31/22). Before the show I looked to our right and there was a familiar figure walking down the aisle toward the stage. I told my wife, "You better look quick, that's Buck Dharma Roeser right there." While she was saying "no way", a young family walked quickly past us toward him as he stopped when he saw them. The little girl in the family said, "It's Donald!" as they ran up to him. He must have spent close to 20 minutes talking with them before he slipped out of the theater. It appeared most people didn't realize who he was. One of the coolest moments I've ever seen of someone I consider to be a rock legend just being one of us. This capped off a special month where we were walking into a convenience store in Tampa where a familiar face was standing in line. I told my wife, "Look, that's Iggy Pop right there." She confirmed it on her phone. (Have some faith, please.) Another legend just being like one of us except for the fact his chauffeur drove him away.
@@sngwrter49Iggy Pop, only one dude looks like him for sure, aside for the average dead man, haha.
I saw them twice in 78 at Newcastle City Hall (UK) and was blown away. In fact part of the live album Some Enchanted Evening was recorded on one of those nights. Buck is a highly underrated player. His live solo in Last Days Of May is still incredible. Saw them again in 2002 and he was still on fire!
I'm going to have an "OK Boomer" moment, but I have to say that Reaper is the essence of what I love about classic rock. It's multidimensional! A lot of what I hear today is ear candy by comparison. Songs like Reaper take the listener on a JOURNEY!
And there were no ear candy songs in top 40 radio in the 70s? Most of the radio hits were ear candy crap in the 70s. Look back at billboard for the decade. It wasn’t all “great classic rock” like you all seem to remember
@@fixedgear37 True. But even the "ear candy" of that time period was far more sophisticated musically than today's pop music. I must add that there's a ton of great artists out there now, but they're not getting the attention that they deserve due to how the music industry is structured now. There's exceptions of course, but homogenized music is what gets pushed for the most part.
@@fixedgear37 While I agree there was plenty of crap in the 60s & 70s, & theres good tunes today if you dig enough. But those two decades did have the most consistent over saturation yet quality I've ever seen. 68 to 72 in particular churned out a roller coaster of rock&roll
BOC FOREVER!!!!👍👍👍👍👍👍🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
There are still a lot of transcendental songs being made, to suggest a few:
Kevin Penkin - Hanezeve Caradina & Tozo Hanoline
Casey Edwards - Bury The Light
Suckers - A Mind i Knew
"There should be a compilation record of cowbell songs."
Couldn't agree more.
Mountain- Mississippi Queen
Leonid and Friends......Cover of "My Old School"/ Steely Dan
Grand Funk's "American Band" literally starts with them; SNL could have made the skit about that one since it was more noticeable, but i suspect DFTR was more popular and they preferred to use it for that reason.
Brilliant idea by Buck
Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog" and War's "Low Rider" should be at or near the top of the list.
Something you didn't mention is just how lovely Don's voice is. No, it's not a great or classic rock vocal but its beautiful softness draws you into the mood of the song in a way that a stronger voice just wouldn't do.
You made a very good point...
Him and David Gilmour have that same thing going. And they both happen to be insanely good guitarists.
I kinda got Moody Blues vibes from it
His solo in the live version of 7 Screaming Dizbuster on the album On Your Feet or on Your Knees is one of the bests of rock history!
that whole album is buck at his best.
@doug marcus Is totally sick 🫨🫨
I love how happy guitar players look when playing. Like they are delighted by the magic flowing through their hands. So fun to watch.
Buck's story is a deep, enlightening insight to this well-known song - again, well done.... and he has a good sense of humor about the skit- what a relief! Whew!
He lives in the immortal realm now, his song and that skit have transcended mere rock and roll music.
Agreed. I'm wondering about the contribution of the producer tho -- it's THE Bruce Dickinson, after all!
Read this in Homestars voice
I used his excited giddy voice - well done.
I know
I always wondered about that.
The greatest single guitar note in rock history is that feedback note that's held forever and then bent up at the very end. I could just listen to that note . ..
Also the end of "Limelight" solo!
Aw man, this was one of the best video made by Rick. I mean this is so awesome, that he can get these great great musicans to tell they’re story and open up the songs..
i mean Rick will definately will be remembered as a teacher who always went one step further and deeper than others.
Hope youngsters will find this content and some day grow enough to appreciate these stories 😃
I was blessed to see BOC last night 12/4/22 in Honolulu, at a smaller venue. AMAZING!
Thank you Rick for the wonderful videos 🙏
Rick forgot to say at the end: "Don't forget to ring the cow bell"
Blue Öyster Club got a really unique way of composing and plaing rock songs.
club? 😄
@@La_sagne Police academy
The greatest musical meme ever is Nigel Tufnel's "These go to eleven." scene. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 But this is a close second. Great video!
Just when I thought this video couldn't get any better, then comes Buck's live playing at the end. What a treat! Thank you both.
Reaper gets all the attention but for me it was their first three albums that remain bullet proof. You can hear just about every type of music imaginable on those. Favorites of mine like Cities on Flame with Rock n Roll, Stairway to the Stars, Last Days of May, Teen Archer and Mistress Of The Salmon Salt.
Hell Yes! I'd have to add Baby Ice Dog to that list.
Cities on Flame! Going to listen to that next.
cities on flame with rocknroll's guitar solo combined with the bass line is one of the stankiest thing ive ever heard.
Dominance and Submission
Astronomy, Flaming Telepaths.
When they hit that section with the "seasons don't fear the reaper" lyric, I always thought it sounded like a Ventures song. Then when you ask him about his favorite guitarists, he mentions the Ventures. So cool. Great video, Rick.
So true…I always liked how after the bridge guitar solo, Buck let’s the guitar just feedback for a long time…Then ends it with an upward bend. They were genius.
Interesting too he mentions Robbie Krieger as an influence. Robbie doesn't often come up as a source.. But here we are !
That part uses an A G F E progression using a root 6 barre chord. The Ventures used the same progression in Walk Don't Run. The timing of the changes is a little different - much to the disappointment of copyright lawyers everywhere.
I remember distinctly, the first time I heard "Don't Fear the Reaper"...
I was parked on an overlook on Skyline Blvd in Oakland California, and my buddy and I were listening to the radio via my own custom built, remote speaker, car audio system. Two notes into the song, and I was cranking up the volume to just shy of Self-Destruct! As soon as the song was over, we packed up the speakers, and beat feet over to Tower Records in Berkeley to snag a couple of copies of Agents of Fortune!
Good times!
I was on a boat fishing on a lake with my uncle when I first heard don't fear the reaper. My uncle had a CD player in the boat and had a mix CD of all 70's and 80's music. He only had one CD so it was on repeat. Everytime don't fear the reaper played we seemed to slay the fish. Everytime I hear this song I think of the fishing trip.
Man, I was just on Skyline this afternoon!
I had to get AoF back then because of DFtR and loved loved loved the whole album. Patti Smith on Revenge of Vera Gemini, E.T.I., Debbie Denise, all those songs, I still put it on and dig every note. Don't Fear the Reaper is just driven, so beautifully arranged and really crackles with layered guitar artistry, no wonder it's such a classic!
Awesome memory
So glad Buck played an extended DFTR end solo for your viewers! Priceless. Buck has been my hero since I first saw BOC in 1975.
Buck is 75 years old and still plays great! Will Ferrell is a genius for going overboard with cowbell in the SNL skit!
That sustain out of the guitar solo (from the Fm to G7 section) almost through the entire next verse that cultivates into that slide upwards... that's one of my favorite moments in rock and roll.
Yeah, that feedback note made me start playing Really loud, because back in 1976 the only way to get feedback was to play at high volume!!
Right! That rise and then fade into nowhere.
one of the greatest somgs of all time. the vocals kill too. he didnt try to over do it or try to hard. gives it a dreamy kind of haze. cuts deep. this is what its all about.
Don't Fear the Reaper has been my favorite song since 1976 when I was 15. I saw Blue Oyster Cult in Cleveland in the late 90s and stood in front of Buck so I could figure out his leads and was probably creeping him out when he just ripped some leads that blew my mind! He knew it when he saw my face and smiled.
This is the only outside song that appears in Halloween, when I saw it as a 7 year old kid in 78 I noticed it right away because my brother had the album. Funny how nobody really makes reference to it when talking about the movie.
Also the First song in the Steven King movie The Stand, well chosen too.
Also turns up at the beginning of the TV mini-series "The Stand."
No discussion of the vampire aspect of the story? I find this song overwhelming in its beauty and terror. I have to turn off the radio if it comes on while I'm driving. I almost had an accident while it was on, I got so caught up in it. Not like I'm superstitious, or anything, yeah.....
One of the hooks of this song (and there are many) is echoing of the words "Romeo and Juliette" is just mesmerizing.
Agreed.
And the haunting, "we can be like they are..."
Here's my personal connection...I played bass in a grunge band in the 90's that did a mix of covers and original music. BOC did a show at a nearby casino and needed a local band to open up for them. The radio station putting the event on reached out to us and we got to do the show. Was a highlight for us for sure!
Awesome! That's a GREAT memory to be able to carry around. Some people want to be famous themselves (I think we all have that dream), but as I've gotten older, I've realized that what is REALLY cool and exciting is when you're invited to share the stage with someone you admire. Or sometimes, you come to admire them as you watch them. Sure, there ARE the ones you might have admired BEFORE hearing their snarky comments - that they will NEVER share the stage with you again - but with egos that big, you ALWAYS run into jealousy! Then you see someone like Dharma, and his humility is inspiring! Thank you for sharing your memory!
@@melodygrim471 Yes, you hit the nail on the head. I didn't make a career of music, but I will always play it and enjoy it. I'm often actually thankful to have led a normal life, only occasionally stepping into the bubble of people that "made it" in the business. It was exciting whenever it happened, but it would have wrecked music to make it my living.
Grats on that gig, thats a no brainer to do that man! From one bass player to another.
A friend of mine's band opened for Ozzy in front of 20K ppl about 20 years ago. They edged my band out in a contest put on by the local FM station. We were bummed but they deserved it, and we got the full back stage experience as the consolation prize.
Another group I knew back then opened for QOTSA at a big concert hall. They said it was pretty surreal, drinking with their heroes. Said they were nice dudes.
Ozzy's team and group were very very nice.
@@peachmelba1000 That would have been absolutely mind bending to open for Ozzy! So cool that you got to hang backstage for that show and meet the band. Glad you shared those stories. It's the stuff to remember for a lifetime.
I always loved Buck's solo on "Last Days of May" on "On your Feet.....". Understated brilliance.
When Rick highlights an artist or band, sales will most likely go up. That's how they make money. If no one talks about them , people forget. Copyright Cowards are fools , plain and simple.
It's all a question of effort. It is much easier to blanket ban everyone than to pick out, every day, the one or two instances where the music/images are being used positively. They would need to hire someone /many people, maybe full-time, to check each flagged usage to weed out people like Rick and then judge if it was a genuine usage and not a parasite ripping off a living from others work. It would cost too much to do this for each copy writed piece and it is far too much effort .
@@I_Don_t_want_a_handle it's really not that difficult. The problem comes when the actual artist let's someone else do their thinking for them.
@@stevebird9510 You assume that the artists have the time, inclination and/or ability to think.
Many, perhaps most, have little control over their copy writes. They are often held large businesses who are driven by cost. Even the Beatles had no control over their music, IIRC Michael Jackson bought them.
It is far simpler and cheaper to carpet bomb than it is to use a guided missile ...
@@I_Don_t_want_a_handle Very True about today's musicians. Most have no idea what's going on behind the scenes. Badginger is an excellent example of a band that ended up broke because of poor management. The Beatles however took control over their music with the release of Rubber Soul and even created Apple Records. I guess the moral of the story is , if you want it done right , do it yourself or live with your poor choices.
Mississippi Queen’ intro the most prominent cowbell I remember
Don’t Fear Reaper was the first song I learned on guitar as a boy in 1985 practicing chords and picking. My parents loved it in the 70’s San Angelo TX and it’s one of those songs that lives forever ironically. Thank y’all
Absolutely- Mountain had it down !
Always wanted an authentic sounding cowbell for my percussion instrument collection but those cows can run surprisingly fast when they need to.
Did you try asking them to borrow one first?
An ear of corn works.
I met Buck Dharma in a hotel elevator before their show. Coolest and most down to earth musician you could imagine!
Cities on flame with rock and roll has one of the greatest riffs of all time
One of the greatest guitar solos of all time, imo. Gives me goosebumps every time. It's a perfect example of using a key change for artistic impact and not just technical wankery or songwriting laziness.
It is in the top ten breaks of all time, I have to agree. It's not just an average bridge either, It's a complete reworking of the tempo and time sig.
Agreed!
Super cool to see Buck and how well he’s still playing and singing. We should all be so lucky. :)
Who knew Mike Ditka could shred guitar? Seriously; yes "super cool' & I'm fortunate 2 see this.
I saw Buck play at a charity gig about 3 years ago and he's terrific.
@@robertakerman3570 he DOES looks like Ditka! Great observation.
I got to see them this past October’21 in a packed theater in Rutland, VT. They killed it! High energy, amazing BOC show! They’ve still got it for sure
Saw them last year (for the first time) and they still put on a good show. Sorry it took me so long to see them, but glad I got to check it off the box.
Have always loved this song! I suspect the SNL skit wasn’t written as a send-up on the actually song, but used more as a platform to get Christopher Walken to say absolutely ridiculous lines like “I have a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!” And of course to watch Farrell gyrate around the studio. Hilarious stuff!
I wish Rick had asked Buck about his vocals on this track, as they are almost whispered to get that haunting affect.
I've always loved Buck Dharma's impassive, cool vocals in this song.
As a kid the vocal harmony was what reached out to me and the idea that death is inevitable. Having recently lost a young, close family member when this song came out.
I just love how "self made rockstars" like Mr Buck Dharma are so down to earth guys. Thank you for providing these interviews!
Blue Oyster Cult remains one of the greatest bands of all time and yet so little known. Thank you, Rick.
The guitar lines throughout the song are so melodic and lyrical. Really a pleasure to hear them isolated. Great work, Rick.
I think there is this door in all of us that is programmed to react to certain musical keys or chord progressions; and "Don't Fear The Reaper" is one of those. There is just something about that riff that makes the hairs on my arms stand up. It's warm and inviting, but almost resigned to its fate. The story about Don's heart condition makes a lot of sense. And the guitar work on this song is seriously underrated.
Blue Öyster Cult are very underrated. I really love their music.
As a stupid kid, I got sent an 8 track from I think the Columbia record group. I sent it back because I didn't know who they were....so dumb..lol
They are amazing
Veteran of a Thousand Psychic Wars is the coolest song ever created and I will die on that hill
They’re incredibly musical, technical and heartfelt. They rock!
They went to #10 on Billboard, sold out stadiums, and are still being talked about 50 yrs later. How is that underrated?
"Buck Dharma" is one of my favorite hard rock guitarists ever, very underrated. My favorite B.O.C. song is "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars."
The way the song was incorporated into the Heavy Metal movie was great! One of my favorites too.
Veteran was always my favorite BOC song. I saw them in 1987 or 88 at the Bayou in Washington DC. And then I just saw them this year in Jim Thorpe Pennsylvania. I always considered myself a casual fan until seeing them again and now I’m listening them to them constantly. There is a long live version of Astronomy that is excellent several awesome versions of Then Came the Last Days of May, Joan Crawford and Flaming Telepaths get multiple plays
ETL Live Best Guitar Solo
@@stephenjones7520 seen him play it twice.
I remember them saying Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock was an inspiration for this song.
Buck has to be THE most underrated guitarist ever. He looks absolutely fantastic too.
Total masterpiece. Every nuance of every part is just so well done.
I used to teach that to many guitar students. Between the music in general, the harmonies, the great riffs and solos, arrangement, and on and on, I began to think of it as one of the most perfect rock songs in musical history.
I've got a fever and the only cure is more Beato videos. Lol
Hope yoy feel better👍
😆
one of beato's best in a some time.
Beato Fever....CATCH IT on UA-cam Everyday!
Buck is also funny as HELL and must not take himself too seriously as he parodies what many BOC fans must have thought of him when he joins Blotto on the song "Metal Head". I have always gotten a vibe from BOC they were rather making fun of the whole rock and roll scene (particularly the Heavy Metal scene) while still making some of the greatest rock and roll songs. Genius.
I love to hear this 'birth of the song' stuff about the really huge iconic tracks. At what point does the writer know "this is something special" ? How can you hear some of these and NOT know right away it's an immortal track?
That sustain note after the second to last solo gives me chills every time. Great song.
To me beauty comes when that feedback blends with the riff, it feels like flying.
for me the solo in don't fear the reaper is one of the all time greats, so unusual, powerful and moving. most solos don't do that.
So many great memories of this song and seeing these guys as BOC or Soft White Underbelly back in the 70's and 80's
"Dust in the Wind" by Kansas was released around the same time and with a similar theme. It is another great song! Also, Aerosmith's "Dream On" had a shuffle off this mortal coil vibe. All first class tunes! I loved ' em then and enjoy them still.
Gary Wright’s “Dream Weaver” also comes to mind.(1975)
Leftoverture came out exactly 5 months later... Two of the three albums that pushed rock to new musical highs that year (Boston was released in between)
@@phreshone1 Carry on wayward son, my favorite song of that year.
I was in fifth grade and all those songs definitely describe a moment in my life.
Agreed! The attention paid to composition and song structure during that time period was phenomenal.
I'm surprised that it wasn't mentioned that when Don't Fear The Reaper was played on radio stations using heavy compression the cowbell was brought way up in front of the mix due to the way compression works.
Also, I've spent many days and nights listening to Buck Dharma's amazing playing and I want to thank him for the tunes. He really made life better.
Also the song was shorter, usually excluding the bridge/guitar solo on AM radio.
Yes, hearing that song on Radio back then had the Cowbell more prominent. What a great video- what is amazing is how BOC was a perfect band in the middle of 70's Rock, Pop, Prog, really any genre of radio friendly music that would become heavy metal hard rock etc. The guitar playing in that band is top notch against any other band of the time (Boston, Rush, JPreist, Genesis, Yes, I could go on etc.) and what makes BOC so great is they made Pop radio friendly hard edge R&R and yet had so catchy melodies and riffs- no one else like them. Buck is so gracious playing for Ric on his Steinberger ( I have one too!) Total class act- wish I could have seen them live...
Always liked his lead on Dominance and Submission.
The key change guitar solo has always blown my mind. All of it a true masterpiece that captures the essence of the lyrics. Similar to Renaissance word painting or something. I love how far-removed that solo sounds from the rest of the song but yet it still manages to tie together seamlessly.
I had the good fortune to see BÖC several times in the late seventies, including at a small club gig where they were billed as "Soft White Underbelly" (it pays to know your rock trivia!). Unforgettable. Love these guys more than ever.
Great video, Rick!
I’ve seen Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen , Steve Vai and also Buck Dharma in concert. Buck Dharma is one of the most underrated guitarists, he can shred or play soft melodies. He always knows what’s good for the song. I remember his backup guitarist who was younger would shred an awesome piece then Buck Dharma would reply with a tasteful melodic bit
I must have heard the song over a thousand times in my lifetime. It's up there with the best of Zeppelin, Floyd, etc. Such a masterful tune.
To me, the best part of that whole SNL skit was Christopher Walken, “I’ve got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell.” It’s such a “legendary producer” thing to say.
And his name was Bruce Dickinson. That’s also the name of Iron Maiden’s lead singer.
That’s why when Walken says, “Yes, THE Bruce Dickinson.” I had to laugh.
I have to disagree that SNL was the best use of the song. The beginning of the mini series “The Stand” reminds me more than that skit.
@@richardpowell1772 BOC had a producer named Bruce Dickinson.
Yeah, that quote is actually what makes the skit a classic, and the quote itself is a classic. Rick doesn't even mention it. The cowbell is not so much the comedy in the skit itself as it is Christopher Walken's obsession with it.
@@chrisconley8583 i read the book before seeing the first mini series from the 90's
and if memory serves, King pulled lyrics from the song and used them in the book to sort of pre-set the mood for each chapter.
I have to agree with you, it was a perfect choice
As an avid cow-bell player myself (along with other percussion of course), this song has a special place in my music collection.
The opening to Honky Tonk Women was my introduction to the cow-bell back in the `60s.
You're such an awesome musician, music analyst, commentator, interviewer, and personality. Love the history and back story of all rock music. Great channel.
I wish you had talked a little more about that explosive single note opening to the middle eastern solo, probably the most dramatic moment in the history of guitar, musically speaking. it comes out of nowhere, punches you in the soul, and doesn't go where you expect. really an astonishing achievement. gets me every time.
Absolutely. Same here. Never fails.
Yeah, it def needs a lot more going over.
Grips my heart every single time I listen.
Brother!
Absolutely breathtaking solo.... The phrasing is masterful. Somehow overshadowed by that idiotic cowbell skit chatter.
not mentioned is how the vocals harmonize together and then split apart into call-and-response for the chorus, which I've always found fascinating
My favorite band of all time, thank you for showing their musical genius with this song.
This is a masterpiece and always came off to me as, and especially the guitar solo, as very Boleroesque!👍🏻
I used to play this in a band with an old friend who has since passed on. Makes you feel like a real rock star when you’re doing it in front of people.
"More Cowbell!" Great stuff.
I saw Blue Oyster Cult at the Boston Garden right after I got out of the Army in 1977. They were in top form and the searing guitar solo in Don't Fear the Reaper has always been one of my favorites since then. What a fantastic night!
What an honor it is to see the master himself playing these guitar solos on this video. Well done sir! 👏 👏👏
I just got chills reading this. Wow.
One of my favorite songs ever.❤
He mentioned The Byrds as an influence at the end of the video. That's exactly what I was thinking when I heard the isolated vocal track that Rick played earlier.
That also explains why--except for the middle guitar solo--it's easy for me to imagine this song as a template for what R.E.M. later did!
Mississippi Queen!! The all-time top cowbell tune as perfectly played by the late and great Leslie West and Mountain!! Jim C.
another monster on 🎸 ❤
I was so excited to see that Rick was breaking down this song and Buck was participating in it. Reaper is a tremendous song, and it’s great to know what inspired it. The shift and the explosive guitar solo entry always sends a jolt and thrill through me.
Damn right, like a warning blast from an alien planet.
One of my LONG, long time faves! Since I first heard it
A masterclass in in elegant, melodic, yet adventurous guitar playing. Enhances the mood of the song in every way.
Wow! That ending solo by Don was incredible and haunting.
One of my favorite guitarists. He rips and rocks, but he’s also so tasteful, haunting and unexpected. And not just in this song.
Don seems like a real chill, quiet and humble guy. And a good sport too. I must admit, the cowbell is louder in my inner ear and mind than it is on the record.
“It wasn’t a click, [it was a cowbell]." 😂
Though not a quintessential BOC tune, another GREAT Buc song is "I love the Night" off Spectres. Haunting, Ethereal, and a Perfect solo. A Masterpiece !!!
Blue Oyster Cult is one of my favorite bands of all time! I've been a huge fan since I was a kid in the early 80s. Buck is one of the elite classic rock guitar players, and these guys have albums full of great songs. I've been waiting for this episode for a long time.
Tyranny and Mutation and Spectres are my personal two favorite BOC albums, but I love them all!
Spectres is my favorite, too
when you hear the isolated guitar playing the solos as you say it is a wonderful tone which modern production no longer gets. Watching Buck Dharma play that solo on a Steinberger was really awesome
That middle part sounds like a completely different song. For a long time, when I heard it on the radio I thought the song was over because they switch to such a random key with a completely different guitar riff. And it's so metal! Did you notice that they rest on 1, and then play sets of 3 until the riff ends on the 4. Really unusual rhythm pattern. But then the best part is how they just roll right back into the main song riff. That would take me by complete surprise and it was always such a triumphant moment when I realized it's the same freaking song!
This is one song that to me is one of the greatest songs ever made. So many emotions in this song from start till end.
When I was 15 I was playing this song in my room really loud. My father burst in and screamed for me to "Turn off the drug music." I turned it down but not off and asked, "Drug music?" He replied, "They're singing 'Don't fear the Reefer.' I don't want you listening to songs that glorify drugs." I corrected him, "The song is called 'Don't Fear the Reaper.' It's a tune about death, dying, and suicide. That's why they mention Romeo & Juliet." He looked at me all deflated-like but still pissed off, "Well, OK, but keep turned down."
"oh suicide? suicide's fine. go nuts, kid."
Lol David, for the longest time my friends sang it as don’t fear the reefer. Absolutely one of the transcendent AOR songs of all time. Well done Buck!
That is funny! Death and suicide are OK themes for a teenager, but smoking a spliff? No!
Not to be confused with BOC's really rare B-Side, "Shoot A Speedball Into Your Eyeball".
My dad would have told me to crank
It up! I got my rock education from him ❤️ ☮️I miss him 😔
OH MY GOD BUCK DHARMA ! He's my favorite guitarist. The Extraterrestrial live of "Veteran of the psychic war" is my favorite music piece ever, from 2:30 on the solo is just... I've never heard anything like this. I always put it on when I have friends or dates coming over. They always note it on their phone and talk about it months later... I encourage everyone one of you guitar lovers to check "Veteran of the psychics war - Extraterrestrial live" and wait for 2:30. I promise it will change how you think about music.
When a band plays so powerfully and uniquely LIVE... it really becomes art.
that's one hell of a guitar solo! my favourite of his, is on madness to the method from club ninja
Extraterrestrial Live is one of the best live albums ever made by a rock band !
Buck really is one of the very best rock guitarists ever
Yup, it's almost like call and response w/ the echo, and another really haunting sounding part from one of the most melodic and tasteful players ever... I said it many times before you know "Don't Fear The Reaper" is my all time favorite rock and roll song, no question. Perfection, o' haunting rock n' roll Valentine. "Veteran" is in the movie "Heavy Metal" and I believe "Heavy Metal (Black and Silver" was ❤️ also written for the movie but they used "VOTPW" instead. It's of course another one of my favorites from the Masters along with "And Then Came The Last Days Of May". AND WHEN YOU FIGURE IN THE RESPECT THESE GUYS HANDLE COVERS WITH FROM THE ANIMALS, THE DOORS, AND THE MC5 WELL, GOT TO GIVE THEM KUDOS...
Possible the best UA-cam video ever.... just needs more cow bell!
"There should be a compilation record of cowbell songs."
Rick's next list: TOP 2O GREATEST SONGS WITH COWBELL OF ALL TIME