Doug, I lost my 89 year old father about 12 hours ago and boy did l need this. Thank you so much. One of the best songs from one of my favorite bands. I took care of my father for the last half dozen years at home, until l just couldn’t do it anymore earlier this year. A few weeks ago, my dad got pneumonia and he just couldn’t beat it. My sister and l both told him beforehand that he could let go and be with his late wife; in essence, don’t fear the reaper. What an amazing gift this song has been to the music world for the past 46+ years. I never related it to my recent situation until your video. I will now appreciate it even more. I even liked your comic interlude as well. Thanks again for helping me deal with my very recent loss with your analysis of this BÖC gem. Sincerely yours, David.
Music can speak to us in the best of times and the most trying times. I am sorry to hear about your loss (I lost my own father many years ago), but also glad to hear that music carries you forward as it does me, every day.
Please do more BOC. Any song. They are criminally underrated. They have some very interesting and quirky songs with recurring themes in their music: aliens, biker gangs, and vampires to name a few.
Hey Dr. Doug, I'm from the Band Geeks, currently on tour with Jon Anderson playing “Yes epics and classics” . Our musical director and bass player/guitarist Richie Castellano has been playing 2nd guitar and keys with BOC for the last 20 years. He also co wrote and produced their latest record, which is super good. Love the channel!
Heard an interview here in Chicago suburbs w Jon on wgn radio a few days ago- he seems like such an upbeat funny guy- sly, sweet sense of humor !! Keep up the great work!!
Hi Andy - super impressive work on the Jon Anderson tour, especially (for me) Heart of the Sunrise. I'm not in an area where you toured, so the available videos were the cat's knees. Yes, I've seen a lot of Richie's work with BOC too. All of you Geeks are really a complete band. Keep up the good work!
Your wife knew what was coming up and was preparing you for the heat, Doug! 😁 Great song from a classic album. Every song on this album is fantastic, from "Tattoo Vampire" to "This Ain't the Summer of Love" to "Morning Final," all terrific songs. Keep it up, my man. ❤✌
I can never unhear the cowbell after that ! Didn’t notice it before the skit but afterwards can’t listen without it standing out like a sore thumb. Plus anything with Walken is gold. That man can do nothing wrong.
_Agents of Fortune_ is a near-perfect album--not a single bad track on it. And the guitar solo on "The Revenge of Vera Gemini" is, at around only 8 bars long, ounce for ounce one of the greatest ever.
to be honest I think BOC has the strongest run of studio albums of probably any band. From BOC to Revolution by Night, I don't think there's a song I ever skip, pretty impressive.
I love that flatlining guitar, that extremely lengthy sustained note that ends in an eery moan/squeal; frankly it's incredible. Personally I love these kind of details, quite a piece.
When they play this song live, I saw Eric use some sort of machine to keep the string sustaining like that, then put it in his pocket after they went back to the main riff.
The RU-vid Channel Polyphonic did a video about this song years ago and in his video, he talks about how everyone gets the meaning of this song wrong and how it's about love overcoming death. Basically "dont fear the reaper because our love can withstand death"
Their latest album has some really good stuff on it. So much to choose from with BOC. They have a very deep catalog and it's almost criminal that they're only known for 2 or 3 songs.
@Baby lemonade some of my favorite BOC songs would be; Joan Crawford (Has risen from the grave), Veteran of the Psychic Wars, Black Blade, Hot Rails to Hell, Then Came the Last Days of May, Tainted Blood, That was Me, The Alchemist, Dancing in the Ruins and Shooting Shark...off the top of my head. I'd recommend the newest album The Symbol Remains. It has an excellent variety of the different styles they work in. 🤘🧙♂️🤘
@Baby lemonade they also had lesser hits with Burning For You and Godzilla. PS, I saw Blind Melon cover the song Baby Lemonade live and flipped right out because I love Syd's music SO MUCH.
BOC - One of the most underrated rock bands ever. Their musicianship and song writing was so next level, many people just couldn't grasp it. How many rock songs do you know where the rhythm guitar is feedbacking the entire song? Check out Heavy Metal: The Black and Silver. Brilliant!
I've been recommending Blue Oyster Cult forever and I'm so happy to see it. One of their greatest tracks is "Nosferatu", which is a really moody and cool song loosely following the movie of the same name. Their deep catalog is full of borderline prog-rock tracks that display the band's lyricism and musical talent.
With reference to something you said in your introduction, Doug: My high-school music teacher (45 years or so ago now - sob!) gave me the most significant advice I have ever received on any subject. She said, "It doesn't matter how many times you hear a piece of music; if you are listening in the right way, you'll always hear something that you hadn't noticed before". I can't tell you how much my appreciation of music has been enhanced by that thought. I can give you a clear example: my favourite orchestral piece is Grieg's Piano Concerto. I've known it since I was about ten years old and had listened to it so many times, but it wasn't until one night only about three or four years ago, lying in bed listening to it again that I noticed that a few bars from the end, there is an enormous f-you upwards glissando from the piano (the orchestra's giving it the full 11 at this point, so it's not immediately apparent). I lay there in the dark and marvelled at the fact that a piece I'd known so well (or so I'd thought) for so long still had the capacity to surprise.
Nice air drumming Doug. I am a huge Blue Öyster Cult fan, and it’s really sad that most people only know them for this song and Godzilla. They have a huge catalog of amazing music and I hope you dig into it some more. I Love The Night, Astronomy and E.T.I. are three of my favorites that I think you’ll be interested in.
Best albums are Secret Treaties and Fire of Unknown Origin. I have all the CBS albums. I have heard on streaming most of the solo material and various early live gigs by The Soft White Underbelly and The Stalk Forrest Group. BOC are my fave American Rock Group.
Donald 'Buck Dharma' Roeser is one of the greatest rock guitarists full stop. Check him out especially on their live album 'Some Enchanted Evening'. His playing on 'Astronomy ' is wonderful.
Saw BOC live when they were the opening act for Rush on their Power Windows tour in Philly in 1986. I think Marillion was supposed to be the support band for this show, but they had to cancel and BOC took their place. When they started playing Godzilla, they trotted out a giant inflatable Godzilla monster and the place went nuts.
@Mark Kershenblatt. At my first BOC concert here in the U.K. in 1982, drummer Albert Bouchard put on a Godzilla head and did his drum solo during "Godzilla'! He was lit from behind his drums with a strobe effect light which gave the effect of him stopping and starting while playing. Plus during those shows BOC had their five guitar line - up, when Albert would join Eric, Buck, Allen (guitars) and his brother Joe (bass) on guitar at the front of stage. A sonic assault indeed! Stay safe and well
Nobody ever comments on that note after the solo when the riff comes back. it just holds there sustained in a Zenon mist, no seriouly, it just keeps going then bends up.
I happened to be at that part while reading this comment, I was always aware of that note but I never fully realized just how long it holds for until now. Super cool! (and thanks for mentioning it, it was fun to pay special attention to it)
A totally unexpected and impossible to account for masterpiece. This rivals anything in rock history. Absolutely one of the greatest and darkest songs of all time.
As an 80s teenager, this was - and remains - one of my favourite songs ever, it seemed to be everywhere when I was growing up even though it came out in the mid 70s!
It was their 4th STUDIO album, but their ferocious double live release, "On Your Feet Or On Your Knees" was their actual 4th release. Agents was their 5th overall.
Yeah I think you're spot on. I was one of those folks who just assumed it was about suicide and then, when folks started to dispute that interpretation I went back and listened and I was like..."it's TOTALLY about suicide!" But I, of all people, *missed* the Romeo & Juliet reference. I mean, I missed what it was a reference TO! He's not saying "let's commit suicide together like they did!" Because while they both committed suicide...they didn't to it TOGETHER! They each did it in despair at the other's death! So he's just using it as an example of two people, in love, who will be "together forever" even after death. We still talk about Romeo & Juliet, so they literally are, now, together forever. If we give in to love, then when we INEVITABLY die, we will still be together forever.
I always listen for that sustained note that starts near the end of the solo and extend past the first two lines of the next verse...and then soars skyward.
That low vocal harmony makes the song. I love how it's mixed up front almost on equal footing like a duet vs. having it further back in a support role. Not a lot of songs even bother with a low vocal harmony or it's mixed so low it's just there to provide some extra weight / thickening of the lead vocal sonically.
Hi Doug, Agents of Fortune was the Album that made me a BOC fan and I own almost there entire catalog. I first heard this album the day it was initially released. My best friends older sister was blaring this in their family TV den as she had just purchased it at the record store. When my buddy John and I heard it we had to check out who that band was that his sister was listening to and it was BOC, I was hooked. They have many great songs and are a very talented band. Out of all their albums, Spectres is my absolutely favorite. Most people don't know anything of this album other than the song Godzilla but the entire album is just one great song after another and I highly suggest this album as an extended play feature from start to finish. Nothing but great harmonies, melodies and amazing guitar work and I can never hear just one track when I listen to it as it captivates me and I must listen to the entire album and when finished it just always leaves me wanting even more. If you have not heard the entire album then you must put i on your list of absolutey must listen!
The first time I actually listened to that song the solo section blew me the heck away. I had heard the song a dozen times on radio before but they always faded out before the solo section and never understood how a song like this could be considered one of the influences of metal and specifically darker metal. Enter the spookiest solo of all time.
You gotta do a full-album listen on this one. "Agents Of Fortune" has a huge variety of music on it, all interesting. Reaper isn't even the best song on it, though I couldn't tell you which one is. All five members wrote songs for this album, and it is the only album they did where all five members performed lead vocals (plus Patti Smith). It was their break-out album for good reason.
Funny I should see you reacted to this! I put on my BOC t-shirt today, from their 2022 50th anniversary tour! By far, this is one of my all-time favorite songs of all time!
Back in the day, I somehow stumbled upon TYRANNY AND MUTATION. Cool sounding band name, cool looking cover art. Bought the LP just on that. Loved it..."OD'd On Life Itself", "Wings Wetted Down". Then I bought the debut...then SECRET TREATIES. That was it for awhile. Recently picked this one up...one of the wife's horror movies had this as the end credits closing number.
I played this for a roommate in college way back in the day and it was the first time he had heard it and his first response on the Romeo & Juliet stanza was “is this a song about suicide?” And I said I always thought of it as the complete opposite as you said Doug, don’t fear the reaper and live life! Not end your life. Don’t fear death, fear never having lived! 🤘 BÖC is an awesome band. Review more songs by them! Thanks.
Well, You did great great air-drumming during some Pink Floyd guitar solos, emphasizing that it might not just be the guitar that makes the magic during an instrument solo. Applause nevertheless. Great reaction. One of my favorite songs. I own a vinyl copy. Bought it when it was fresh...
They only played this song in this key on the album. The live version they played it in a different key. But they recently started to play it in it’s original key live I heard.
Thank God for Meg(h)an directing you to the importance of the drum parts which not only include the famous high hat also 16th note snare parts not too common in rock songs. Also the repetitive but ominous rhythm guitar parts (poss A G F E) work great coming out of some of the vocal lines, the howling lead guitar ornamental parts work great at sounding a little mournful, the classicalish part going into the instrumental section is great in its persistence under the noisy foreground part that comes in, and the smooth vocal style is perfect for the song. The bass parts are great too. BOC has lots of good songs, but it's easy to see why this one is so widely loved.
Was a fan of BOC in the mid 80's into the early 90's. Actually saw them in a rock club near me during the summer of 86 near Wildwood NJ. Damn they were loud, think they thought they were playing an arena. Had ear ringing for days. lol Then saw them a few times as an opening act. Jump to 2009, I had tickets to see Heaven and Hell in Atlantic City at a casino, and heard that BOC was giving a free show at a different casino in the afternoon. So I went up early to see them too. Didn't realize that Rudy Sarzo was with them at the time. Was a pleasant surprise! Dude can play a bass!!. Afterwards, I ran the 6 or 7 blocks to get to the other casino in time to see Heaven and Hell with Ronnie James Dio, and which would become his final live performance. Since he was diagnosed with cancer shortly after that show, and he passed away months later. Was the day I remember most from all of the concerts I have been to. 2 great shows in one day.
So many cool things going on in this song; from the droning G in the main riff (which I can play but never seems to sound right!) to the call-and-response vocals, to the almost middle-eastern feel of the lead guitar/solo... heck, even the guitar tone is amazing, and of course the lyrics. In my head, the final verse is always about a vampire coming to take his chosen female victim despite what the song is actually about... Classic tune.
Years ago there was a TV mini series of Stephen King’s “The Stand”, with Gary Sinise. They used Don’t Fear the Reaper for the opening when the plague escaped. Great choice of song for that!
I first heard this song at the beginning of the movie "The Stand" when the virus overtook the world. Was a perfect song for the moment in that movie and a great song on it's own of course.
Such an underrated band... and a band with a surprising number of really good songs. While they clearly have had success, it always seemed like they should've had much more.
Ever notice how the guitar holds that final note after the solo into the final verse? Its not noticeably there, but it IS there. Hiding behind the parallel notes lies the dissonant. That's the idea of death being around every corner, always being there, waiting for your time to come to take you away. You can focus on the main riff and not notice that note hanging there, the musical embodiment of the Reaper. But it remains there, waiting, always. That is, until the main character comes to offer his hand to his love and take her away, to transcend death with their love and devotion to one another. This is what dispels the idea of hanging death waiting for the love interest to die, that love is what transcends death. He tells his beloved 'come and take my hand, we can be like they are, dont fear the reaper", but rather embrace it as your time has come as did mine prior, and now we can be together and escape the clutches of death. "The curtains flew and then he appeared Saying don't be afraid Come on, baby (and she had no fear) And she ran to him (then they started to fly) They looked backward and said goodbye (she had become like they are) She had taken his hand (she had become like they are) Come on, baby (don't fear the reaper)
BOC FOREVER!!! Great review. Their music is timeless. Their latest album, "The Symbol Remains" is outstanding and , in my humble opinion, will stand toe to toe with any of their earlier albums. Great job!
I have never taken away a suicide meaning from this. Being aware of the fragility of life is a good thing. Solo and vocal harmonies really resonate. Growing up with radio in the '70s, it was impossible to get away from. An iconic song (even without the classic SNL skit).
I was a DJ at a small station in a small town in southern Illinois when this album came out. We had, and had been playing, Tyranny & Mutation, Secret Treaties, and the Cities On Flame single at the time. This album came out during my last year there, and this single was all I had before I left. Never actually heard the whole album much until later (I left the station to join the Navy). One thing I do remember is that the album was something of a jolt to existing fans such as myself and my friends. A much different sound with all the vocal harmonies. Quite the contrast to, say, Hot Rails To Hell, Cities On Flame, or Dominance & Submission. I remember reading in the industry magazine we got at the station (Record World) something about how the whole band and gone out and gotten voice lessons between doing Secret Treaties and recording Agents of Fortune. As to the instrumental break that you didn't remember, it was edited out of the single release. You only got to hear that part on the album version. In those days, they targeted 3:00-3:30 for a single release on average. BOC is one of the few bands that I've seen three times and would see again. At Murray, KY around 75/6, at the Spectrum in Philly in 83, and in a drill hall at Pax River Navy Base in 2000. Sort of early career, peak career, and, well, post-commercial success. The drill hall show was interesting. You grabbed a folding chair off a stack as you came in one end, the stage was at the other end. You set up where you wanted. Not that many people there, probably because it was on a Navy base. But, they still put on a good show and had a good time. The entire crowd was basically front and center in front of the stage. Probably the most actual fun of the three shows, since I also didn't have crowds, traffic, etc. to deal with.
Good choice Doug! I saw an interview with Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser where he spoke about writing DFTR. Buck said that he had a health scare (a congenital heart problem possibly?) and he was suddenly aware of his own mortality. Buck said something like "I was concerned with the diagnosis because I have a fondness for drawing breath!" Presently when BOC play DFTR live, Buck leads into the song with a little guitar "interlude" dubbed "Noodle". Buck plays his guitar phrases through a delay effect device, building layers over and over. Maybe he's checking the delay settings before launching into DFTR? And to get that "feedback/drone sound" after Buck's guitar solo in live performance, Eric Bloom uses an e - bow device on his guitar. "On Your Feet, Or On Your Knees" - all hail the Blue Oyster Cult!
Watching the cool older dudes slow rolling down main street in their 69 Impala with air shocks, cragars, and B.O.C. jamming loud as hell through those Jensen tri-axials..........Thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
100%! the note G is of paramount importance in this song’s main riff. When played on the guitar, the 4th note of the 3 chords is always G. (aeaG, gbdG, fcdG, gbdG). Most guitarists will accent the first note in each group of four, then wonder why it doesn’t sound right. The answer is to accent the last note of each group of four instead, the G. Btw, in astrology the note G is Scorpio, the sign of death. Fitting, given the nature of this song. To me, the repeated G brings to mind a bell tolling, a calling to ‘bring out your dead!’ such as during the days of the plague. A deep song.
I was not sure I was up for another listen to this song after 47 years -- I raced down to the record store to buy it when it came out, and have been hearing it on the radio ever since -- but you made it work for me, Doug. I was a fan of the band before this album, and was vaguely disappointed by it. The first three records have most of the BOC high points for me, and it is annoying that RU-vid listeners ignore them. If you like this one, you're sure to like "The Last Days Of May" from the first album, or "I Love The Night" from the later Spectres -- same Buck Dharma sound on them. I prefer the chunkier, guitar-heavy sound of the second album.
I think you're spot on about the cowbell marking the inevitability of time. To answer your question about what they where talking about with "The curtains flew and then he appeared." She's committing suicide, because it's clear she can't go on. Another important thing to note, is in the second verse (I hope I'm using that right) it is talking about her losing her lover. "Valentine is done, Here but now they're gone." But in the third verse, it starts with "Love of two is one, Here but now they're gone." Saying the the couple had a child that also passed. Bringing on her last night of sadness.
