User:Antaeus Feldspar/scratch/Don't Fear The Reaper

Don't Fear The Reaper (is a song title italicized on WP?) is a 1974? song by Blue Öyster Cult, first appearing on their album Agents of Fortune.

It appeared in John Carpenter's movie Halloween.

The song was the focus of a Saturday Night Live sketch in which guest host Christopher Walken played "famed producer Bruce Dickinson", who repeatedly demands "more cowbell!" during the recording of the song. The name appears to have been a mistake on the part of the SNL writers; while a producer named Bruce Dickinson (no relation to Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of Iron Maiden) is in charge of the production and remastering of BÖC's back catalogue, he had no connection with the 1976 production of Agents of Fortune. In addition, the sketch includes a completely fictional member of the band, "Gene Frenkle" (played by Will Ferrell) whose sole function is playing the cowbell. The cowbell player for the actual recording was Eric Bloom . Blue Öyster Cult have referenced the sketch themselves in their concerts, at one point having the cowbell player stand front and center at the lead microphone, announcing "It's all about the cowbell!"

External links

http://www.pauseandplay.com/boc.htm -- mostly about the sketch

Category:Songs