The Story Behind Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" and the SNL Sketch It Inspired

[@dafinkbine9623]

I hope you realize that you wrote one of the most classic songs Ever written. You left your mark on the world that I believe will never be forgotten. Congratulations my friend.

[@jacksquat4140]

The ancient Smarmatharmans, in 17,001 B.C.E, said the epoch hit "Primordial Soup," would be sung until the sun no longer shined. In time, all is forgotten.

[@billyz5088]

@@jacksquat4140 ~~ Reaper will NOT be forgotten - there are too many copies of it out there - I still have it on vinyl - on cassette - on 8-track - and a few different versions on CD - and it's been beamed out into space on radio waves - aliens are grooving to it right now in some star system a dozen light years away ..

[@jacksquat4140]

@@billyz5088: My bad - I totally forgot about space aliens having access to the song via radio waves. I've never been happier to be wrong. Of course, the downside is all the teenaged space aliens will off themselves after listening to this tune. Buck Dharma may have had an intergalactic hit, but he's also responsible for killing off most of the intelligent life in the Milky Way.

[@johnpaulnash8144]

One of my favourite guitar riffs that made me want to play guitar. Absolute classic.

[@2is1acuity]

Great interview! Such a classy musician and person. Thank you.

[@DLBach-np1de]

I'm 65 years old and I still get goose bumps from my head all the way down to my feet when I hear that song! I saw them in the mid to late 70's in Atlanta. The 70's were great!

[@sallybutton6237]

Thank you dear man, a million times for that most amazing & hypnotic song that was a huge part of the soundtrack to my teenage years..I’m now 61 & I fear the reaper less & less every day & I do genuinely hope when the reaper comes for me I too will be able to fly..genius

[@chriscosby2459]

I have been listening to Buck for 50 years now -- the dude is one of the best musicians in Rock n Roll history.

[@RosieRoserules]

I grew up in a children's home in Alabama and luckily for me one of the boys in my House was a rock and roll fan and had all the great albums including Blue oyster cult and I used to borrow his records and listen to them everyday. I really loved Kansas, heart, bad company, Foreigner, Boston. The list could go on and on.

[@ajrodriguez7527]

Blue oyster cult is one of the greatest bands of all time and the song Don't fear the reaper is the greatest song of all time from the best album ever

[@suzanneprock7286]

I love this song, it was very popular in 1977 when I was a Senior in high school. Great memories and love the message.

[@xx3868]

First heard this song on "Supernatural" and was hooked and looked up the band and performances and love the song totally. Like Knofler, this guy is lead singer, guitarist and i assume too, song writer too but shared with rest of band? All the notes and solo are all perfectly chosen for that eerie melody... just brilliant. Top interview, very modest and nice guy.

[@steveg1700]

He was talking about the Teac/Tascam144/244 Portastudio, Buck Dharma what an underated genius and guitar player!

[@orangepets]

What a great guy. So humble. Really encouraging to hear about the song writing process. There's the inspiration and then there's the hours of work completing it to perfection. THANK YOU!!! 🖤

[@mr.timebombman2230]

This is the song that made me want to start playing music and writing songs. Came out the year of my birth too. Was in the cards.

[@annemarinelli7303]

It’s a great song, love it so much and I think it demonstrates such a strong imagination and creativity.

[@Fnortner01]

I love that he seems to like the sketch as much as I do and can laugh at it.

[@michaelhasse2568]

Fire of unknown origin and cultasauras erectus are in my top 10 all time favorite albums. Thank you

[@lockwoodthexton]

I am a mortician. I had this beautiful song on repeat all through mort school. It kinda kept things in perspective.

[@robert.m4676]

It’s so spooky and cool! Who doesn’t love don’t fear the reaper. My very first concert!

[@mikebocci7258]

Just love you Donald , Buck , your the best....hands down..

[@lyndonlouie4108]

One of my all time favorite songs. Belongs on the list of songs you absolutely have to turn up. Also was lucky enough to see the Soft White Underbelly in San Francisco circa 1980s

[@paulmoore7261]

In the last verse when it says "he appeared" I imagine most people think it's The Reaper. But I think it's Buck, as his dead self (which occurred in the middle part) coming back to take the girl to fly away with him into eternity.

[@lockwoodthexton]

That was amazing. Great to hear.

[@captainbuck5969]

One of my favorite songs.

[@billyz5088]

Before 'Reaper' was released in spring of 1976 on the "Agents of Fortune" record - BÖC had three studio albums - and one double-live record to their credit - but they had gotten very little FM radio airplay of their great material from those earlier records - but that ALL changed after Reaper came out - it was ALL over the radio - and BÖC was suddenly headlining the same large arenas where they had been a support act to more established bands just a year before - I still think it's a shame the original line-up did not come back together in the 80's - they could have had a strong comeback the same way some of their peers like Aerosmith & KISS had - especially when you consider some of the great material Albert Bouchard released with 'The Brain Surgeons' in the 90's - some BÖC fans may forget that original drummer Albert Bouchard wrote - or co-wrote more than half of BÖC's catalog in their first decade.

[@naruttaanime9471]

One of the top 5 ballads of all time. If one if the great operatic maestros could arrange 50 piece orchestra, it could be a 20 minute masterpiece placed in Italy with Romeo & Giulietta on a balcony... Other greats: Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody, Zeppelin: Stairway to Heaven, Floyd: The Wall Bonamassa: Ballad of John Henry, Springsteen: The Ghost if Tom Joad. Styx: Lady / Lorelei BonGiovi: Wanted Dead or Alive.. etc

[@chocloditelensman]

Awesome.

[@Shivaho]

Been Haunting me since the first time I listed to it!

[@Driven2Beers]

The sister of Albert and Joe Bouchard is the collector for my real estate taxes. One time when paying them, I asked if she'd seen the SNL sketch. She said she loved it! Very nice lady.

[@bruceabbott4435]

Is her name Mary? I met Al in college (1965) and formed a band with Buck and a few others. A few years ago, one of my best friend’s daughter married Al’s nephew she had met at Trumansburg High. I couldn’t believe how that could happen. Al and Joe were at the reception and played a BOC set!

[@Driven2Beers]

@bruceabbott4435 Same first letter. Her name is Michelle. That reminds me, I gotta go to the municipal building and pay the water bill on Monday. I'll pop in on her and relate your story to her.

[@HåkanVirtala]

Buck dharma är en väldigt trevlig och en grymt bra gitarrist och vad länge böc har hållit på Håkan from sweden

[@DarrellSmith-lx5yt]

Thanks for the song. It is very poinant. Death is something that we can't get away from.

[@karidennis6154]

Imagine, 142,317 men and women everyday… Lol

[@obscured.by.clouds.]

NASA should have included (Don’t Fear) the Reaper on Voyager’s Golden Record.

[@josephlawson9950]

I got have more cowbell

[@lockwoodthexton]

It was about 40,000 at that time. It's about 100,000 today that move on.

[@MidnightMadnessRocks]

Google say 150,000 a day.

[@barrierjohn6528]

And you can fly

[@joseenriqueagutaya131]

Finally i understood what Don't Fear the Reaper by BOC meant its not about suicide just because Romeo and Juliet was mentioned.

[@Jackie1952]

I read THE STAND and could NEVER read KING again

[@ameliareaganwright2758]

Too much talk. Cut to the chase, PLEASE!!! I tried sticking around, but I have to bail. Way, way too much bullshi* talk. If I want to listen to bullshi*, I’ll listen to my ex-husband. GEEEEEZE!!!