Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 25 years you’ve probably seen the SNL “More Cowbell” skit featuring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell that parodies “Don’t Fear The Reaper”, the lead single off Blue Öyster Cult’s Agents of Fortune. It’s an iconic skit that sticks with you long after you’ve seen it, from Will Ferrell’s exposed midriff, Walken’s incredible lines (“I’ve got a fever…and the only prescription is more cowbell”), and the rest of the cast’s valiant but unsuccessful efforts to keep it together throughout the entire skit. Every time I hear this song I immediately think of that scene, and for everyone in my generation that’s probably the same story. The thing that makes it so great is that the song itself is totally kick off– from the iconic guitar intro to the spacy vocal lines to the jam-fest of a bridge, it’s a killer track that cemented Blue Öyster Cult as fixtures in classic rock radio ever since it was released.
Standout Songs: “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”, “True Confessions”, “E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)”
