Okay, is the guy counselling the girl to commit suicide, suggesting a pact or just saying goodbye to someone who’s already dying?
I’ve been at the Blue Oyster Cult website and they ain’t telling. Nothing else out there either, at least not on my search.
Anyone know?
The song’s just an excuse for one killer cowbell solo.
I always thought the song was saying that dying isn’t that big of a deal because “40 thousand men and women everyday” are doing it. It is a fact of life so why not embrace it when it comes.
BTW: I did a ska version of that song. heh heh.
“It’s a pussy song”
“If it’s B.O.C., how could it be pussy?”
“Look, every band puts out at least one pussy song so they can find out who the faggots are!”
A big high five to whoever knows where that is from.
My tape! This machine just scarfed my tape!
Is that from “South Park”?
“So? Put in another one!”
[Joe puts in Don’t Fear the Reaper]
[Utterly disgusted look on Hubbs’ face]
“What the fuck is that?!?”
No, it’s from the greatest movie ever made, The Stoned Age.
ORRRR!!!
I can’t locate the site (which featured an interview with Buck Dharma), but I read recently where the song is about accepting death as a part of life. The “40,000” number was pulled out of the air and means nothing.
It’s definitely NOT about suicide. I will try and find the site.
Just MHO, but I always thought she was already dying, and he was saying that she shouldn’t be too afraid.
thwartme
“Bring back Talls!”
Silentgoldfish it has a killer cowbell solo?
Actually, I thought it could have used more cowbell.
I think “Don’t Fear The Reaper” will forever be linked with that sketch.
He needs to explore the space with the cowbell!
I’ve got a fevah, and the only prescription is more cowbell!
I love the cowbell! I need more cowbell!
For all of you that need the cowbell, this Saturday (May 22) SNL is showing “The Best of Christopher Walken.”
We’ve got the Schnappster. Ding
Darkling I listen; and, for many a time
I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Call’d him soft names in many a mused rhyme,
To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die,
To cease upon the midnight with no pain.
Good one, Eve.
Don’t even get me started on death poetry, let alone other death songs - I’ve written enough myself!
Oddly enough, I was listening to top 40 all the time when DFTR came out and for some reason I totally missed the lyrics. I was a pretty morbid little thing as a teen too. I’d have loved it!
Now all of a sudden I’ve connected to the thing courtesy of our local Classic Rock station. It’s my new favorite song. (Okay, I’ve gotten really attached to "Hello Hooray" too, but that doesn’t count since it’s Alice and I gotta love it anyway! 
)
I still think it’s a suicide song. He’s saying they could be together forever like Romeo and Juliet. They’d be able to fly if she’d just take his hand and follow him. It sure seems like he wants her to walk into eternity with him.
I mostly wondered if we had any rabid BOC fans who might know the (ahem) Straight Dope.
I took care of a 16 year old boy who had leukemia. He was rather odd, but a cool kinda odd. Anyway, at his funeral (at a church), that was one of the songs that played :eek: I asked his mom afterwards “I bet that was his idea wasn’t it?” She said, “yeah, he always said he wanted it to be played at his funeral, so I had to do it!”
I had half-assumed that the singer/narrator was the reaper; singing to a girl who was about to die to reconcile her to her fate, make her less fearful as he escorted her from her mortal life.