"More Cowbell!" - song with a cowbell

Cafe Society
1

This morning while driving to work “Mississippi Queen” by Mountain came on the radio. When this song comes on I get to thinking that it’s going to be “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy, which it sometimes is as this station (classic rock) plays both routinely. Both songs are good, in my book.

Since the cowbell seems to be fairly common in rock music, let’s put together a list of songs in which a cowbell is played. The most obvious, of course, is “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult (though I never even noticed the cowbell before seeing the SNL skit).

2

“Honky Tonk Woman” by the Rolling Stones opens with a cowbell.

3

Been done before, so some spoilport will undoubtedly soon link to a huge list. But until then–

Procol Harum: “Whiskey Train”
Joe Cocker: “Hitchcock Railway”
Beatles: “I Call Your Name”

4

Hey, I’m like everyone else. I put my pants on one leg at a time. Except when my pants are on, I make gold records.

5

Every Time I Die: “The New Black”

(Thats about the only band I listen to that actually uses cowbell)

6

RIP Gene Frenkle.

7

I’ve got a fever. And the only Perscription…

Is more cowbell!

8

I figured John Cougar must have had at least one, and apparently it’s “Pink Houses”.

I found that on this site which has a longer list of cowbell songs.

…Janet Jackson “Black Cat”! Of course!

9

“We’re An American Band” by Grand Funk Railroad. Featuring the Cowbell of the Gods.

10

“Hair of the Dog” - Nazareth (the first one that came to mind. “Now you’re messin’ with a …SON OF A BIIIIIIITCH!”)
“Rock of Ages” - Def Leppard

11

Try this list instead; it has three more John Cougar songs.

12

“You Can’t Do That” The Beatles

Oops. Missed #3 post.

13

Pretty much every song on Motley Crue’s first release, Too Fast For Love.

14

“Little Sister” from Queens of the Stone Age has a very cow bell like sound. And also it kicks butt.

15

Yeah, I saw them play it on SNL with a guest appearance by Will Ferrell. Great stuff.

16

Not in your top ten, but one I wrote, called “More Cowbell”. It really does need more cowbell, unlike all the imitators. :slight_smile:

No, really!

17

“Grazin’ in the Grass”, especially the Hugh Masekela version is practically one long cowbell setpiece, as the lead instrument and taking a few solos.

18

Oh, and as evidence here’s a version of it on YouTube by a group called Mango Jam (never heard of them, but the version is similar to Hugh Maskela’s) with the cowbell player front and center.

19

Low Rider

20

*Daughters of Glory *- The Black Sorrows. I used to love playing the drums in that song!