Classical musician reacts -- (DON'T FEAR) THE REAPER -- Blue Oyster Cult -- FIRST TIME LISTENING

[00:00:01]Okay, Christine [music] here to listen to some music and today's music selection is Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult. I really don't know anything about this band except that I just learned that they started in 1967.

[00:00:18]They're an American band, I believe, from New York and this song came out in 1976.

[00:00:23]Otherwise, I don't really know what I'm getting into here. I have been told that there is something in pop culture that I might know about this band, but I don't know if it's with this song or what. I have no idea. So, maybe we'll figure that out in this reaction. And speaking of the song, it was also the first place winner for the poll of songs by Blue Oyster Cult over on Patreon and for channel members. So, thank you to everybody who voted for this one. It won by a lot and so I am happy to dive into it. And what are we diving into exactly?

[00:00:56]I am a professional classically trained musician, instrumentalist, vocalist, composer and professor. So we dive in to all the little details of this music, how it was composed, the instrumentation, maybe some music theory or form analysis, sometimes some instrument demos, but of course, how do we relate to this music? Why do we like it so much? Or maybe why do we not like it? So I am looking forward to this one.

[00:01:22]So no more delay. Let's listen.

[00:01:25]Okay, here we go.

[00:01:43]All [music] of times have come here, but [music] now they're gone.

[00:01:56]>> [music] >> Seasons don't feel the reaper. But do the wind, the sun, or the rain. We could be like they come on baby.

[00:02:07]Baby, take my hand. [music] We'll be able to fly.

[00:02:14]Baby, [music] okay, I think we're heading to a chorus there, maybe. I don't know. Oh, we heard the the title of the song there quite a bit. Um, all right. Woo. There was a lot of sound in that. It was so fast. I It did talk about flying something in there about you can fly.

[00:02:40]And I really felt like this song was in flight, like really fast. Doesn't it seem like a really fast tempo, you know, speed that the song goes? It just seems really fast. I I I would I was expecting something like don't fear the river like like just something really like harsh and like slow and scary. This is not that at all.

[00:03:07]It's not necessarily light and bubbly and airy. It's just kind of it's like in the air. It's just so smooth and swift.

[00:03:17]Um the vocals are really uh pleasant, which again is throwing me a little bit.

[00:03:25]So whatever they're singing about, I'm just um I'm going with the the first impression of the emotion of this song.

[00:03:33]And I feel like um it's a lot lighter than the title actually is. But you all know that I I uh listen to the music first and then tend to pay attention to the lyrics. So, I'm sure the lyrics are going to bring us down into a heavier topic here. Uh, but for now, to me, this has just a lot of energy. So, but maybe that's um sort of the fear in it, even though it's saying don't fear it. But anyway, we'll get there. But we're just also getting into the guitar lines. I mean, there's just so much going on and it was just sort of I was taken off guard by, you know, the pleasantness of it.

[00:04:14]It's just not what I was expecting. But shame on me for making that assumption.

[00:04:19]But let's just back it up a little bit, get into the chorus, and keep going. I'm I'm I got to pay more attention to some of the stuff going on here now that I'm over the initial shock.

[00:04:34][music] Heat.

[00:04:40]Heat. [music] [music] >> [music] >> Valentine [music] is done here. But now they're [music] gone.

[00:05:22]Romeo [music] and Juliet are together in eternity. Romeo [music] [music] Yeah.

[00:05:39]Heat. [music] [music] Yeah.

[00:05:54]Heat. [music] [music] >> [music] >> Whoa. Okay, that's something different.

[00:06:17]Wow. All right. Uh, really awesome guitar lines. Da da da da da da da. That little thing that that is quite a hook.

[00:06:30]Really, really, really good. Okay. Um, yeah, the voices are so pleasant and I think maybe I'm catching on to what they're singing about. But first, I have to address this because I think maybe this is the song that people were like, "Hey, there's one particular song from this group that is really popular for a certain reason and that maybe I might know what it is." And I think I know what it is.

[00:07:04]Do I hear cowbell in this song?

[00:07:09]Yeah, I think I do. I think I hear a lot of cowbell.

[00:07:14]Do you think maybe we need some more cowbell in this song? H.

[00:07:21][laughter] Okay.

[00:07:23][gasps] All right. For anyone out there who doesn't know the pop culture reference with the song and the cowbell, I'm probably sounding pretty stupid, but anyway. [laughter] All right. I am an SNL fan. Saturday Night Live. Uh, at least I I was back in the early 90s, but uh I When When was the skit? When was the skit that with a Moral Bell? When was it? Right. It was somewhere in there in the the '9s.

[00:07:50]Right. Okay. Uh, I know that skit. I love Will Frell. I had no [clears throat] idea that this was the band. This has to be it, right? I'm on the right track, right? It has to be. It has to be. Okay, I'm taking a bit of a risk by just outright saying that it is the Cowboy thing, but I'm I'm going to place bets on it here. So, we're going with it. Yeah, I love Will Frell. Um, elf superstar, whatever. He's awesome.

[00:08:20]Always makes me laugh. and that skit.

[00:08:23]Okay, so I never quite understood why it was so funny. I mean, he's hilarious, but I didn't know the song that they were playing and I was so busy watching him [laughter] that I it obviously I like I didn't I didn't place it. So now I know I'm going to I'm going to go back and watch that skit and I'm like, "Oh, yep. There it is. There's the song." Okay. So yeah, with that guitar hook. That's the right song, right?

[00:08:59]It has to be. Okay.

[00:09:02]Well, I do kind of wish there was more cowbell. It was really in the distance.

[00:09:05]Maybe it's just the mix in in my headphones or something, but okay. Um I do want to move on here. Sorry, the cowbell just completely threw me off track here, but what a lovely surprise if that really is it. This is fantastic.

[00:09:22]Um, I'm catching on though with some of the lyrics. I heard the Romeo and Juliet, but then what is like 40,000 40,000 people each day? So, talking about how they're together in eternity. So, does this have to do with love? Sort of like I heard something about um I I'm your man or something. So, is this like, hey, come with me and just take this leap into the unknown with a relationship and don't be afraid of it.

[00:09:53]Like being in a relationship is not the end of the world. Is that kind of what I'm thinking of? And that if the end of the world does come, then you can at least face it together. I don't know.

[00:10:02][laughter] Don't fear the reaper. Okay. Uh, regardless, we'll get to the point of it here. I'll take a look at the lyrics later, but I'm going to back this up right now just a tiny bit and get into whatever the heck is about to happen.

[00:10:17]Something changed, maybe. Here we go.

[00:10:22][music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat.

[00:10:51]Heat.

[00:10:58]Heat. Heat.

[00:11:20]>> [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] Another came last sadness and it was clear she didn't know.

[00:11:53]The door was open and the wind appeared.

[00:11:56]The candles blew and then disappeared.

[00:12:01]>> [music] >> Heat. Heat.

[00:12:10][music] Heat. Heat. [music] [music] >> [music] >> Heat.

[00:12:40]Heat.

[00:12:42][music] Okay.

[00:13:07]Well, the uh little interlude section in the middle um it sure did take a turn. Actually, that was kind of more of what I was expecting. So, [laughter] I was like, hm. All right. Uh, but then we went back to the beginning. So, it's sort of an ABA form. However, wait, were there lyrics in the B section? See, this is how much I focus on music. To me, the music speaks enough. And so, sometimes there are times when there are not lyrics and then I'm like, wait, were there lyrics there? you know. Um, so I I I'll check this out. I'll go back and make sure.

[00:13:49]There was just a lot going on. My brain is just really working hard to keep track of all of this. Yeah, the texture is just really really thick all the way through. But the heaviness in that middle section, I think without that, I would have been left a little unsatisfied.

[00:14:09]I think that needed to be there. Now, what was the modulation? So modulation is just when you change from one key to the next. Did it go was it just like a whole step? It it it was slightly an odd key change. I mean just not the most com there are some key changes modulations that are built in such a way that it's more comfortable for our ears and then sometimes if it's kind of forced you know it sort of feels more abrupt and if I remember there was a little bit of a of a lull before it completely jumped in so it wasn't too abrupt like we were prepared like something's going to change but then how it went back into it there was a petal tone at the end, which just means a note that's held from that B section, that interlude that carried us into the original key. That was nice and smooth.

[00:15:09]But then we just had a vamp, basically a fade out, which is just like the same repeated couple of bars over and over to the end. But then as it started to fade away, I was noticing some of the other instruments. It was like the first time I was able to get to hear some of the instruments. I heard the baseline and then the guitar line. It wasn't the same hook. It sort of um deconstructed itself a little bit. You still heard the bum bum bum bum. You still heard some of that, but da da da da da da. That part was kind of it was it was just like the framework of it. So, the hook was still there, but it wasn't overdone.

[00:15:50]Uh, okay.

[00:15:52]Did I hear the cowbell at the end, though? I don't know.

[00:15:59]Definitely heard it like the first half of the song, like on the beat the whole time. Awesome.

[00:16:07]I'm just picturing Will Frell.

[00:16:10][laughter] Okay. [snorts] Uh, see, I'll enjoy that skit even more.

[00:16:16]Okay, before I dig in to the music of this, let's take a look at the lyrics just to make sure. Okay. All our times have come here, but now they're gone. Seasons don't fear the reaper, nor do the wind, the sun, or the rain. We can be like they are. Come on, baby. Don't fear the reaper, baby. Take my hand. Don't fear the reaper. will be able to fly. Baby, I'm your man. Right. And then la. So, at one point I kind of chuckled, laughed a little bit because it was like la [gasps] the reaper. But la, you know, um it's cute. Uh and actually, you know what?

[00:16:58]Maybe it's not a bad way to face your fears. It's just be like calm.

[00:17:04]Everything's fine. Let's be brave. Face our fears. Okay, Valentine is done here, but now they're gone. Romeo and Juliet all together or are together in eternity. Okay. Yes. Tragic story there.

[00:17:23]Hopefully together in eternity and not in life. 40,000 men and women every day like Romeo and Juliet. Oo, they redefine happiness surely with hopefully a better outcome. Another 40,000 coming every day. Okay. So, everybody goes through things and as long as they do that together, then you know it's less scary, I guess. Okay. The chorus. We can be like they are. Baby, take my hand. We'll be able to fly. I still say this song really just flies.

[00:17:59]Baby, I'm your man. La.

[00:18:01]Okay.

[00:18:03]Love of two is one. Oh, yeah. So, then the instrument in instrumental bridge.

[00:18:07]Um, it does say that here in the lyrics, instrumental bridge. So, there were not lyrics in that instrument part, but now the return of the A section.

[00:18:17]Love of two is one here, but now they're gone. Came the last night of sadness, and it was clear she couldn't go on. The door was open and the wind appeared.

[00:18:29]The candles blew and then disappeared.

[00:18:31]The curtains flew, and then he appeared.

[00:18:34]Okay, that's a scary story. So love of two is one. So there were two and now there's just one.

[00:18:44]It happened last night and the sadness and she couldn't go on. So but is this more metaphorical like she couldn't go on with the relationship?

[00:18:55]I don't know. There's a direct comparison to Romeo and Juliet, but they also had issues with being brave in their relationship.

[00:19:05]Well, either way, there's still more flying here. Like the curtains flew open, you know, and then he appeared.

[00:19:16]So, is, you know, is are we talking about the grim reaper or are we talking about other things in life that might split up a relationship? H I think it could be any of the above. Like he he appeared. That could be like if the person left for another person, it could be that person. It could just be whatever is tempting that person.

[00:19:40]Whatever it was that made the couple break up, okay? Saying, "Don't be afraid. Come on, baby." And she had no fear. And she ran to him. Then they started to fly. They looked backward and said goodbye.

[00:19:57]She had become like they are. She had taken his hand. She become like they are. Come on, baby. Don't fear the reaper. Okay, so yeah, I'm not sure now.

[00:20:07]Um, so is this saying that? Wait, who did she go with? Did she go with the reaper or did she go with the person in the relationship? Or was she thinking the person in the relationship was a reaper because she's afraid of the relationship and so she took his hand and went with him in the relationship and now they will live happily ever after. I don't know. Okay. Well, this is kind of cool. I I really do enjoy lyrics that don't just spell everything right out for you. Leaves it open just a little bit. Just a little bit so that you can sort of apply your own story to it, your own explanation. So, we'll just leave it at that. But regardless, there is a hint of romance and love and relationships in this. So I can see how the the first part and then the return of it, you know, that A section, the B section, it's not quite a B section because it's the instrumental moment, but I think it was substantial enough that we can sort of call it its own instrumental B section. So the A sections, um, they had to be a little bit sweeter.

[00:21:21]and then the instrumental part in the middle there. That's where the harshness came in. So, let's go back to the beginning and just hear where we started. Hear the awesome hook and I'm going to listen for some cowbell.

[00:21:37][music] Such a good hook.

[00:21:43]Yeah.

[00:21:45]two [music] guitars and then bump with the drums. But do you hear it? [music] >> You hear the cowbell?

[00:21:55]I need more of it. We need more cowbell.

[00:21:58][laughter] >> Okay, this kid is making so much more sense now.

[00:22:04][music] >> So even here the the vocals are so sweet.

[00:22:12]Feel free. [music] >> So this person is not singing with this big loud harsh hard rock voice. It's D. It's almost like a head voice, you know, but it's just not it's not pushed. It's not forced. And there's a sensitivity to that. I really like that. It did confuse me at first, like I'm saying here, like I wasn't expecting that.

[00:22:41]Um, but it's it's lovely. It's pleasant.

[00:22:44]It is. And yes, we are talking about deep feelings and facing one's fears.

[00:22:51]But hey, that's cool. This is great. Uh, I did notice a couple of additions of little sounds in the background.

[00:23:00]There was one in the first part and then again in the second. I'm going to move ahead here and see if I can find this first one.

[00:23:09]>> [music] >> Valentine [music] is >> there that little organ [music] swell.

[00:23:26][music] >> Okay. And then then it was a guitar little guitar um gesture there. But that that chord it was a crescendo and a day crescendo there. We call it hairpins where you get loud and then soft. But talking about Valentine, I don't know.

[00:23:44]There was something sort of more classical about that. Like speaking about times, you know, olden times, [laughter] Romeo and Juliet tales as old as time here. um the bringing in that organ. It just seemed a little bit more heavy and substantial. That was really cool. Okay, then there was another one towards the end. Let's see if we can find that. I think here [music] >> there's already the organ behind it. Ah, that little guitar. [music] It was like a whale, a cry. Oo. And what are what are the words happening there?

[00:24:31]Let's go back and hear it again.

[00:24:34][music] [music] Okay. So, the Valentine, the the two is one and they were here, but now they're gone. And then you hear that cry. Ooh.

[00:24:58]All right. Goosebumps there. Okay.

[00:25:01][snorts] Really, really cool. And very creepy, actually. Sad and creepy there. Okay.

[00:25:08]So, uh, this interesting usage of like I'm detecting more and more like there was also that little, uh, electronic synthesizer organ sort of drone in the back, but that might actually have been left over maybe from the modulation that I was talking about earlier coming out of the instrumental the B section. Let's actually go back and talk about that modulation, shall we? Okay. So, first let me turn my keyboard on here.

[00:25:43]So, the vocals um [music] it ends on that G, but I think this is actually the key. It's an A.

[00:25:58][music] And so, it's interesting how the main theme ends on the the seventh.

[00:26:05][music] It might want to try to do that.

[00:26:07]But let's go to the instrumental section and see how it transitions into it. [music] Yeah. So, there's a weird >> [music] >> Okay. So, it's F minor. [music] Okay. So, so we went from A [music] to F.

[00:26:49]That's not completely unheard of at all.

[00:26:52]But the fact that [music] they're on this like every time the melody ends [music] and we're here and then it goes.

[00:27:10]That's very interesting.

[00:27:13]So now let's see how they transition out of it.

[00:27:19]>> [music] >> So, we're on F and we're getting back to that G. Remember, that's the one that [music] >> [music] >> interesting >> because it's so interesting to me. You see, I was like [music] because the way it moves around, it almost wants to establish itself in all of these keys. [music] That's A, G, and F.

[00:28:11]Oh, that is interesting because then I'm hearing [music] like the main um uh guitar hook is [music] based more on G.

[00:28:23]It's all centered on that. Ooh, okay.

[00:28:28][sighs and gasps] That is tricky. It's almost full of discomfort, but I think we kind of want some of that with the meaning of this song. Very cool. Okay. So, that's part of the modulation. Then the main difference between the A sections and the B section also has to do with the meter. So, let's go back. Um, the A section is just 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 as we know from the cowbell cuz it's on the beats every single beat.

[00:29:00]But then what happens? I actually think that it still stays in 44, but then it's hard to describe, but it basically swallows up two measures of that and groups the different beats into threes.

[00:29:15]I'll I'll try to explain it. Let's just hear it again.

[00:29:27]>> [music] >> 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 [music] 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 Like 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 So that can be written out in [music] a handful of different ways. I won't get into it too much today, but the idea here is um that there are different accents as in an emphasis. So if you have a little accent above a note, that means you need to emphasize it. So duh duh, that's what we have in there. And it's it's um a little jagged compared to where we were coming from. A little jarring.

[00:30:12]And then uh you know and the the pleasant vocals are no longer there. So we're a little scared like the the sad story is sort of unfolding in front of us and all of that works together to sort of perform that for us in our minds.

[00:30:30]Yeah. So at first I don't know if I would have been like how is this song related to the reaper?

[00:30:38]But that middle section I was like okay there we go. And then when you look more closely to the rest of it, to the more pleasant a sections, you can hear those little hints in the background. Don't listen to the laas too much. Don't let that fool you.

[00:30:56]But uh overall I do feel like maybe you can get some comfort from this song if you look into the deeper side of it where maybe there's someone that you can trust that you face a certain fear with.

[00:31:13]So that can be kind of pleasant.

[00:31:16]Okay, that was Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult. I liked this one a lot. It was a lot of fun. I think part of it is because of the pop culture moment with the cowbell. But would I have enjoyed this song even without that? Yes, absolutely. Is it going to go on my playlist? Yes, absolutely. This is a great tune. It's got a really energetic vibe to it, but it's still really deep.

[00:31:46]And I really like the instrumentation in this. A great guitar hook. The percussion was really exciting.

[00:31:55]And uh I I I like the message. Um I like how we can get what we want out of it. I really like how they kept the vocals so pleasant. So are the vocals like this in all of their music. Or does it get a little more more harsh? H well I'll have to find out soon, won't I? And I can do that. Thanks to all of you, those of you out there who voted on the poll over on Patreon and for channel members. So, I don't remember what came in second on the poll, but we are going to move on to the second place. I usually do at least the the top three places. And um from each poll and so I will be moving on at some point in the future to the next spot. And for now, I have another gem to add my collection of wonderful music from the channel here with Don't Fear the Reaper. [laughter] It was It was really fun. It was um a little unexpected and then at the same time kind of comforting in the end. And I loved all of that messiness with the keys, that that weird relationship between the F, G, and A, and the use of all the minor keys and everything. That was that was really really cool. And okay, so yeah, I'm gonna stand by the fact though that I think it needs more cowbell. Well, maybe not too much.

[00:33:22]Maybe not will feral amount of cowbell, but more cowbell all the same.

[00:33:28]Definitely needs more cowbell. Anyway, so thank you so much for coming along with me. It's a great song. It's a classic, isn't it? Yeah, instant classic. I think definitely for me, too, today. And if I do happen to see you over on Patreon or as a channel member, be sure to check all of the other content that you get when you're in those places. Get lots of extra content, full albums, behind the scenes, deep dives, lots of other music reactions that have not been posted publicly on YouTube yet. So, as soon as you become a member in both places, you get access to all that stuff. It's a lot of fun. So, hope to see you there. But for now, just remember that you don't have to be perfect. Just be okay. and keep listening.