Where’s the Cowbell? – IOTW Report

Where’s the Cowbell?

Don’t Fear the Reaper demo—

16 Comments on Where’s the Cowbell?

  1. Check out Beato’s interview with Roeser. Don Roeser was recording that demo on one a little multi-track recorder at home. It was one of the first available at the time, and was the first time he used it. The drum is a cardboard box.

    Roeser says the song is about mortality in general, but I think it’s about suicide specifically. What do you think? “Romeo and Juliet”…”She decided that she couldn’t go on…”

    Beautiful song, either way.

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  2. I remember when I first heard that song as a teen. I went to the record store and bought the album.
    I received the rare double album version. (there were 2 records in the sleeve)
    Still have both and have never played the extra one. Even went back to the record store and bought a extra sleeve to protect it.

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  3. …and it can be useful…the AHA says you can use the song “Stayin’ Alive” to get the correct pacing for the current standards of CPR, which is true, but also memorable because, you know “Stayin’ Alive” is kind of the point of the exercise.

    There’s OTHER songs you can use too, thought, I like THESE two for the way the title fits the occasion as well.

    You can use Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For A Hero” or THIS song, Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear The Reaper”, depending on your sense of humor.

    I don’t recommed singing the WORDS if you use the latter, though, particularly if you have a crowd…

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  4. I dug around looking for the metamorphosis of the BOC demo to the sound played on radio. I first thought that Muscle Shoals may have been involved — because it seemed like they touched everything that wasn’t Motown in that era. I couldn’t find anything on MS’ involvment; BOC started under the Columbia label.

    But, I did find this gem: A report in 1976 of the playlists and other interesting data from U.S. radio stations. Kinda fun to look at. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/70/1976/Gavin-1976-10.pdf

    Apparently there wasn’t any cowbell in the demo, but the aired version later on had it; only it was subdued by the other instruments.

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  5. Saw them live a long time ago. They had a laser show that the FDA or some alphabet agency shut down soon after the show because they shot lasers all over the place, it was the most incredible laser show I’ve ever seen. Wasn’t a big fan of theirs but what I can remember was awesome.

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