Don't Fear the Reaper
Name: ____________________ Period: ____
Romeo and Juliet Mr. Lederman
Don't Fear the Reaper
All our times have come 1
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 5
Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby I'm your man...
Valentine is done 10
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity...
Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday... Like Romeo and Juliet 15
40,000 men and women everyday... Redefine happiness
Another 40,000 coming everyday...We can be like they are
Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper 20
Baby I'm your man...
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 25
The door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew and then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared
Saying don't be afraid
Come on baby... And she had no fear
And she ran to him... Then she started to fly 30
We looked backward and said goodbye
She had become like they are
She had taken his hand
She had become like they are
Come on baby...don't fear the reaper 35
Name: ________________________________ Period: ____
“Reaper” and Romeo Mr. Lederman
FYI: This song is performed by Blue Oyster Cult. You may be familiar with it due to its use on a Saturday Night Live sketch in with Christopher Walken says, “I have a fever, and the only cure is more cowbell.”
1. What does the narrator/singer seem to be suggesting in lines 5-8? What does he seem to be telling his “baby”?
2. In line 15, what is happening to the 40,000 men and women?
3. After examining the lyrics, determine what the singer/narrator is trying to say to you, the listener. Do you feel that the title of the song is ironic or literal? In other words, is he serious about his advice, or is there some subtext to the song?
Name: ________________________________ Period: ____
“Reaper” and Romeo Mr. Lederman
In groups of two, answer the following questions:
1. Compare the themes of “Reaper” and Romeo. What similarities are there between what Shakespeare and Blue Oyster Cult are telling their audience?
2. Should suicide ever be considered a solution to a problem? Why or why not? If so, give an example of an issue for which this would be an acceptable response.
3. What is the power of Romeo and Juliet that so many songs, movies, etc. have been a response to its subject matter? Explain what makes this play so ubiquitous, or universal.
Death as a sentient entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of recorded history. In Western cultures, death is usually called the "Grim Reaper," and shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe, and wearing a midnight black gown, robe or cloak with a hood, or sometimes, a white burial shroud. Usually when portrayed in the black-hooded gown, only his eyes can be seen.
[pic]
The Grim Reaper: personification of death as a cloaked skeleton holding a scythe.
[pic]
Mmmmmmmmmmmm…. Souls.
[pic]
A particularly creepy version.
[pic]
Of course, Death and his dog from Family Guy.
[pic]
"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" is a song by the hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult from their 1976 album, Agents of Fortune. It was written and sung by the band's lead guitarist, Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, and is built around Dharma's guitar riff that opens the song and reappears throughout. The edited single version was Blue Öyster Cult's biggest US hit, reaching #12 on the American charts in November 1976.[1] The song remains a staple tune on classic rock radio playlists. In 1997, Mojo magazine ranked "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" at #80 in the "100 Greatest Singles of All Time". Rolling Stone magazine voted the song "Best Rock Single" of 1976 and in 2004 the magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" ranked it at #397.[2]
The reaper is a reference to the Grim Reaper, a traditional personification of death in European-based folklore. Lyrics such as "Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity" have led many listeners to interpret the song to be about a murder-suicide pact, but Dharma says the song is about eternal love:[3]
|“ |I felt that I had just achieved some kind of resonance with the psychology of people when I came up with that, I |” |
| |was actually kind of appalled when I first realized that some people were seeing it as an advertisement for suicide| |
| |or something that was not my intention at all. It is, like, not to be afraid of it (as opposed to actively bring it| |
| |about). It's basically a love song where the love transcends the actual physical existence of the partners. | |
The shortened single version of the song omits the guitar solo from 2:30 - 3:25. The 2001 remaster of Agents of Fortune includes Buck Dharma's original 4-track demo of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."
Saturday Night Live — "More cowbell"
The song was the focus of a 2000 Saturday Night Live sketch in which guest host Christopher Walken played "famed producer Bruce Dickinson", who repeatedly demands "more cowbell!" during the recording of the song. Though a producer named Bruce Dickinson (no relation to the more famous Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden) is in charge of the production and remastering of BÖC's back catalogue, he actually had no connection with the 1976 production of Agents of Fortune. The sketch also includes a completely fictional member of the band, "Gene Frenkle" (played by Will Ferrell), whose sole function is playing the cowbell. In reality, the song does include a faint cowbell, which is best heard during the opening and other instrumental segments.
Other television shows
• Grounded for Life – "Don't Fear the Reefer" (2002)
• Smallville – "Precipice" (2003)
• Veronica Mars - Pilot (2004)
• The Simpsons – "Don't Fear the Roofer" (2005)
• Supernatural – "Faith" (2006)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! GX – "Don't Fear the Reaper" (2007)
• That 70s Show - Halloween Special
• Six Feet Under - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
• The Stand - Theme for first episode
• Prison Break - Spanish version played in Intro of Bang & Burn (Season 3 episode 8)
Films & DVDs
• Halloween (1978)
• Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
• Halloween (2007)
• Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)
• The Stoned Age (1994)
• Larry The Cable Guy (2006)
• Scream (1996)
• The Frighteners (1996) – cover version by The Mutton Birds
• The Complete Masterworks DVD by Tenacious D (2003)
• The Stand - opening scene
• I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry (2007) - Where Larry says that it is Chuck's favourite song.
• Miracle (2004)
Books
• The Stand by Stephen King – portion of lyrics at beginning of novel, as well as the beginning of the movie based on it
• Gone For Good by Harlan Coben (2002) – song serves as part of the main plot
• Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
• The Carthage Chronicles by Marcus Mastin (2005) - In 2005, a novel of the same name and loosely based on the song was released, written by Marcus Mastin (sometimes known as Marcus J. Mastin). The story takes place in upstate New York and is a sequel to Mr. Mastin's other 'Carthage Chronicles' novel "Don't Pay the Ferryman". This book picks up five years later from the Ferryman story and chronicles the mysterious fires that are plaguing the town, as well as the appearance of an ominous Grim Reaper who has been prowling the streets. Like the Ferryman story, this novel has the same tone as a Hardy Boys adventure, yet darker in nature, as two buddies (Dave "Bucky" Morgan and Roger Fasick) join together to halt the destructive fires and discover the Reaper's true identity.
Computer and video games
• Ripper (1996)
• True Crime: New York City (2005)
• Prey (2006) - Played during the alien invasion in the beginning.
• Guild Wars Nightfall – item upgrade titled "Don't Fear the Reaper"
• Guild Wars Factions – a quest called "More Cowbell" involves blue oysters
• Guitar Hero – Grim Ripper in-game description begins, "Do not fear the Reaper"
• Guitar Hero II – Scythe in-game description begins, "On second thought, maybe you should fear the Reaper."
• Rock Band - Playable song in game.
• World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade - A quest titled "Needs more cowbell" is found in the netherstorm region of the game.
• Everquest 2 - An item called Dawnfear, the Reaper can be acquired from one of the higher-level areas. Additionally, the item's description lists it as being used by a cult of aquatic shellfish.
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