Don't Fear the Reaper Analysis

Blue Oyster Cult burst onto the scene in the late 60s. By the 70s they were a huge success. Powered by one of the most innovative guitarists to ever live, Buck Dharma, Blue Oyster Cult became one of the biggest bands in the world. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” is perhaps their best and well-known songs. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult explains death is not something that needs to feared.
The Reaper is an ancient symbol for death. He is the harvester of souls, and the image of the Grim Reaper has always stricken fear into the hearts of those that see it. Yet, why does man fear death? Death is feared because we do not know what will happen. No one has ever come back to tell us what it was really like. Blue Oyster Cult is telling us that there is really no reason to fear this Reaper. In fact, they are saying that death should be embraced. “Romeo and Juliet/ are together in eternity,” the singer is saying that, in death, we can be with those that we love forever.
The singer makes death sound so much better than life. “40,000 men and women everyday/Redefine happiness,” this line says that the 40,000 people that die everyday are happier than they were than they were when they were alive. “We’ll be able to fly,” in this line the singer is saying that you will be able to do things when you die that you couldn’t while you were alive. By romanticizing death it makes it seem very pleasant, and something much better than what people may perceive.
The music in this song is very quick and upbeat, giving the song a happy fell to it. It is not a scary sounding song for the most part, but during the guitar solo the music speeds up and immediately changes feel. The song is no longer happy. It is terrifying. Then after the solo is over it goes right back to the happy, upbeat song that is was before. In this song, the singer makes an allusion to Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” He says, “Romeo and Juliet/Are together in eternity.” There is also a line in this song that is a paradox. “Love of two is one.” This is a contradictory statement, but it does make sense because if two people love each other this is really one love.
Death is referred to as the “Great Unknown,” and people have a tendancy to fear the unknown. It is reassuring that the members of blue Oyster Cult didn’t fear death because everyone dies, and hopefully death isn’t too awful. As one of the most innovative bands in history, Blue Oyster Cult has influenced a lot of modern music and has also influenced how we view death. So remember, when your time comes… “don’t fear the reaper.”