(Don't Fear) The Reaper

Composer

Roeser (1976)

Song Category

Cover Songs

Releases

None

Song History

This song originally appears on Blue Öyster Cult's 1976 album Agents of Fortune. While it was a hit on its own in the 1970s, it is perhaps most well known today from its featuring in a 2000 Saturday Night Live skit, which lampoons the song's iconic use of a cowbell.

This cover was played by Yukon Kornelius at their first show, complete with Jason Biggs playing cowbell, and it has become a staple of Yukon Kornelius's (few) shows.

Among several cover songs that DMB debuted on the 2011 Caravan tour, this one was played only at The Gorge, on 9.3.11. It seemed to have disappeared afterward, but it, along with fellow Caravan cover Good Times Bad Times, made a reappearance in 2013. Before the 6.28.13 performance, Dave mentioned that LeRoi had always wanted the band to cover the song. On 7.2.13, Rashawn played cowbell on the song—none of the previous DMB versions featured cowbell.

Both bands have played only the single edit of the song, which omits a lengthy guitar solo.

01.09.08

live debut

17 Known Plays

over 6 years

4,111 Days Since

last fully played (09.08.13)

1:14:02

total song time

Stats By Show Artist

Artist	First Show	Last Show	Avg Length	Play Count	% Total Plays	% Total Shows
Dave Matthews Band	9/3/2011	9/8/2013	5:19	12	70.6%	1.2%
Yukon Kornelius	1/9/2008	3/16/2013	5:10	5	29.4%	71.4%

Plays By Year

Slot Count By Year

Song Length Over Time

Slots and Types

Midset	16 (94.1%)
Encore	1 (5.9%)

reprise

Longest Full Versions

#	Length	Date	Location
1	6:06	9/3/2011	George, WA
2	5:31	6/26/2013	Wantagh, NY
3	5:29	12/11/2009	Vail, CO
4	5:20	7/2/2013	Bethel, NY
5	5:19	7/23/2013	Orange Beach, AL
6	5:18	6/28/2013	Camden, NJ
7	5:13	7/9/2013	Clarkston, MI
8	5:12	7/19/2013	West Palm Beach, FL
9	5:12	9/8/2013	Mountain View, CA
10	5:08	7/12/2013	Cincinnati, OH

Shortest Full Versions

#	Length	Date	Location
1	4:56	3/16/2013	Ludlow, VT
2	5:05	7/26/2013	Virginia Beach, VA
3	5:06	1/9/2008	Killington, VT
4	5:07	8/23/2013	Commerce City, CO
5	5:08	7/12/2013	Cincinnati, OH

Top Segues

#	Song	Count
1	» Two Step	1
2	» Crush	1

All statistical information and computations copyright ©2002, Matias Nino and Rob Bokon. No portion of dmbalmanac.com may be reproduced without permission. Portions of the site, specifically lyrics and songtitles are copyright Colden Grey, Ltd., Bama Rags Records, Red Light Management, RCA and/or BMG. Show posters are copyright their respective artists.