Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” is a rock classic, but has always seemed a little creepy, nonetheless. Which is to say, the perfect song for Halloween this year! Having said that, we’ll take the edge off a little (and mostly because all the BOC videos are quite long), with a version by the rather more wholesome Choir! Choir! Choir!, a Canadian-based initiative we introduced recently doing Bowie’s “Space Oddity.”
Founding duo Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman travel around Canada and the world inviting “friends, foes, and strangers” to “drop-in” to take part in first-rate performances (they teach the parts) of songs spanning ABBA to Wham! – and all in the name of charity. Sometimes guest singers, such as David Byrne, Patti Smith, Rufus Wainwright, Rick Astley, Bruce Cockburn, and Colin Hay (Men At Work) have even joined in.
In the spirit of the season, here is C!C!C!’s version of the 1976 song, which, it might be pointed out is often mistakenly considered to be about suicide (but instead considers the inevitably of death). It’s beautiful, but still a little creepy.
Lyrics
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
We’ll be able to fly, don’t fear the reaper
Baby I’m your man
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
Valentine is done
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
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
Baby I’m your man
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
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
Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew 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 they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodby, 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
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