"I got a fever, and the only prescription ... is more cowbell!"Well, who am I to disagree with The Bruce Dickinson? Although it wasn't as instantly popular as other lines that originated with Saturday Night Live, "more cowbell" has become one of the great catchphrases of the last few years. It all started on April 8, 2000, with a parody on SNL of VH-1's Behind The Music featuring 70s rockers Blue Oyster Cult. Famed record producer Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken) is determined to make the band's next song, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," a hit, and the key to success would be the cowbell. The band's lineup includes a fictional cowbell player, Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell). As Ferrell responds to Walken's demands for "more cowbell" with more frenetic (and annoying) cowbell playing, several takes are ruined; the band becomes more frustrated, and very nearly falls apart.
Here's the moment:
In real life, the cowbell was added as an overdub to "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" at the last minute; the cowbell player's identity is a matter of some dispute. And, while there is a record producer named Bruce Dickinson, he had nothing to do with the original Blue Oyster Cult record, Agents of Fortune.
Since the sketch first aired, "more cowbell" has become part of pop culture, appearing in song mash-ups, emblazoned on t-shirts, and inspiring a website which tracks songs using a cowbell. Christopher Walken is constantly asked about the sketch, and the song proudly remains a staple of Blue Oyster Cult's shows (cowbell included). Gene Frenkle, wherever he is, must be smiling.
UPDATE: Here's how the post looked:
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