Boston Globe FEATURE Living Arts Story: WE NEED MORE COWBELL!!!

[matcom]

:D - TODAY'S Boston Globe Arts Section, Page 1 Below the fold....

<snip>

Pop quiz: John Kerry might have beaten George Bush in November if only he'd had:

(a) more time

(b) more family values

(c) more cowbell

If you answered (c), go to the head of the class -- and bang loudly on whatever's handy. Because although you'll never appear on ''Hardball," you're obviously hip to a phrase that's been ricocheting around pop-culture circles for half a decade now and shows no sign of fading away anytime soon.

It is a philosophical construct so profoundly silly that it has almost become profound.

''More cowbell" is the punch line to a ''Saturday Night Live" skit that originally aired five years ago this month. The guest host was Christopher Walken, and one of the skits spoofed VH1's ''Behind the Music" by imagining what happened when the 1970s band Blue Oyster Cult went into the studio to cut ''(Don't Fear) The Reaper," its best-known song.

Walken plays producer Bruce Dickinson, a preening rock ''legend" who turns hacks into hit-makers. Will Ferrell, who wrote the sketch, plays pseudo-Cult member Gene Frenkle, whose sole talent consists of beating on a cowbell with enough force to stun a bull elephant. Real-life BOC members are portrayed by SNL's Jimmy Fallon, Chris Parnell, Horatio Sanz, and Chris Kattan, none of whom can keep a straight face as Ferrell maniacally pounds away while prancing around with his belly hanging out of his shirt.

It's Walken, though, who steals the show by uttering the phrase that's achieved cult-worship status. ''I gotta have more cowbell!" he pleads when annoyed bandmates complain that enough is enough. In a bit of lunacy that would do ''This Is Spinal Tap" proud, a crazed Walken exclaims, ''Guess what? I've got a fever. And the only prescription is more cowbell."

How much more, you wonder?

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http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2005/04/30/more_cowbell_yes_please_weve_got_a_fever/

[JohnKleeb]

1. You know whats nice

I heard the Walken-SNL version before the real version with BOC, in fact I didnt even know BOC was a real band. :hide:

[6000eliot]

3. Did you hear the song?

It does feature a rather prominent cowbell!

[KingOfLostSouls]

2. HEAVY METAL!!!

its all about the cowbell.

[LynneSin]

4. Here's your cowbell sweetie

:D

[matcom]

5. thought you might like this

:D

[LynneSin]

6. I almost bought the best of Christopher Walken SNL DVD

I figured it would have Colonol Angus on it - we all love Colonol Angus! I know I do!