Blue Öyster Cult “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” Isolated Rhythm And Backing Vocal Tracks

I bet you’ve heard Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” at least a thousand times already, as it’s been an FM radio and film staple since it was released in 1976. I bet even after all those listenings you never heard the clavinet in the song, or noticed the guiro. And I bet you didn’t hear many of the organ parts that punctuate certain parts of the song either.

This brilliant video lets you hear those isolated tracks like you’ve never heard them before, along with some backing vocals and clear harmonies. It’s an ear-opener for sure, but it just goes to show that what you perceive on a hit record isn’t always the only thing that’s there.

You’ll hear the keyboards on the left and the guiro on the right, but lots of other instruments poke in and out at various points of the song as well. The first sound (the clav) enters at 0:06.