The members of the band began to come together in the late 1960s, as a band called Soft White Underbelly, in the vicinity of Stony Brook University on Long Island, New York, at the prompting of critic Sandy Pearlman. Pearlman was very influential for the band, getting them gigs, their first record with Columbia, and using his poetry as the basis of many of their songs, including “Astronomy”. The band changed its name to the Stalk-Forrest Group in 1968. One single was released on Elektra Records under this name in 1969, though over one album of material was recorded. The name changed once more, to Blue Oyster Cult, in 1970. The umlaut was added later that year. They became a successful heavy metal band during the 1970s, and are still active today.
The umlaut on the “O” in their name started the trend for using the “heavy metal umlaut” in band names. It was suggested to Pearlman by rock critic Richard Meltzer. [1] Additionally, some have suggested Pearlman created the term “Heavy Metal” via the use of the band’s logo - an alchemical symbol for lead, one of the heaviest of metals.
BÖC have had a minor resurgence recently with two new albums, Heaven Forbid and Curse of the Hidden Mirror, with sixteen songs written or co-written by cyberpunk/horror novelist John Shirley.
BÖC also have enjoyed a resurgence of another kind, the result of a Saturday Night Live sketch featuring a VH1 “Behind the Music” portrayal of the studio sessions for “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”. The sketch, starring Christopher Walken and various cast members (including Will Ferrell as “Gene Frenkle”), centered around producer Bruce Dickinson (Walken) constantly pleading with the band that he needed “more cowbell”. The sketch became something of an internet phenomenon, and members of the band have acknowledged enjoying a small spike in popularity in the years since its broadcast.
Sally
Blue Ãyster Cult Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, I, must accuse you, Sally
There's scratches on your knees
Where you been all morning
I think you been down, down
To the brier patch, baby
There might be someone was with you
Oh, no, I can't believe it, Sally
Oh, I, must accuse you, Sally
There's brambles in your hair
You been rolling in the roses
I think you been down, down
To the brier patch, Sally
There's a thorn caught in your shoulder
Oh, no, I can't believe it, Sally
Oh, I, must accuse you, Sally
Oh, I think, the morning sun was rising
Venus was clear
And you are messing with the goddess of love
Come on now, over here
Lemme take a look at you
Just look at you
You got bruises everywhere
You got brambles in your hair
You got scratches on your knees
Oh, it's easy to see
You been messing around Sally
And you ain't been messing with me
Well, I know now
Somebody with my girl
Torn pants, torn pants
And juice all down your dress
You been ripping it up with somebody
You better confess, confess
Confess, confess
You better confess
The lyrics to Blue Öyster Cult's song "Sally" suggest that Sally has been cheating on the singer. The evidence is in the scratches on her knees and the brambles in her hair, which suggest she has been rolling around in a brier patch. The singer accuses her of being unfaithful and even says she has been "messing with the goddess of love." The song culminates in the singer demanding that Sally confess to her infidelity.
The lyrics to "Sally" were written by Blue Öyster Cult's lead guitarist, Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser. In an interview with Songfacts, Dharma claims the song was based on a real-life experience he had with a girlfriend, who he suspected of cheating on him.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, no, I can't believe it, Sally
Expressing disbelief at the situation involving Sally
Oh, I, must accuse you, Sally
Acknowledging the need to confront Sally about the situation
There's scratches on your knees
Noticing physical evidence of Sally's activities
Where you been all morning
Inquiring about Sally's whereabouts during the timeframe in question
I think you been down, down
Suspecting Sally of having engaged in questionable behavior
To the brier patch, baby
Referring to a specific location where the suspected behavior may have occurred
There might be someone was with you
Speculating that Sally may have been with another person
There's brambles in your hair
Observing physical evidence of Sally's activities
You been rolling in the roses
Suspecting Sally of having engaged in questionable behavior
There's a thorn caught in your shoulder
Observing physical evidence of Sally's activities
Oh, I think, the morning sun was rising
Recalling the timing of events
Venus was clear
Noticing a celestial event as a way of framing the situation as divine or cosmic
And you are messing with the goddess of love
Implying that Sally has engaged in behavior that violates love or fidelity
Come on now, over here
Inviting Sally to face the situation
Lemme take a look at you
Examining Sally's appearance for evidence
Just look at you
Reiterating the need to scrutinize Sally's appearance
You got bruises everywhere
Observing physical evidence of Sally's activities
Oh, it's easy to see
Stating the obvious conclusion based on the evidence presented
You been messing around Sally
Accusing Sally of having engaged in questionable behavior
And you ain't been messing with me
Stating the betrayal felt by the artist
Well, I know now
Asserting the artist's understanding of the situation
Somebody with my girl
Referring to the other person involved in the situation
Torn pants, torn pants
Observing physical evidence of the other person's activities
And juice all down your dress
Observing physical evidence of the other person's activities
You been ripping it up with somebody
Accusing Sally of having engaged in questionable behavior
You better confess, confess
Demanding that Sally admit to the truth of the situation
Confess, confess
Reiterating the demand for Sally to admit the truth
You better confess
Stating the urgency of the situation and the necessity of Sally confessing
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tarantula4197
0:04 Album Cover of Imaginos
1:12 Car from a Music Video
1:06 The Lady is a Tatooed Vampire, referencing the Song "Tattoo Vampire"
1:22 There lies Romeo and Juliet, like in the Song "Dont fear the Reaper"
1:27 Theres a Song called "Joan Crawford" where its said that Joan Crawford Has risen from her grave
1:56 Albumcover from "Workshop of the Telescopes" (Not "some Egyptian Stuff")
5:12 The Agent from the Cover of "Agents of Fortune" and a Live Album
5:18 There are sitting at the "Four Winds Bar" that is mentioned in more than one Song, but Astronomy is the Most Popular one.
5:20 of course the Reaper is from Dont fear the Reaper.
So one could say, they Honored at least One Music Video, Four Songs and Three Album Covers within this Video.
And probably theres much more references!
@MrRyuHayabusaGaiden
Love the song, it reminds me of the Spectres era of Blue Öyster Cult.
References I've spotted so far:
I Love the Night" (Lady in White)
Joan Crawford (Literally rising from her grave)
Reaper
Astronomy (Four Winds Bar)
Agents of Fortune
@Desdinova69
"So Supernatural"
Strange happenings
I could not hide
Felt the energy
She pulled me aside
She said "Don't worry now
We can ride the tides"
Felt the pull of those burnin' eyes
Caught in a trance of time
Drawn together by the fire light
Lost in her magic spell
And playing the game she knew so well
So supernatural
With eyes that glowed in the moonlight
So supernatural
Of potions and powders to make you feel right
So supernatural
Like a shadow in the candlelight
So supernatural
A vision of wonder all dressed in white
And I wonder how long can this go on
Midnight imaginings confusing reality
Caught in a whirlpool of one's own fantasy
Saying good goodbye to dull personalities
We are just victims of our own destinies
We let our minds take wings
And soar away
To where strange powers lie
There was more to her than met the eye
So supernatural
With eyes that glowed in the moonlight
So supernatural
Of potions and powders to make you feel right
So supernatural
Like a shadow in the candlelight
So supernatural
A vision of wonder all dressed in white
And I wonder how long can this go on
She brought me up... she brought me down
The tables were turning, around and around
Over and over... the music got stronger
Ups and downs I couldn't take it no longer
Draining my energies till there was no more
Felt it was time to head for the door
But something must have gone so wrong
So supernatural
With eyes that glowed in the moonlight
So supernatural
With potions and powders to make you feel right
So supernatural
Like a shadow in the candlelight
So supernatural
A vision of wonder all dressed in white
And I wonder how long can this go on
@elfman5176
Blue Oyster Cult fans don’t die
They just become aliens or vampires
@Rocker_65
...or both.
@pablorivascaamano2184
or veterans of thousands psychic wars
@davidplubell1869
Love it. That's how it works. For real.
@RonanDahlman-ci1ql
Or Ghosts, Spectres.
@tarantula4197
0:04 Album Cover of Imaginos
1:12 Car from a Music Video
1:06 The Lady is a Tatooed Vampire, referencing the Song "Tattoo Vampire"
1:22 There lies Romeo and Juliet, like in the Song "Dont fear the Reaper"
1:27 Theres a Song called "Joan Crawford" where its said that Joan Crawford Has risen from her grave
1:56 Albumcover from "Workshop of the Telescopes" (Not "some Egyptian Stuff")
5:12 The Agent from the Cover of "Agents of Fortune" and a Live Album
5:18 There are sitting at the "Four Winds Bar" that is mentioned in more than one Song, but Astronomy is the Most Popular one.
5:20 of course the Reaper is from Dont fear the Reaper.
So one could say, they Honored at least One Music Video, Four Songs and Three Album Covers within this Video.
And probably theres much more references!
@independenceltd.
had no idea we were getting more BOC. count this as the best surprise of the yr. "The Symbol Remains" was my AOY in 2020 (jeebus, 4yrs already)
@allentate3760
These are all old unreleased tracks but still could be fun
@independenceltd.
@@allentate3760 ah yes, i see. i should've clicked on the "read more" bit
@elfman5176
There is a God