Reaper
Buffalo Fuzz Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You said you needed blood
You said you needed mine
I need the space to run
Before I run out of time

cm I the only one
Longing for the light?
cfraid that death will come

cnd take me into the night

Call the doctor, I'm afraid
I fear the Reaper's on the way
When the moonlight hits the blade
The Reaper's on the way
The Reaper's on the way

I'm praying to the throne
I'm praying to the sky
I'm praying all alone
No, I ain't ready to die

I said I needed love
I said I needed life
I need a token from
Some measure of the divine

Call the doctor, I'm afraid
I fear the Reaper's on the way
When the moonlight hits the blade
The Reaper's on the way
The Reaper's on the way

Call the doctor, I'm afraid
I fear the Reaper's on the way
When the moonlight hits the blade

The Reaper's on the way
The Reaper's on the way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Buffalo Fuzz's song "The Reaper" evoke a sense of fear and desperation in the face of mortality. The opening lines, "You said you needed blood, you said you needed mine," suggest a potentially destructive relationship where one person is demanding sacrifice from the other. The singer, feeling trapped and constrained, pleads for the freedom to live and escape the looming threat of time running out.

The chorus, "Call the doctor, I'm afraid, I fear the Reaper's on the way, when the moonlight hits the blade, the Reaper's on the way," paints a vivid image of impending doom. The doctor symbolizes a last resort, a plea for help in the face of an unstoppable force. The moonlight and the blade emphasize the finality and darkness associated with death. The repetition of "The Reaper's on the way" adds to the atmosphere of impending dread and inevitability.

In the second verse, the singer switches gears, expressing a longing for love, life, and a connection to something greater than themselves. They seek a token, a sign or proof of the divine, perhaps as a means to escape the fear of mortality. Through prayer, the singer reaches out to a higher power, hoping to find solace and assurance that they are not yet ready to die.

Line by Line Meaning

You said you needed blood
You expressed a desire for sacrifice or the essence of life

You said you needed mine
You specifically requested my blood as the offering

I need the space to run
I require freedom and time to escape from impending danger

Before I run out of time
Before my opportunities or lifespan expire

Am I the only one
Do I stand alone in this feeling or longing

Longing for the light?
Yearning for salvation or liberation

Afraid that death will come
Fearful of the arrival of death

And take me into the night
And carry me away into the realm of darkness and afterlife

Call the doctor, I'm afraid
Requesting assistance due to imminent danger or fear

I fear the Reaper's on the way
I am anxious about the approach of Death personified

When the moonlight hits the blade
During the moment when the gleam of the moon illuminates a weapon