Top Song

(Dont Fear) The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

for lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/blueoystercult/dontfearthereaper.html

This song is about the eternal existence and power of love, along with the impossibility of evading death, and ultimately learning to accept death without fearing it.

Death affects everyone eventually, and no one is able to escape it, causing everyone to be able to relate to this song

ETHOS

“Here but now they're gone Romeo and Juliet Are together in eternity”
The narrator utilizes the well known couple of Romeo and Juliet, and states how they are now together for eternity. He states that they will no longer be pulled apart by earthly bounds, and will now be together forever. By relating to these famous literary characters, Blue Oyster Cult is able to allude to eternal love.

“Valentine is done Here but now they're gone Romeo and Juliet Are together in eternity”

He also uses the example of the infamous Valentine, the Roman Saint who is associated with love, and had the holiday of “Valentine’s Day” created after him. By using this example, he appeals to the thought of everlasting love through alluding to a well known example of a famous figure.

The narrator personifies death as “The Reaper,” who is not a scary or dark figure, and he is not in any way frightening. He merely comes when someone dies to lead them away, he doesn’t kill the individuals himself or harm them in any way. Death is personified as a figure who leads people into the afterlife, and has no part in their deaths.

LOGOS

“40,000 men and women everyday”

Every single day, 40,000 people are dying. You cannot escape death, and every single day thousands of people die, and it can’t be prevented.

There is no sense in fearing death when it cannot be avoided, and it does not necessarily mean the end. Everyone is eventually affected by death, and nearly everyone is affected by some form of love, which causes everyone to be able to relate to this song.

PATHOS

This song strongly appeals to the emotions of undying love and how that love carries on and exists after life.

Blue Oyster Cult alludes to the well known literary couple of Romeo and Juliet to further express the depth of love, as well as Valentine, the Roman saint associated with Valentine’s Day. Following suit, the emotions of acceptance are utilized as well, as the song preaches for acceptance of death.