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Gene Fenkle doesn't fear the cowbell

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What makes a good song great? A strong melody and a sturdy riff are key starting points. Meaningful lyrics are always a plus. Put all three together and you just might have yourself the beginnings of something. But if it's a hands-down hit you're after, a tune so happening that it'll get the crowd clapping, dancing and, more importantly, laying down their cold hard cash for your creation, you're going to have break out the big artillery. And in the world of hit songs, no gun is bigger than the cowbell.

Bruce Dickinson knew it. During his now-legendary session with Blue Oyster Cult, the iconic producer took the Long Island band from the C-list to the top of the charts. Noting that the group had what appeared to be a "dynamite sound," he listened as they ran through their new composition. The track, which would be called (Don't Fear) The Reaper, was promising. But something was missing, or rather, something needed to be accentuated.

It was the cowbell, as played by band member Gene Fenkle. It wasn't loud enough, it needed to be played with gusto. "I got a fever," Dickinson told the band, "and the only prescription…is more cowbell!"

And thus, a hit was born. In honor of that magical (and fictional, but then you knew that already, right?) day in the studio, and as something of a kick in the pants to bands everywhere, let's run down the Best Cowbell Songs. Bruce Dickinson didn't produce all of them, but were he behind the board, he would have known what to do.

Blue Oyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Sure, BOC had a neat-o riff (one that was no doubt nicked by The Police for Message In A Bottle - compare them, they're close), but it was the steady rap of the cowbell that buried this 1976 tune into the thicket of one's senses. In recent years, Blue Oyster Cult embraced the notoriety generated by the SNL sketch, and had one of their roadies appear on stage when they play the song to re-create the "Gene Frenkle" character by enthusiastically banging a bell. Smart guys.

Beastie Boys - (tie) She's Crafty and Hey Ladies
Even on their 1987 debut album, Licensed To Ill, the Adrock, MCA and Mike D knew that sampling Zeppelin wasn't enough to get their cage dancers going. Busting out the cowbell did the trick. Two years later, on their groundbreaking, kaleidoscopic release, Paul's Boutique, the Boys triggered similar sexual responses from women everywhere, thanks to a clanging cowbell and the exhoration to "get funky!" Morale to the story: girls like rings, but they adore bells.

War - Low Rider
On this 1975 love letter to hydraulically hot-rodded classic cars, the multi-genre-spanning ensemble known as War provided a soundtrack to an idealized lifestyle that has become universal. Cheeky innuendo and a laid-back vocal performance were key to this song's popularity, but the welcome sound of the cowbell put it over the top.

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