A song or melody that is to be considered Dionysian must embody some or all of five defined descriptions. These are triumphism, mythology, minimalism, cacophony, and grain of voice. "Don't Fear the Reaper," by Blue Oyster Cult, is a reasonably Dionysian musical piece. This song embodies all of these qualities with exception to triumphism, and even that can be argued to be present.
The Reaper. This is a mythic character that represents, and is accompanied by, general death. The basis of the song is a man telling a woman to not worry about death because the two of them will be together forever regardless. .
Minimalism is seen through the song's simple and repetitive guitar riffs, along with a basic cow bell and drum beat. With the exception of one solo, the song has the same music and lyrics the entire time. There is very little climax in the song, which gives me the reason for leaving out triumphism. .
Directly after the song's only guitar solo, an extra layer is added to the music. This layer is my example of cacophony, and is a high pitch drawn-out beep, that after listening to is long enough, shoots out at you, disrupting the harmony contained in the entire rest of the song.
Grain of voice is a characteristic that in not shown through the voice of the lead singer, but rather the quality of the recording. Some music is just meant to be heard through vinyl. "Don't Fear the Reaper" is one of these songs. Its soft, warm, and blended sound gives it a unique quality for listening, and in turn, is Dionysian. .
