There was a time when the cow bell took on a magical allure in the rock music business. It was turning up on more and more records, and bands, producers, and studios thought its percussive charms could turn any song into a hit.
Cow bell has been used on rock records since Buddy Holly, but it probably peaked in the 70s, a time lampooned on Saturday Night Live with Christopher Walken as a legendary producer who insists “I’ve got to have more cow bell”.
I’ve pulled together a collection of great cow bell songs. Enjoy!
And here’s the famous Saturday Night Live cow bell sketch.
