How to Play (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Tabs, Chord, & Lyrics

Don’t know how to play (Don’t Fear) The Reaper? Well, you’ve come to the right place. The first thing you’re going to need is a cowbell. If you’ve already got a cowbell, guess what? You’re going to need more cowbell. Head out to your nearest pasture, sneak up on a cow, and swipe that bell from her collar!

All kidding aside, this week we’ll be taking a look at how to play the Blue Oyster Cult classic. We will be reviewing the chords and basic picking pattern for the song. After you get the verse and chorus down, I’ll let you go rehearse! Or forget rehearsing, go show it off in front of your friends!

Before we get to our YouTube video lesson, if you would like to learn the lead guitar licks, any of the solos let me know in the comments! I would love to tailor a lesson specifically for you! I know it’s super frustrating to watch lesson videos and expect a guitar solo breakdown that never arrives. Please tell me if you would like an in-depth review of how to play (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, and I will deliver it for you.

For those of you who are ready to jump in, check out our video lesson below! If you need more help, I’ve got chord diagrams, tablatures, picking description, and lyrics below! Just scroll down past the video!

Gear & Chords

I have always found the main riff to Blue Oyster Cult’s (Don’t Fear) the Reaper to be hauntingly beautiful. I guess that was by design. The best part is it’s a 3-chord song and perfect for a beginner!

Gear Corner

To get a sound that gets close to the record, you’re going to want to pull out a Gibson style guitar. I believe Buck Dharma was using a natural colored SG in the early days, but I have seen him with black Les Pauls, and other guitars. Find a Vox AC30 or a Fender Super to pair up with the right amplifier, or use modeling software and dial in the closest tone. His live sound is much more distorted, but try to lean on the cleaner side when playing this riff! This cleaner sound is actually more common than you might think! More distortion is not always better! But more cowbell…I’m digressing.

For today’s post and in the YouTube video above, I’m using a Gibson SG 61 Reissue and a Line 6 Pod Pro XT.

The Chords

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper is an easy guitar song for a beginner with chords that anyone can play! All you need to know is a Am chord, a G chord, and an F chord. The Am and the G chord should be no problem, and the F chord should be challenging for a beginner. Keep at this chord as it will help you build your hand and finger strength. Once you master one bar chord, a whole new world of possibilities will open up on the guitar for you, so don’t give up! Stay motivated!

Luckily though, the full F bar chord will not be required when learning how to play Don’t Fear (The Reaper). You will only need the power chord today. Let’s check out those chord diagrams!

Verse!

• 

• 

Chorus!

• 

• 

Main Riff & Picking Pattern

The main riff to and the picking pattern go hand in hand when learning how to play (Don’t Fear) The Reaper. The riff is played using 8th notes, and you just play one note for each 8th note. Check out the tab below for the Am, G, and F chords for the song’s intro and the verses.

Then when you reach the chorus, you will continue to play the chords on the 8th notes. But now you’ll play the power chords to the song! Using the palm of your picking hand you want to mute the strings while you’re playing these chords. To palm mute, you just need your palm of your picking hand to rest on the strings either right on the bridge or just a little past the bridge. This will deaden the sound of the strings and take the high chime out of the sound. Cool!

Chords & Lyrics

Now that you’ve got the main riff and the chorus chords down, let’s take a stab at strumming along with the lyrics!

Am………G…….F……..G…….Am….G….F….G

Alllllllllllllll our times have come

Am………G…….F……..G…….Am….G….F….G

Heeeeere but now they’re gone

F…………………..G………..Am

Seasons don’t fear the reaper

……………….F…………….G……………Am…………….G……………….F

Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain, we can be like they are

G………….Am……G……..F………G

Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper

……………………Am……G……..F………G

Baby take my hand, don’t fear the reaper

……………………Am……G……..F………G

We’ll be able to fly, don’t fear the reaper

………………….Am….G….F….G

Baby I’m your man

Am….G….F….G….Am….G….F….G

La, la, la, la, la

Am….G….F….G….Am….G….F….G

La, la, la, la, la

Am………G…….F……G…..Am….G….F….G

Vaaaaaalentiiiiiiiine is done

Am………G…….F……..G………Am….G….F….G

Heeeeere but now they’re gone

F………G…….Am

Romeo and Juliet

F……………………G……..Am……….G……..F

Are together in eternity, Romeo and Juliet

…………..G………………………..Am………………G……………..F

40,000 men and women everyday, Like Romeo and Juliet

…………..G………………………..Am………..G……………..F

40,000 men and women everyday, Redefine happiness

…………G………………………..Am…………………..G……………..F

Another 40,000 coming everyday, We can be like they are

G………….Am……G……..F………G

Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper

……………………Am……G……..F………G

Baby take my hand, don’t fear the reaper

……………………Am……G……..F………G

We’ll be able to fly, don’t fear the reaper

……………………Am……G……..F………G

Baby I’m your man

Am….G….F….G….Am….G….F….G

La, la, la, la, la

Am….G….F….G….Am….G….F….G

La, la, la, la, la

Am………G…….F……..G…….Am….G….F….G

Looooove of two is one

Am………G…….F……..G…….Am….G….F….G

Heeeere but now they’re gone

F………………….G…………..Am

Came the last night of sadness

…………………F…………..G…………..Am…….G

And it was clear she couldn’t go on

………………F…………..G…………………Am………………G

Then the door was open and the wind appeared

……..F…………..G…………..Am………….G

The candles blew then disappeared

…….F…………..G………………..Am………..G

The curtains flew then he appeared, saying don’t be afraid

G………….Am……G……..F………G

Come on baby, and she had no fear

……………………Am……G……..F………G

And she ran to him, then they started to fly

………………………………………………….Am……G……..F………G

They looked backward and said goodby, she had become like they are

…………………………..Am……G……..F………G

She had taken his hand, she had become like they are

…………….Am……G……..F………G

Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper

That’s IT!

You’ve just learned how to play (Don’t Fear) The Reaper! If you’re looking for more beginner classic rock tunes, check out our lesson on Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival! It’s another super easy song and has great guitar licks!

Also, go check out some of our country lessons! If you’re a beginner looking for more simple chords, try Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show or Willin’ by Little Feat! These simple songs are great to learn!

If you’re an intermediate to advanced player, how about trying Can’t You See by The Marshall Tucker Band or Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line by Waylon Jennings!

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And if you struggled with any part of this lesson, reach out and let me know! I’d be happy to help you work through one part of the song or another!