Context

This classic line is said by The Bruce Dickinson, played by Christopher Walken, in the Saturday Night Live sketch "Behind the Music: Blue Öyster Cult" (April 8, 2000).

SNL uncovered a lost episode of Vh1's Behind the Music,which gave us a behind-the-scenes look into Blue Öyster Cult recording their class song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." Christopher Walken, playing a music producer, believes the song has an excellent sound, but what it needs to really be perfect is...more cowbell.

Will Ferrell, as the cowbell player, does what he does best—wiggling around with his belly—and Jimmy Fallon does what he does worst—acting with a straight face. The band disagrees over the prevalence of this instrument, but to Walken's music producer, his weapon of choice is always...

More cowbell.

P.S. The sketch is Rolling Stone's #9 SNL Sketch of All-Time.

Where you've heard it

You'll hear this quote if you're critiquing a song (Jeff Buckley singing "Hallelujah" needs more cowbell fo sho), but you'll mainly hear it pretty much every time you see Christopher Walken. The man has an Oscar and has played Captain Hook…but what people will always remember is the cowbell.

As it should be.

Additional Notable References

• Actual members of Blue Oyster Cult love the sketch.
• There was some cowbell at the SNL 40th Anniversary special.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

We're hard-pressed to find an instrument less pretentious than the lowly cowbell.