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Blue Öyster Cult — Then Came The Last Days Of May
Album: Blue Oyster Cult
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 622









Released: 1972
Length: 3:29
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Parched land no desert sand, sun was just a dot
And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot
Three good buddies were laughing and smoking in the back
Of a rented ford
They couldn't know they weren't going far

Each one with the money in his pocket
Could go out and buy himself a brand new car
But they all had the money they had
Money they hoped would take them very far

The sky was bright, a traffic light, now and then a truck
And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck...)
They brought everything they needed
bags and scales to weigh the stuff
The driver said the border's just over the bluff

It wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
In the middle of a cold and barren place
And the other guy turned and spilled
Three boys blood, did they know a trap had been lain?

Then came the last days of May, I'll be breathing dry air
I'm leaving soon, the others are already there
You wouldn't be interested in coming along, instead of staying here
They say the west is nice this time of year
Comments (141)add comment
one of the best first albums by a band, ever.
Some Fleetwood Mac guitars ... 
 Hannio wrote:

I was driving south on I-35 from Round Rock into Austin sometime around 1982 when I saw what looked to be an airplane fuselage on a flat bed trailer ahead of me.  As I caught up with it, I couldn't believe my eyes.  There on the flatbed was the unmistakable shape of an ME 262 fuselage.  Found out years later that it was on its way to one of the air force bases in San Antonio for restoration.

But what does the Schwalbe have to do with this song?
 

Googled "blue oyster cult me 262". And apparently they wrote a song called ME 262. It's on their album "Secret Treaties".
Fantastic to hear this for the first time in too long! Sometimes it's the obscure cuts that trigger the best memories...
 GTT wrote:
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was, "you need to check out the first three Blue Oyster Cult albums."  I went to a used record store, picked up all three for $1.99 apiece, and enjoyed many hours of listening pleasure.

 
I have heard it called their "black and white" period. To me the first album is their best.
 25demayo wrote:
ME262

 Image result for ME262

 
I was driving south on I-35 from Round Rock into Austin sometime around 1982 when I saw what looked to be an airplane fuselage on a flat bed trailer ahead of me.  As I caught up with it, I couldn't believe my eyes.  There on the flatbed was the unmistakable shape of an ME 262 fuselage.  Found out years later that it was on its way to one of the air force bases in San Antonio for restoration.

But what does the Schwalbe have to do with this song?
Thanks to my brother Les for getting me into this amazing song, and all of the first 3 BOC albums.
 oldviolin wrote:
I'm on the lamb but I ain't no sheep...

 
...and a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot...
"ON YOUR FEET OR ON YOUR KNEES! — get it?!" said the elder brother of my friend Gary as he and I sat in front of the fireplace one chilly autumn night when I was in 8th Grade, as Don't Fear the Reaper played on their dad's Marantz tuner and came out of the massive speakers on either side of the room. Huh? we said. He proceeded to enlighten us with their whole haunting catalog of jams! 
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was, "you need to check out the first three Blue Oyster Cult albums."  I went to a used record store, picked up all three for $1.99 apiece, and enjoyed many hours of listening pleasure.
ME262

 Image result for ME262
Almost anything from their Tyranny & Mutation album trumps this.
BOC had a song other than Don't Fear the Reaper?  Who knew.
 
 jagdriver wrote:
There are a lot better tracks on this CD, such as:

Cities On Flame (With Rock & Roll)
Transmaniacon MC

 
Agreed! Also Stairway To The Stars, Before The Kiss, A Redcap. Well, pretty much the rest of the album. When this LP came out I thought that this is something really different. A few albums later they had become kind of gimmicky. 
"This is my cousin Leroy. He'll be producing. Won't charge a dime, either! We'll be Rock Stars!"
Add one more to the playlist:  "I Love the Night" another Buck  Dharma led song. {#Angel}
I have this album in the basement somewhere.  I have to go dig it out!
I'm on the lamb but I ain't no sheep...
One of my first vinyl LPs was BOC when I was in 7th grade... Never heard this one, sounds like a Breaking Bad type of song! My other first vinyl ( I had joinEd one of those record clubs) was David Bowie Heroes :-)
Love B.O.C. and its great to hear something besides "Fear the Reaper".
"Cities on Fire with Rock and Roll" is great too! 
They have other songs than the Reaper!?!?  {#Eh}
 ewisor wrote:
Excellent track!  I never thought I'd ever hear this on a radio station - broadcast or internet.  Mixing in nice, obscure tracks like this makes Radio Paradise the bomb!

 
Yep
Love me some Buck Dharma!  Love the storyline too.
Couple this with Treetop Flyer?
I was too snotty to give these guys a chance back then. Zeppelin, Stones, Dead, Jethro Tull, Flloyd, etc. fan.

So I hear this, don't know who it is and exclaim, ' Jesus, who is that guitarist? I need more of this guy!"

Silly me.


How about a movie based on this song?
Excellent track!  I never thought I'd ever hear this on a radio station - broadcast or internet.  Mixing in nice, obscure tracks like this makes Radio Paradise the bomb!
First album my Mom ever bought me as a pre-teen!  What a cool Mom!!
Good Lord. This takes me back to high school. I couldn't remember who the band was but I remembered all the lyrics, lol
Whiplash from the first few notes ... surprised any of this vinyl survived!  This is a 'different' BOC tune, and one of my favorites from them because of that.  (Man, that was a long time ago!)
I think that they never were any better than on their first two albums. They just got more commercial.
OMG — I've NEVER heard this on any station before. What a blast from the past.
Interestingly enough I never listened to this group back in the day. I'm surprised I didn't because when I hear them now I really like them.
Now does this bring back memories..  Sitting in my room after highschool puffing away..
A very ordinary track, lacking in anything to make it of much interest.  Sorry, don't like it.
An old fav. Choice BOC
I could have liked this group if "Don't Fear the Reaper" wasn't about teen suicide when I had a teenaged daughter.
Nice!
 fathom39 wrote:
Notice that three of the four BOC songs in the playlist have Buck Dharma as lead singer, something he only did maybe around 40% of the time on all their albums.  An unassuming guy with varied skills. 
 
Agree re skills, but if he was so unassuming, why did he play under an assumed name?
Notice that three of the four BOC songs in the playlist have Buck Dharma as lead singer, something he only did maybe around 40% of the time on all their albums.  An unassuming guy with varied skills. 
Don't fear the reaper

Noir desire. Le vent nous porters

Love it
 mandolin wrote:
...i need more BOC in my life...
 
...lo, and behold, one year later and two shiny-new BOC compact discs just arrived in last week's mail!..
Very nice choice! Easily in my Top 10 favorite tunes of all time. Shocked!!
A great song from a great album. I love this band.
BÖC is one of my favorit artist:D But there are non of my favorit songs i the RP-libary:(
I can now se what whas the purpose of this day:)
High five if you made it this far so far!


Whoah, the memories...my friend Gary and I lounging in front of the fireplace in the rec room of his house, poring over his weed-head brother's record collection...and before even hearing the songs, I remember freaking out at just the titles, on this and other albums: Transmaniacon MC, ME-262, and what about On Your Feet Or On Your Knees! ?-!-? How brutally COOL! We loved everything we put on by these guys that night and many more to come; they were very big among the hip crowd when I hit E-School, too. Would love to hear some obscure numbers: Career of Evil, Cities On Flame, Cagey Cretins, Astronomy, Workshop of the Telescopes, etc. from them again!
There are a lot better tracks on this CD, such as:

Cities On Flame (With Rock & Roll)
Transmaniacon MC
Not bad!
...i need more BOC in my life...
Judge Constance Harm: According to this, your father was driving you to school. Then where was he when you stole the police car?
Homer Simpson: Uh, your Honor, I was chasing the KBBL Party Penguin Prize Patrol.
Judge Constance Harm: You abandoned your son to win forty dollars?
Homer Simpson: And a Blue Oyster Cult medallion. Cool.
Judge Constance Harm: And that was more important than keeping your son out of trouble?
Homer Simpson: Your Honor, if may sing a little bit of, "Don't Fear the Reaper," I think you'll agree...
Judge Constance Harm: I'm familiar with BOC. But you have got a boy here who is crying out for adult supervision.
Homer Simpson: I couldn't agree more. Perhaps some sort of court-appointed babysitter or au pair.
Judge Constance Harm: Sorry, bub, that crow won't caw.
Homer Simpson: It won't!
Great tune, some of the live versions are even better.  Buck can still tear it up, saw them last summer.  Eric is not quite as menacing as he used to be.  The Indy concert at Circle Theater with Styx in the early 80's was one of the loudest I ever attended.   I miss the old days of whips, leather and lasers.
Needs more cowbell.


 handyrae wrote:

Silly me! I was just re-reading the comments and realized that I was thinking of "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia." I always get that song and "Ode to Billie Joe" confused.

 
It sounds like one of those story songs (not the ones mentioned above, though).  Better than the tired stuff of theirs that you hear on AOR radio stations.

One of my favorites from their early work.
This inspired me to go buy a BOC shirt on eBay.
 handyrae wrote:

Silly me! I was just re-reading the comments and realized that I was thinking of "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia." I always get that song and "Ode to Billie Joe" confused.

 
You guys!  This sounds like The Dead!  In 196X even.....and I wasn't even there.  See how this works?

 handyrae wrote:
Is it just me or do parts of this sound very much like "Ode to Billie Joe?" Or maybe it's the other way round?
 
Silly me! I was just re-reading the comments and realized that I was thinking of "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia." I always get that song and "Ode to Billie Joe" confused.

 handyrae wrote:
Is it just me or do parts of this sound very much like "Ode to Billie Joe?" Or maybe it's the other way round?
 
I'm hearing , "Timothy, Timothy where on earth did you go?" {#Skull}

 handyrae wrote:
Is it just me or do parts of this sound very much like "Ode to Billie Joe?" Or maybe it's the other way round?
 

Must be just you.  I'm not hearing it.
Is it just me or do parts of this sound very much like "Ode to Billie Joe?" Or maybe it's the other way round?
...great flow this afternoon...
 crockydile wrote:
I came into BOC with BlackBlade...dig a lot of their stuff. I love Buck!
 
Buck can still tear it up.  Saw them last summer.  Only had two original members, I believe - Buck and Eric Bloom.
Still sounded great to these ears.

 FogAudio wrote:
Cool tune, reminds me of some Guess Who stuff. I probably need to collect more than a greatest hits album from BOC!
 
The first three CDs are excellent - bonus tracks on the reissues, too!

Wow... I was just listening to BOC do "Burning For You" on youtube, and I pop over here: more BOC! Synchronicity!
Wow. Takes me way, way back!
Oh man this one brings back some memories - early seventies, teenagers in a smoke-filled car...
Cool tune, reminds me of some Guess Who stuff. I probably need to collect more than a greatest hits album from BOC!


 CortezTheKiller wrote:
Call me ign'ant, but till now "Don't Fear the Reaper" is the only Blue Oyster Cult song I've heard. After listening to this song, that is something I tend to rectify.

  You won't be disappointed.


..or something that has already been rectified, if you want to be pedantic.
Call me ign'ant, but till now "Don't Fear the Reaper" is the only Blue Oyster Cult song I've heard. After listening to this song, that is something I tend to rectify.

I came into BOC with BlackBlade...dig a lot of their stuff. I love Buck!
 drews wrote:
Great song, though this version is a bit too downbeat, and the live version off 'on your feet or on your knees' album is way better
 
I agree!  The live version has a harder edge to it with some excellent blues guitar work.
Haven't heard this in a long while. I stll have the LP. I always thought this song had a litte bit of the "Grateful Dead" sound to it...

 jagdriver wrote:
Certainly not the most representative track on this album. There are several gems buried herein.
 
It's unique.  Almost not like them.
Great song, though this version is a bit too downbeat, and the live version off 'on your feet or on your knees' album is way better
Represents another time and place but NICE!
Certainly not the most representative track on this album. There are several gems buried herein.
So cool!
great tune, great record. Those first few records were out there musically and lyrically. Unfortunately, as time went by, the music got less adventurous, especially by the late 70s. If you want to hear a great cover, check out the Caesars version of "Don't fear the Reaper".
one of the best tracks on an absolutely stellar album.  thank you bill, i grinned wide with the first notes.

-PL-
coloradojohn wrote:
Holy Seven Screaming Dizz-busters, Bat-man! On yer feet or on yer knees! Boy, this takes me back... Early 80s, Engineering School, Rolla, Missouri... We had The Good Acid from the labs of Dr. Fun... and we also had BOC on the tape-decks... and lots of Electric Kool-Aid parties, etc. etc. etc. Saw these guys rock the Checkerdome with Foghat in '81, I think it was... Had a weed-pipe rigged with Nitrous Oxide injection. YEAH, BABY! Jam on, Bill!
Sounds like you had almost as much fun in college as me and my friends did, down in Western Kentucky at ol' Murray State. Blotter and Afghan hash were in abundance, and "Moma Nature's" head shop was doing land-office business! I saw these guys on the "Agents of Fortune" tour with Rush. Unbelievably good times, my friend.
Love the first 3 CDs by these guys! They're coming to our area this summer. Whoo-hoo! Cities on flame.....with rock 'n roll indeed.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
rbigelo wrote:
Tracks like this one -- that did not get a lot of mainstream airplay during the FM radio days -- is one of many reasons I listen -- and donate-- to Radio Paradise. Thanks, Bill.
I recommend an obscure BOC track called Perfect Water from a 1995(!) album called Workshop of the Telescopes.
wow, flashbacking now... i haven't heard this song for many, many years.
...nice - love the deep cuts...
Tracks like this one -- that did not get a lot of mainstream airplay during the FM radio days -- is one of many reasons I listen -- and donate-- to Radio Paradise. Thanks, Bill.
Swwweeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
analog reverb rules Fiji5555 wrote:
That's true....true...true...true........
coloradojohn wrote:
Holy Seven Screaming Dizz-busters, Bat-man! On yer feet or on yer knees! Boy, this takes me back... Early 80s, Engineering School, Rolla, Missouri... We had The Good Acid from the labs of Dr. Fun... and we also had BOC on the tape-decks... and lots of Electric Kool-Aid parties, etc. etc. etc. Saw these guys rock the Checkerdome with Foghat in '81, I think it was... Had a weed-pipe rigged with Nitrous Oxide injection. YEAH, BABY! Jam on, Bill!
The drug squad is on its way to your place right now...
Holy Seven Screaming Dizz-busters, Bat-man! On yer feet or on yer knees! Boy, this takes me back... Early 80s, Engineering School, Rolla, Missouri... We had The Good Acid from the labs of Dr. Fun... and we also had BOC on the tape-decks... and lots of Electric Kool-Aid parties, etc. etc. etc. Saw these guys rock the Checkerdome with Foghat in '81, I think it was... Had a weed-pipe rigged with Nitrous Oxide injection. YEAH, BABY! Jam on, Bill!
Sweet guitar work.
Saw Buck & the Gang a couple of years ago in concert. They all look like a bunch of old Saturday-afternoon-lawn-mowing-Kiwanis-barbecuing-soccer-dads! Old farts or not, they can still rock.
Did Bill just play BLUE OYSTER CULT? I'm stunned...this is _really_ good... Eegaad. I'm clearly polluted by Don't Fear the Reaper...thanks for opening my eyes...once again. whowuddathunkit...
I'm officially crazy. This song kept reminding me of something and I finally figured it out--The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. Just a little bit around the edges.......
pkimbrel wrote:
They just don't do reverb like they used to...
That's true....true...true...true........
n4ku wrote:
I really like this, but I can't help thinking that it could use more cowbell.
Yes, more cow bell is always preferable to less cow bell
They just don't do reverb like they used to...
Man, I hadn't heard this one in like 16 years. I had it on vinyl, back when I was LOOOOAAAAADED, brother! I'm not loaded no more. But BOC still kicks ass. This song sounds goooooood. I think I might have to go out and get me some a their old stuff.
I really like this, but I can't help thinking that it could use more cowbell.
coloradojohn wrote:
Sure could use a bit more of them, too, such as Career of Evil, Astronomy, Dominance/ Submission ...
Definitely agree on those three!
When you're not sure if you sound good, you add a little reverb, when you're sure you don't sound good then you add a lot of reverb. Result: it don't sound good anyway... Because of this: 4
Fantastic guitar. Thanks, Bill for showing younger listeners that there's more BOC than Reaper. Excellent song and one I was too young to appreciate when it was made. Don't hear this stuff on mainstream airwaves.
A classic from Buck and the BOC...THANKS, BILL! Sure could use a bit more of them, too, such as Career of Evil, Astronomy, Dominance/ Submission, Divine Wind, Workshop of Telescopes...even Joan Crawford Has Risen...so many good ones!
Attended HS during the late 70's in Northern NJ - in that time and place BOC were considered RnR Gods.
Where's the cowbell??
junebaby65 wrote:
Last Days of May is on the first BOC release, and its cover is shown here on RP. However, when you click on the LP cover and go to Amazon.com, the song listing is actually from BOC's Agents of Fortune release. Not sure why. So there is a mistake there.
excellent, thank you :)
Last Days of May is on the first BOC release, and its cover is shown here on RP. However, when you click on the LP cover and go to Amazon.com, the song listing is actually from BOC's Agents of Fortune release. Not sure why. So there is a mistake there. Augustus wrote:
what song is this and off what album? I can't find "then came the last days of may" anywhere. Thanks!
what song is this and off what album? I can't find "then came the last days of may" anywhere. Thanks!
Almost more reverb than music itself, but still good.
Excellent!! Great song..Awesome lyrics too. What a storyline...Thanks!!
Saw BOC a bunch of times in Chicago. Once we had Aerosmith warming them up. Aerosmith was so high, we booed them off the stage. But I digress. I like BOC, and I like this song. BOC was important enuff that the Minutemen covered The Red and The Black. I've got it on casette tape. Yes, I still have a few.
I really like it when RP gets into these cool grooves from the past...especially this one... Blue Oyster Cult - Then Came The Last Days Of May Treat Her Right - I Think She Likes Me Booker T. & The MGs - Green Onions James - Knuckle Too Far Neil Young - Cowgirl In The Sand
handyrae wrote:
This may be the first time I've knowingly lisented to Blue Oyster Cult. Their symbol was all over my New Jersey high school and I've always thought they'd be much more metal than this. Or perhaps this song isn't representative. Not half bad.
Exactly the same from just a little more East & North - Westchester NY. Only know "...the Reaper" from AOR over-exposure on WNEW-FM.
More cowbell!
This is the first non-commercial-hit of BOCs that I've heard. Not bad.
I've seen BOC 3 times, all in the late 70's - thoroughly enjoyed every show. I interviewed Eric Bloom for a college radio station in '80. A very interesting guy who spent a lot of the interview avoiding the subject matter of their songs and shifting focus to their live shows. I never could figure him out, not that it mattered - enigmatic is one of my favorite BOC attributes. Thanks for playing one of their more enigmatic tunes!
fathom39 wrote:
... E.T.I., Flaming Telepaths, and After Dark.
I second that, love BOC!
This may be the first time I've knowingly lisented to Blue Oyster Cult. Their symbol was all over my New Jersey high school and I've always thought they'd be much more metal than this. Or perhaps this song isn't representative. Not half bad.