The Cowbell Deserves More Respect

There aren’t many instruments that are as ridiculed in pop culture as the cowbell. However, it has transcended that reputation to remain a staple in modern music production, decades after its heyday in ‘70s and ‘80s rock.

Written by Adithya Srinivas

The cowbell leads a pretty sad life. It’s been memed to hell and back throughout the ages, most famously by that SNL skit, and it never got the recognition it deserves for being such a consistent part of older hits. “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire, “Good Times, Bad Times” by Led Zeppelin, and “You Can’t Do That” by the Beatles are a few, among hundreds, of chart-toppers that utilized the cowbell. Still, no kid grows up dreaming of one day becoming some sort of cowbell master, there is no skill required to play one, and some people may not even think of it as a real instrument. After all, it gets its name from being hung on livestock to scare predators, acting more as a tool than anything else.

Yet none of this seems to matter to modern music producers. The cowbell endures as a prominent instrument that many artists have used to great effect in their compositions. The cowbell’s signature staccato ring can be found littered everywhere, and may even be a small, easily overlooked part of some of your favorite songs. Sometimes, musicians even let the cowbell take the lead in their mixes, and while listeners won’t miss it, they still never really pay attention to the fact that they’re listening to — and enjoying — a cowbell.

It’s understandable if you’re a bit skeptical, but to prove it, here are five songs from the 2000s and 2010s that demonstrate the cowbell’s continued use and effectiveness in various genres and applications:

1. “Us V Them” — LCD Soundsystem

Cowbells are no stranger to LCD Soundsystem’s discography. In fact, you’ll find more songs with it than without it throughout their debut self-titled album and sophomore effort, Sound of Silver. “Us V Them” is definitely not their most popular song featuring the bell, but it more than makes up for this in its boldness. Frontman James Murphy verbally introduces a cowbell solo, a novel concept you’d struggle to find anywhere else. There is also a gradual layering of more bells that helps build tension and excitement over the course of the 8-minute run time. Each single cowbell layer remains distinctly recognizable in an increasingly loud and claustrophobic mix as the song crescendos to its finish.

2. “Randy” — Justice

Legendary French electronic production duo Justice recently picked up a Grammy for their live album Woman World Wide. While the album mostly featured remixed hits from previous studio albums, “Randy” was completely overhauled from its original composition, and boy, does it go hard. The cowbell’s usage in this track can only be described as an instrument of pure, unadulterated hype as it layers over the second go-around of the main synth riff. The cowbell here is as adrenaline-boosting as anything heard on the radio.

3. “Dance, Dance, Dance” — Lykke Li

Cowbells aren’t usually used in more downtempo songs, but that’s exactly what Swedish indie singer Lykke Li manages to pull off in “Dance, Dance, Dance.” One thing that music producers want to avoid with slower tracks is allowing the composition to get bogged down and drag along. Here, a simple bell loop provides the energy and momentum that keeps the song moving forward at an enjoyable pace. For such a lowkey song, with whispered vocals and minimal instrumentation, it’s the cowbell’s upbeat contribution that allows the track to live up to its name as jammable song.

4. “Do It Right” — Martin Solveig

Martin Solveig gained mainstream recognition for his massive 2011 hit “Hello” featuring Dragonette. The Frenchman returns in 2019 with “Do it Right,” an equally energetic and danceable club banger, this time featuring Tkay Maidza. In this track, Solveig lets the cowbell shine by keeping it completely isolated during the beat drop and letting its unique sound do all the talking. It also continues to feature through the verses after its introduction, raising the energy of the track right up to the end.

5. “Over and Over” — Hot Chip

Over the years, British indie band Hot Chip have built a selection of strange songs in their discography. Their track “Over and Over” falls in that category, showing that there is no better way to round out a weird composition than a tasteful dash of the patently weird cowbell. Hot Chip achieve their desired off-kilter aesthetic with an unconventional yet fitting backing cowbell track to one of the more fun songs on their project The Warning.

Chances are, after hearing these songs, you’ve got a fever, curable by only one prescription: more cowbell. If you want said cure, we’ve built a playlist with more of the best cowbell songs released since the turn of the century as well as a couple of older gems. Some will throw it in your face, and some will hide it in a far corner of the mix, but in any case, try to give the underappreciated cowbell some love while listening.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3dshWeULZ2qw9JzOSVqtSq?si=G5Y0r6alSHu9beyTg3sGSw