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1984 single by Blue Öyster Cult
"Shooting Shark " is a song by American
hard rock band
Blue Öyster Cult , appearing on the band's ninth album
The Revölution by Night . Written by guitarist/vocalist
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser with lyrics inspired by a
Patti Smith poem, the song features a synthesizer-heavy
pop sound mixed with
rock elements. The song features
Randy Jackson , of future
American Idol fame, on bass.
[2]
The song tells the story of a man in a bad relationship, who wants to be done with the woman. Each time he breaks up with her, everything he sees reminds him of her, and he eventually returns. This has happened three times, and at the end of the song he's returning for the fourth, which he says will be the last.
"Shooting Shark" was a modest success, peaking at #83 on the
Billboard
Hot 100 ,
[3] as well as #16 on the Billboard
Mainstream Rock chart.
[4]
Reception
AllMusic reviewer William Ruhlmann picked the song as an Allmusic reviewer's pick.
[5] Errol Somay of
Rolling Stone noted the song's saxophone solo, stating it "remind[s] us that Blue Öyster Cult are capable songwriters at both ends of the
rock & roll
Richter scale ".
[6]
Track listing
American 7" single
Side A Title Writer(s) 1. "Shooting Shark" Roeser, Smith 4:20
Side B Title Writer(s) 1. "Dragon Lady" Broadway Blotto, Roeser 4:04
American 12" single
Side A Title Writer(s) 1. "Shooting Shark" (Edit) Roeser, Smith 4:20 2. "Shooting Shark" Roeser, Smith 7:07
European 7" single
Side A Title Writer(s) 1. "Shooting Shark" Roeser, Smith 4:20
Side B Title Writer(s) 1. "Feel the Thunder" Bloom 5:47
UK 12" single
Side A Title Writer(s) 1. "Shooting Shark" (Extended Version) Roeser, Smith 7:07
Side B Title Writer(s) 1. "Dragon Lady" Blotto, Roeser 4:04
Personnel
Blue Öyster Cult
Additional musicians
Charts
References
^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995).
The Great Rock Discography . Canongate Press. p. 76.
ISBN
9780862415419 .
^
Randy Jackson is Leaving 'American Idol' After This Season . Retrieved May 5, 2018
^
"Blue Öyster Cult Shooting Shark Chart History" .
Billboard .
Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
^
"Blue Öyster Cult Shooting Shark Chart History" .
Billboard .
Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved March 9, 2019 .
^ Ruhlmann, William.
"Blue Öyster Cult The Revolution by Night review" .
AllMusic .
Rovi Corporation . Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
^ Somay, Errol (1 March 1984).
"Album Reviews: Blue Oyster Cult – The Revolution by Night" .
Rolling Stone . Archived from
the original on 2009-10-13. Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
^
"Official Singles Chart Top 100" .
Official Charts Company . Retrieved June 6, 2024.
^
"Blue Oyster Cult Chart History (Hot 100)" .
Billboard . Retrieved June 6, 2024.
^
"Blue Oyster Cult Chart History (Mainstream Rock)" .
Billboard . Retrieved June 6, 2024.
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