More Cowbell.


The sound the till at my local chemist makes when printing a receipt is a perfect recreation in rhythm and tempo of the cowbell part to 'Hello Mary Lou' by Ricky Nelson.


I never anticipated such a niche allusion to come to light whilst queuing for some tablets. The similarity is as striking as it's unexpected. The only reasonable explanation can be that the cash register is haunted by the spirit of Ricky Nelson’s percussionist.

Or so I thought. A little internet research revealed that the drummer on the record, Ritchie Frost, is still with us. So, unless Nelson (who passed to the other side in 1985) provided the distinctive rhythmic hook himself, it’s more likely to be a coincidence.

Either that, or there was a cow standing in the queue behind me. I really should have looked.

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