Secret Treaties Songs Ranked

Secret Treaties is the third studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released in April 1974 by Columbia. It features the same band members and production team as their previous album. The album spent 14 weeks in the US album charts, peaking at No. 53. It was certified gold by the RIAA in 1992. In 1975, a poll of readers of the British magazine Melody Maker voted Secret Treaties the “Top Rock Album of All Time”. In 2010, Rhapsody called it one of the all-time best “proto-metal” albums. All of the songs from the album found their way into BÖC playlists over the following years, except for “Cagey Cretins”. It’s the only BÖC album that does not feature a track with lead vocals sung by guitarist Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser. The band also did not write any of the lyrics to the album, handing that duty to producer Sandy Pearlman, rock critic Richard Meltzer and singer Patti Smith. Here are all of Secret Treaties’ songs ranked.

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8. Cagey Cretins

“A very simple song, and seemingly “unserious” song, but so catchy you can’t compare it to anything else. Underrated song. The organ again does a lot of work, both riffs and slicky lines.”

7. ME 262

“Continues where Dominance ended. Probably the heaviest and one of the catchiest songs on this album, and very nice lyrics too. Still, it manages to be a grower, not fully appreciated from the beginning.”

6. Subhuman

“Another song I didn’t “get” at first. I thought it was too slow and boring. But the point with this is not a kicking rock song, rather a moody, atmospheric mid-tempo song. And sure, it creates a speficic kind of mood.”

See more: Blue Oyster Cult Albums Ranked

5. Harvester of Eyes

“Similar to Dominance And Submission but more memorable with fun lyrics, catchier, not as fast and without that build-up at the end. And a twisted outro that leads us into the next song in a very good way.”

4. Dominance and Submission

“Begins as a catchy riff-driven rock song. It then goes into an awesome build-up until it bursts all over you in the end, with raging guitars, drums and organ (of course).”

See more: Blue Oyster Cult Songs Ranked

3. Flaming Telepaths

“A killer song. Awesome synth riff, good lyrics. Moody verses, catchy refrain and a haunted outro. When the piano comes in at 2:30 and is followed by that guitar solo you can’t imagine there’s anything better on this record.”

2. Career of Evil

“AT first I consider this a bit repetitive, and it may be, but it catches up with good lyrics and a groovy rogan. These guys are smart and never took themselves too seriously.And they knew how to string together killer riffs all day long.”

1. Astronomy

“Then Astronomy aproaches, and you know right from the beginning this is going to be something very special. It’s not like anything else heard on this record, or anything at all in music history maybe… It begins with a slow, and calm part driven by piano and organ, and is then followed by a gloomy organ/guitar riff before the refrain kicks in. The formula is then repeated again, before you’re sucked into the powerfull, superfast ending (which is like riding a comet).”