Lyric discussion by Cumaris 

Cover art for Deadline lyrics by Blue Öyster Cult

The song "Deadline" is based on the true story of an old acquaintance of the band, who was murdered.

According to Albert Bouchard, the person in question was booking agent Phil King (who booked gigs for the band before they were signed to Columbia).

Phil was apparently pressuring this guy to pay back a gambling debt, and the guy ended up shooting him. Phil King is also mentioned in the song, "Hot Rails to Hell" (in the lyric, "The King did not know").

Allen once described Phil King (also known as Phil Friedman) as a "big dude in a cheap vinyl leather jacket, two-tone blue '64 Lincoln Continental, wore a Fu Manchu mustache, combing his...