Gold Star! Every art form had to deal with the arrival of the atomic age in one manner or another. Some artists were reserved and intellectual in their approach, others less so. The world of popular music, for one, got an especially crazy kick out of the Bomb. Country, blues, jazz, gospel, rock and roll, rockabilly, Calypso, novelty and even polka musicians embraced atomic energy with wild-eyed, and some might argue, inappropriate enthusiasm. These musicians churned out a variety of truly memorable tunes featuring some of the most bizarre lyrics of the 20th century. If it weren't for Dr. Oppenheimer's creation, for example, would we have ever heard lines like "Nuclear baby, don't fission out on me!" or "Radioactive mama, we'll reach critical mass tonight!"?
Supremely sampleworthy. Be sure to check out the Conelrad podcast. "The baseball stadium has been completed, and as I pass, I remember I have tickets for tomorrow night's game. I know now there will be no tomorrow night, because death does not attend a baseball game."
This is not a test! ATOMIC PLATTERS: Cold War Music from the Golden Age of Homeland Security |
