Songs About Nuclear War from the Eighties, Index
During the eighties, the topic of nuclear war seemed to come up a lot. It was
on the news frequently due to the arms build up under the Regean era. At one
point I think there was enough fire power to destroy the world 100 times over
(it's probably still something ridiculous like that though). With the end of
the cold war all seemed fine, although recent events in India and Pakistan
does help remind us that it could be triggered by almost any mad man who is
intent enough.
This page currently edited by: Powerslave. Past editor: Speed Racer
"Every Day Is Like Sunday," by Morrisey
Trudging slowly over wet sand Back to the bench where your clothes were stolen This is the coastal town That they forgot to close down Armageddon - come Armageddon! Come, Armageddon! come! Everyday is like Sunday Everyday is silent and Grey Hide on the promenade Etch a postcard : How I dearly wish I was not here In the seaside town ...that they forgot to bomb Come, come, come - nuclear bomb Everyday is like Sunday Everyday is silent and Grey Trudging back over pebbles and sand And a strange dust lands on your hands (and on your face...) (on your face ...) (on your face ...) (on your face ...) Everyday is like Sunday Win yourself a cheap tray Share some greased tea with me Everyday is silent and Grey
Stop it There's been too much debate We could save ourselves from holocaust Or is that just our fate Start now But we continue to balk We let the genie out of the bottle But we still hold the cork ONE, TWO,- NOT THREE, FOUR,- DIE ONE, TWO,- NOT THREE, FOUR,- DIE Ignorance, is no excuse For violence NO ONE WINS ... ONE WORLD ONE WORLD ONE WORLD - Welcome to it ONE WORLD - Don't abuse it ONE WORLD - To live out your life ONE WORLD - Total schism Tunnel vision ONE WORLD - Taming the beast Fighting for peace Killing You pushed a button that's all you did It's much harder to kill a man If you've seen pictures of his kids Responsibility And what are all our lives worth ? What kind of sentence would you serve For killing the earth ONE, TWO,- NOT THREE, FOUR,- DIE ONE, TWO,- NOT THREE, FOUR,- DIE Ignorance, is no excuse For violence NO ONE WINS ... ONE WORLD ONE WORLD ONE WORLD - Welcome to it ONE WORLD - Don't abuse it ONE WORLD - To live out your life ONE WORLD - Total schism Tunnel vision ONE WORLD - Taming the beast Fighting for peace ONE WORLD ONE WORLD ONE WORLD - Welcome to it ONE WORLD - Don't abuse it ONE WORLD - To live out your life ONE WORLD - Total schism Tunnel vision ONE WORLD - Taming the beast Fighting for peace Russians They're only people like us Do you really think they'd blow up the world They don't love their lives less America Stop singing hail to the chief Instead of thinking S.D.I. He should be thinking of peace ONE, TWO,- NOT THREE, FOUR,- DIE ONE, TWO,- NOT THREE, FOUR,- DIE Ignorance, is no excuse For violence NO ONE WINS ... ONE WORLD ONE WORLD ONE WORLD - Welcome to it ONE WORLD - Don't abuse it ONE WORLD - To live out your life ONE WORLD - Total schism Tunnel vision ONE WORLD - Taming the beast Fighting for peace ONE WORLD!
"Wardance," by Art Interface
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Art+Interface Minimal synth-pop from 1984. You've gotta live each day like it's your last. You're going to lose it all in a nuclear blast!
"Damnation Alley," by Hawkwind
No more Arizona now, Phoenix is fried up, Oklahoma City what a pity it's gone, Louisiana Delta, where the Mississippi's dried up, no more Chattanooga, Cherokee, Lexington. Ride the post-atomic radioactive trash, the sky is on fire from that nuclear flash, diving through the burning hoop of doom in an 8 wheeled anti-radiation tomb, thank you Dr Strange love for going doolally, and leaving me the heritage of Damnation Alley! Damnation Alleyway!
Stop it! There's been too much debate. We could save ourselves from Holocaust, Or is that just our fate? Start now! But we continue to balk. We let the genie out of the bottle, But we still hold the cork. Bridge: One, Two - NOT! Three, Four - DIE! One, Two - NOT! Three, Four - DIE! Pre-chorus: Ignorance, is no excuse for violence. No one wins. Chorus: ONE WORLD! ONE WORLD!! ONE WORLD! - Welcome to it, ONE WORLD! - Don't abuse it. ONE WORLD! - To live out your life, ONE WORLD! - Total schism, Tunnel vision. ONE WORLD - Taming the beast, Fighting for peace! Killing, You pushed a button, that's all you did. It's much harder to kill a man, [ Anthrax Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ] If you've seen picture of his kids. Responsability, And what are all our lives worth? What kind of sentence would you serve, For killing the earth? Bridge Pre-Chorus Chorus MOSH PART LEAD BREAK Chorus Russians, They're only people like us. Do you really think they'd blow up the world? They don't love their lives less. America, Stop singing hail to the chief. Instead of thinking S.D.I., He should be thinking of peace! Bridge Pre-Chorus Chorus ONE WORLD!!!!
Red skies at night, red skies at night Wo oh, wo oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Red skies at night, red skies at night Wo oh, wo oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Should have taken warning It's just, people mourning, running, hiding, lost You can't find, find a place to go So it's red skies at night, red skies at night Wo oh, wo oh oh oh oh Should have taken warning It's just, people mourning, running, hiding, lost You can't find, find a place to go So it's red skies at night, red skies at night Wo oh, wo oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Red skies at night, red skies at night Wo oh, wo oh oh Someone's taking over And it looks like they're aiming right at you Someone says, We'll be dead by morning Someone cries, leaving Red eyes at night, red eyes at night
"This Is Not a Test," by Tommy Shaw
The music's interrupted by an old Familiar sound We've heard it all our lives Who paid attention Then the radio announcer tells us This has been a test I never heard the rest I always changed the station Mr. President our radar shows An image in the skies And we believe it's headed our Direction The Russians aren't responding And we're up against the clock It seems there's no avoiding This deadly confrontation And this is not a test No video effect No science fiction quest for glory And this is not a test There'll be no turning back The hour is at hand And this is not a test You can ignore We've not been here before Let's hear it for the war How did peace and freedom Disappear before our very eyes And leave us in this desperate situation There is no way to justify For country or for God The heavens are a battlefield And now this confrontation
It's not that you're not good enough br it's just that we can make you better br you don't have to pay the price br we can keep you young and tender br br Follow in the footsteps of a funeral pryor you were paid not to listen br now your house is on fire br br Wake me up when things get started br when everything starts to happen br
Yes, this is about the bombing of Japan ending WWII. But, I just wanted to correct one of the postings on this site. The pilot was named for his wife, not his mother. The reference to little boy is the nickname for the bomb itself. Except, the bomb that was dropped by the Enola Gay was named Fat Man. The little boy bomb was the second one dropped.
"Everyday Is Like Sunday," by Morrissey
Trudging slowly over wet sand Back to the bench where your clothes were stolen This is the coastal town That they forgot to close down Armageddon - come Armageddon! Come, Armageddon! Come! Everyday is like Sunday Everyday is silent and Grey Hide on the promenade Etch a postcard : "How I Dearly Wish I Was Not Here" In the seaside town ...that they forgot to bomb Come, Come, Come - nuclear bomb Everyday is like Sunday Everyday is silent and Grey Trudging back over pebbles and sand And a strange dust lands on your hands And on your face... On your face ... On your face ... On your face ...) Everyday is like Sunday "Win Yourself A Cheap Tray" Share some greased tea with me Everyday is silent and grey
When the weather starts to burn br Then you'll know that you're in trouble br Follow in the footsteps of a solider girl br It's time to put your clothes on and to br face the world.br
You were paid not to listen br now your house is on fire.br
The approximate age that a boy can enlist in the U.S. Army is 19.
"Nuclear Poison," by Lion Force?
Great tune, I was under the impression it was by Bob Marley. I'll let you know if I can transcribe it.
In my rear view mirror the sun is going down Sinking behind bridges in the road And I think of all the good things That we have left undone And I suffer premonitions Confirm suspicions Of the holocaust to come. The wire that holds the cork That keeps the anger in Gives way And suddenly it's day again. The sun is in the east Even though the day is done. Two suns in the sunset Hmmmmmmmmmm Could be the human race is run. Like the moment when the brakes lock And you slide towards the big truck Oh no![scream] Daddy, Daddy!You stretch the frozen moments with your fear. And you'll never hear their voices And you'll never see their faces You have no recourse to the law anymore. And as the windshield melts My tears evaporate Leaving only charcoal to defend. Finally I understand the feelings of the few. Ashes and diamonds Foe and friend We were all equal in the end. ...and now the weather. Tomorrow will be cloudy with scattered showers spreading from the east ... with an expected high of 4000 degrees Celsius
We're fightin' for the gods of war But what the hell we fightin' for We're fightin' with the gods of war But I'm a rebel And I ain't gonna fight no more No way On a countdown to zero Take a ride on the nightmare machine There ain't gonna be heroes There ain't gonna be anything"
In my rear view mirror the sun is going down, sinking behind bridges in the road, and I think of all the good things we have left undone and I suffer premonitions, confirmed suspicions of the holocaust to come. The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in, gives way and suddenly it's day again. The sun is in the east even though the day is done, two suns in the sunset, hmmmmmmmmmmm, could be the human race is run. Like the moment when the brakes lock, and you slide towards the big truck. You stretch the frozen moments with your fear, and you'll never hear their voices, and you'll never see their faces, you have no recourse to the law anymore. And as the windshield melts and my tears evaporate, leaving only charcoal to defend. Finally I realize the feelings of the few, ashes and diamonds, foe and friend we will all equal in the end.
In Europe and America, there's a growing feeling of hysteria Conditioned to respond to all the threats In the rhetorical speeches of the Soviets Mr. Khrushchev said we will bury you I don't subscribe to this point of view It'd be such an ignorant thing to do If the Russians love their children too How can I save my little boy from Oppenheimer's deadly toy There is no monopoly of common sense On either side of the political fence We share the same biology Regardless of ideology Believe me when I say to you I hope the Russians love their children too There is no historical precedent To put the words in the mouth of the president There's no such thing as a winnable war It's a lie we don't believe anymore Mr. Reagan says we will protect you I don't subscribe to this point of view Believe me when I say to you I hope the Russians love their children too We share the same biology Regardless of ideology What might save us me and you Is if the Russians love their children too This is one of the most moving anti-nuke songs ever made. I'm amazed no one else has thought of it yet!
The cottage is windswept Now there's only sorrow here Follow evacuation signs You're detached and broken and so sentimental now Remembering how we passed our time Somebody waits for me Far beyond our Halloween Germanic forces marching on concrete squares Our love is just defenseless sound And could we believe that all you said was true We would be so determined now Slowly emerging Dividing Germany Everyone's lost in East Berlin Only believing just what you want to hear We're waiting at stations once again http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiZyy11oS9M&fmt=18
"World Destruction," by Time Zone
John Lydon of Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd. & Afrika Bambaataa released this one-off single in 1985. Only a couple of lines directly address nuclear war Yes, the world is headed for destruction. Is it a nuclear war? What are you asking for?, We've come to drop a bomb on you. / World destruction, kaboom, kaboom, kaboom!, but the lyrics mostly center on the various conflicts between nations and peoples that make such a disaster seem rational.
Do You Have a Nuclear War Song to Share?
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