This song has many different meanings, but the reference to nuclear holocaust comes in the lines "And the voice said: Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." The cold inhuman way of delivering death to millions in a sterilised era "So hold me, Mom, in your long arms. Your petrochemical arms. Your military arms. In your electronic arms." an analogy between the security of mums loving arms to the states powerful arms. I also feel that it is amazing that 17 years before the atrocity of september 11, laurie wrote "And I've got a message to give to you. Here come the planes." "And the voice said: This is the hand, the hand that takes. This is the hand, the hand that takes. This is the hand, the hand that takes. Here come the planes. They're American planes. Made in America."

Old Mother Reagan and her crew She took away from me and you I seen her go far away, she better go far away. You know it ain't right When it's all wrong Singin' Old Mother Reagan protest song Old Mother Reagan She's so dumb She's so dangerous How come she don't go far away she better go far away Old Mother Reagan went to heaven at the pearly gates she was stopped.

The title was taken from the Neil Shute book. The lyrics go: As I ride the motor tide I look for somewhere All I see is other faces, all I find is nowhere I'll like a place or some space that no-one gets up to She says "A town is just a town, full stop." but what does she know? Here comes a great wave to wash it all away No piece of glass or chrome remains Here comes that wave again, see how fast it flows We'll wash this place right down the drain Not the lyrics to "ON THE BEACH" ?, Please report that below. In the dark a thousand cars hiss by my window A steel tide on a asphalt beach they come and they go I hear a beat in the motor seat that I could die too She says "A town is just a town, full stop." but what does she know? Here comes a great wave... Here comes that wave again..."

Envisions life one generation after a nuclear war, in which the focus of the singer takes on the character living in a submarine like his forefathers did after the bombs dropped and the land destroyed. Lyrics of note are the refrain: "Bye bye empire empire, bye bye." As well the lyric" drinking heavy water from a stone (Stein in some versions)" which notes a nuclear powered vessel, as the source of fresh drinking water may only be what is not contaminated from the nuclear reactor but still converted as heavy water. and the sad lyric: " I can trace my history, down one generation to my home, in one of our submarines, one of our submarines, is missing tonight, seems she went aground on maneuvers." Check it out, even better, find his video called "Golden Age of Wireless, and watch the video. Some post WW2 sub fotage to be found there.

Lyrics: Day after day it reappears; night after night my heartbeat shows the fear; ghosts appear and fade away