Atomic Platters: Cold War Music from the Golden Age of Homeland Security

[Ian David]

Every art form had to deal with the arrival of 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!"?

There are various subgenres (see below) that comprise the master genre we like to call the Atomic Platter, but mainly these compositions celebrate, lament or lampoon the Bomb and the Cold War that sprang from the mushroom clouds over Japan.

CONELRAD is primarily interested in presenting the "first generation" of songs that were written during this period - works that are less familiar to the public than the songs produced during the folk revival/folk-rock period of the sixties and after. The earlier songs are less self-conscious, more naive (in some cases to the point of downright wackiness) and therefore more intriguing. Needless to say, another reason why many of these songs were selected is—put simply—they swing! Pondering the cultural climate that encouraged songs like 1957's profoundly strange yet catchy Atom Bomb Baby is a lot more rewarding than, say, examining the obvious metaphors from a pre-electric Dylan protest song like "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall." And Barry McGuire's Eve of Destruction is a memorable "important" song, but isn’t the lesser known answer song by The Spokesmen, Dawn of Correction, a lot more interesting?

CONELRAD is pleased to present a searchable database that contains details on all of the Platters that we have been able to collect over the years. Initially, this database will be populated primarily with the tracks from our Bear Family Records co-production, ATOMIC PLATTERS: COLD WAR MUSIC FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

But, over time, there will be many additions because our collecting experience indicates that this may very well be an inexhaustible genre. And, as always, we welcome reader suggestions; for like the U.S. Constitution and the Rolling Stone Record Guide, the Atomic Platters database lives to be amended, challenged and debated.

More:
http://www.atomicplatters.com/index.php


LISTEN to a selection of ATOMIC PLATTERS via Internet radio
http://www.live365.com/cgi-bin/directory.cgi?genre=search&searchdesc=Conelrad

and READ the broadcast track listing.

http://www.conelrad.com/media/atomicmusic/live365_playlist_prog_02.html

[Igel]

1. On par with the pre-Cold-War songs at

http://www.sovmusic.ru/list.php?part=1&category=revolut. (The subpage I linked to is "revolutionary songs", as opposed to 'songs about the motherland', Pioneer songs, etc., etc. Only in Russian, alas. Site maintained by the Revolutionary Communist Youth Union.)

http://www.sovmusic.ru/list.php?part=1&category=stalin is the songs about Stalin--all positive and even congratulatory.

Interesting archive, if only for reasons foreign to the RCYU.