There was (is?) a time when the background noise (and it was loud) revolved around the likelihood that humankind would annihilate itself any day. The Cold War brought out the worst of us. Fear of your neighbor…fear of ideology or alternative ideas were the centerpiece of the day. The fear was embodied in the likelihood of the ‘big one’ dropping; yet our schools, media, and government soft-peddled the reality. The entertainment industry had it’s own take, of course; because artistic license allowed exploration from every corner, even though it would often make light of what was then assumed to be an eventuality. We’ll hear country from Charlie Louvin and Elton Britt, left-wing folkies like Pete Seeger and Mark Spoelstra, and gospel from the Golden Gate Quartet and The Spirit of Memphis Quartet. It’s a combination of novelty, contemporary takes on old standards, and vintage sounds (both musical and otherwise) in our Deeper Roots episode that explores the American way called ‘duck and cover’.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Fred Kirby
When That Hell Bomb Falls
Atomic Platters
3
Ferlin Husky
Let's Keep the Communists Out
1949-1950 (Warped 498F)
4
Armed Forces
How to spot a communist
Public Service
5
Jackie Doll and his Pickled Peppers
When They Drop The Atomic Bomb
Atomic Platters
6
Karl & Harty
When The Atom Bomb Fell
Atomic Platters
7
Dr. Strangelove and the Fallouts
Love That Bomb
Atomic Platters
8
Charlie Louvin
Great Atomic Power (w. Jeff Tweedy)
Charlie Louvin
9
Mark Spoelstra
Civil Defense Sign
Atomic Platters
10
Elizabeth Cook And The Grascals
The Great Atomic Power
Song of America
11
Elton Britt
Uranium Fever
Atomic Platters
12
The Spirit Of Memphis Quartet
Atomic Telephone
The Best Of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour Vol 2
13
The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Atom Bomb
Atom Bomb
14
Golden Gate Quartet
Atom and Evil
101 Great Black Gospel, Vol. 1
15
The Five Stars
Atom Bomb Baby
Atomic Platters
16
WBEN AM, Buffalo, NY
CONELRAD Radio Alert "Real Thing"
Atomic Platters
17
Pete Seeger
Study War No More (Peace): Talking Atom
If I Had a Hammer-Songs of Hope & Struggle
18
Sam Hinton
Old Man Atom
Atomic Platters
19
Glenn Barber
Atom Bomb
Atomic Platters
20
Dude Martin's Round-Up Gang
Atom Bomb Baby
Atomic Platters
21
Various
WW2 Air Raid Siren
Sound Effects Factory
22
Oscar Aleman
Tico Tico No Fuba
Swing Guitar Masterpieces
23
Connie Francis
Civil Defense Spot: Be Prepared Today, For Survival Tomorrow
Atomic Platters
24
Fay Simmons
You Hit Me Baby Like An Atomic Bomb
Atomic Platters
25
Linda Hayes
Atomic Baby
Voodoo Voodoo: Feisty Fifties Females
26
Wanda Jackson
Fujiyama Mama
Atomic Platters
27
Warren Smith
Uranium Rock
Bob Dylan Presents: Radio Radio, Theme Time Radio Hour, Vol. 3