MA-13 - Splitting Mad: More Nuclear Numbers

Here's an early number in my ongoing anthology of pop music that treats with nuclear power or conflict, inspired by the soundtrack album from The Atomic Cafe.

1     Fireball Boogie         Camille Howard               1948

2    Sh-Boom   The Chords               1953

3    Watch World War Three (on Pay TV)         Crown City Four              1960

4    The Sun Is Burning    Simon & Garfunkel                1964

5    I Come And Stand At Every Door  The Byrds               1966

6 Atomic Bombs Away Blues Creation 1971

7 Nuclear Blues Blood Sweat & Tears 1980

8 Your Attention Please Scars 1981

9 After the Rain   Comsat Angels 1982

10 99 Red Balloons Nena 1983

11 Party at Ground Zero Fishbone 1985

12 Protect And Survive The Dubliners 1987

13 Everyday Is Like Sunday Morrissey 1988

14 I Like Chinese Monty Python 1989

15 April 2031 Warrant 1992

16 Nuclear Supremacy Dayglo Abortions 1995

17 Jesus Hits Like an Atomic Bomb Chanticleer 2004

18 Bring Back the Bomb GWAR 2004

19 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns  Iron Maiden 2006

20 The Iranian Bomb Tal Gilad 2011

Concerning Track Two, "Sh-Boom," most folks don't know its thermonuclear origins.As the story goes, a group of guys were sitting in a car listening to the radio when a news bulletin announced the USSR's first successful H-bomb test.  While talking about this super-bomb, idle talk turned to what kind of sound such a detonation might make.  "Sh-Boom" (the sound) was their eventual answer, and soon this phrase became the the core of a song about the impact of sudden love, not a sudden H-bomb attack!

The song was first recorded on Atlantic Records' subsidiary label Cat Records by The Chords on March 15, 1954 and would be their only hit song. "Sh-Boom" reached #2 on the Billboard R&B charts and peaked at #9 on the pop charts.  It is sometimes considered to be the first doo-wop or rock 'n' roll record to reach the top ten on the pop charts (as opposed to the R&B charts). This version was ranked #215 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is the group's only song on the list.

Now you too can go Sh-Boom!

 

The Adventures of Robin Hood OST

RE-POST
Here's a very fine out-of-print score that will have you leaping and bounding around the living room and challenging people with your quarterstaff.  Or maybe buck-and-a-quarterstaff!

1.   Prologue (Main Title) (01:34)
2.   Banquet At Nottingham Castle (01:52)
3.   Robin Enters The Great Hall (00:56)
4.   Escape From The Castle (05:09)
5.   Robin Meets Little John (01:38)
6.   The Oath And The Black Arrow (01:54)
7.   Robin And Friar Tuck (01:24)
8.   Ambush In Sherwood (03:01)
9.   Feast In The Forest (02:52)
10.   Robin And Marian (03:09)
11.   The Archery Tournament (03:04)
12.   Escape From The Gallows (02:13)
13.   Love Scene (05:40)
14.   Dagger Fight: King Richard In Sherwood (02:07)
15.   Coronation Procession (03:05)
16.   Duel, Victory And Epilogue (03:22)



New link January 2015
 

MA-12 - 45s & Favorites, Disc 1

The origin of the "45s & Favorites" series is simple.  A couple of years ago, my beautiful wife (you can view a poor representation of her in my profile pic) gave me an mp3 turntable for Christmas.

So, obsessive memory-miner that I am, I immediately began to spin the hundred or so 45s I had been buying as an adolescent in all stages.  After dubbing them, I had to decide what to do with them.  This was one of the springboards of Spock's Record Round-Up.

Mine may have been a typical middle-class upbringing.  The revolutionaries scoff at music and pop culture as diversions from the true struggle of the classes.  Not do such opinions make fun of the very people the snobs are trying to "edify," they can't get over another fact:

Yes, it's a truism that adolescence inflames our consciousness and makes pop songs seem profound when we're going through what the moon-June, love-above lyrics are talked about.  But the truth is still that something in us reacts with recognition or yearning to songs like these, maybe because we're so vulnerable to our surroundings as we gro.

Pupy love may be a common thing, but to the person going through it, it's a wonder.  The sun may come up every morning, but with thankful eyes it can still spark new joy.

When listening to songs like these that somehoe became part of my environment  as I grew, I can still feel an echo of those wishes or regrets or "dizzy, dancing way you feel" (to quote Joni Mitchell).

Back when Coca-Cola began using The New Seekers and "I'd Like to Build the World a Coke," wise guys in the merchandising department had some 45s pressed and distributed as giveaways in record stores.  That's the source of the first and last tracks in this group.

1     Buy the World a Coke       The New Seekers

1970

2     Amazing Grace       Judy Collins  

3     House at Pooh Corner          Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

4     Anticipation     Carly Simon

       

1971

5     Levon       Elton John

6     Long Ago and Far Away          James Taylor   

7 Brown Sugar    The Rolling Stones

8 Legend in Your Own Time Carly Simon

9 Joy to the World - single version Three Dog Night

10 What the World Needs Now + Abraham Martin and John Tom Clay

11 Roundabout Yes

1972

12 Cover of The Rolling Stone     Dr. Hook

13 Back When My Hair Was Short - original version Gunhill Road

14 Woman Is the Nigger of the World John Lennon Plastic Ono Band

15 All The Young Dudes Mott The Hoople

16 Give Ireland Back to the Irish Wings

17 Sisters O Sisters Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band

18 Little Woman Love     Wings

19 I Saw The Light Todd Rundgren

20 Little Bit of Sunshine The New Seekers 1971

You may hear some hiss or scratches.  That's because these are records.  They are physical artefacts which are touched by fallible human beings.  Like life itself, they are not in perfect condition.  And you're going to have both sides of a record.  Sometimes I like the "B" side as much as the "A" side.

MA-12 - 45s & Favorites, Disc 1