Songs About Nuclear War from the Eighties, Songs Beginning with O

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

Nuclear war songs beginning with: [Index] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] [misc]
"O Superman," by Laurie Anderson
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," by Violent Femmes
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.
"On The Beach," by The Comsat Angels
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..."
"One World," by Anthrax
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!
"One World," by Anthrax
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!!!!
"One of Our Submarines (Is Missing)," by Thomas Dolby
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.
"Open Your Eyes," by Lords of the New Church
1982: Video games train the kids for war.
Army chic in high-fashion stores.
Law and order's done their job.
Prisons filled while the rich still rob.
Assassination politics.
Violence rules within' our nation's midst.
Well ignorance is their power tool.
You'll only know what they want you to know.
The television cannot lie.
Controlling media with smokescreen eyes.
Nuclear politicians picture show.
The acting's lousy but the blind don't know.
They scare us all with threats of war.
So we forget just how bad things are.
You taste the fear when you're all alone.
They gonna git'cha when you're on your own.
The silence of conspiracy.
Slaughtered on the altar of apathy.
You gotta wake up from your sleep.
'Cause meek inherits earth...six feet deep.
Open your eyes see the lies right in front of ya.
Open your eyes.....
"Overkill," by Men At Work
Lyrics: Day after day it reappears; night after night my heartbeat shows the fear; ghosts appear and fade away
Nuclear war songs beginning with: [Index] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] [misc]

Do You Have a Nuclear War Song to Share?

Please check out the Nuclear War Song submission page.