This song came out of the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament, a nine-month, cross-country walk from Los Angeles to Washington, DC. The Soviet Union had already stopped nuclear testing; the peace marchers called for the US to join the ban. The song is available as part of Monagan's online memoir at: http://astrangeplacecalledhome.blogspot.com
I want a test ban treaty under my tree;
I want a test ban treaty, give it to me.
I don't want no hat or high heeled shoes;
I want a gift that will make the evening news;
I don't want no diamonds or LTD;
I want a test ban treaty under my tree;
I want a test ban;
I want a test ban;
I don't want no wrappin', ribbons or bow;
I want the only thing sweeter than mistletoe;
Give it to the country, give it to me,
give it to the world and set us free
with a test ban, you know we really want a test ban;
I want my stocking stuffed with someting legit,
and a test ban treaty, well I know it would fit;

In 1914 a war began,
a million soldiers lent a hand,
Weren't many planes to give support,
hand to hand was the way they fought.
Young men were called up for the cause,
for king and country and the cross,
In their naivete they thought it was for glory,
so they'd been taught.
In 1939 once again there came the sound of marching men,
Occupying European land,
all the way to North French sands,
But, in the final year of that war,
two big bangs settled the score,
Against Japan, who'd joined the fight,
the rising sun didn't look so bright.
Since that day it's been stalemate,
everyone's scared to obliterate,
So it seems for peace we can thank the bomb,
so I say thank Christ for the bomb (3)

"If that's the only thing that's stopping war, then thank God for the bomb"

carnivore was basicaly "type o negative" before they were type o.their whole concept for the band was all about civilization rising from the ashes of a nuclear war and fighting for survival in a violent future.

The music's interrupted by an old Familiar sound We've heard it all our lives Who paid attention Then the radio announcer tells us This has been a test I never heard the rest I always changed the station Mr. President our radar shows An image in the skies And we believe it's headed our Direction The Russians aren't responding And we're up against the clock It seems there's no avoiding This deadly confrontation And this is not a test No video effect No science fiction quest for glory And this is not a test There'll be no turning back The hour is at hand And this is not a test You can ignore We've not been here before Let's hear it for the war How did peace and freedom Disappear before our very eyes And leave us in this desperate situation There is no way to justify For country or for God The heavens are a battlefield And now this confrontation

Ah well, that's this world over Ah well, next one begins Will you smile like any mother As you bathe your brand new twins? Will you sing about the missiles As you dry odd numbered limbs? Ah well, that's this world over Ah well, next one begins Ah well, that's this world over You sadly grin Will you tell them about that far off and mythical land About their leader with the famous face? Will you tell them that the reason nothing ever grows In the garden anymore Because he wanted to win the craziest race That's this world over

Picture a bright blue ball, just spinning, spinnin free, Dizzy with eternity. Paint it with a skin of sky, Brush in some clouds and sea, Call it home for you and me. A peaceful place or so it looks from space, A closer look reveals the human race. Full of hope, full of grace Is the human face, But afraid we may lay our home to waste. There's a fear down here we can't forget. Hasn't got a name just yet. Always awake, always around, Singing ashes, ashes, all fall down. Ashes, ashes, all fall down. . . . If the game is lost, Then we're all the same. No one left to place or take the blame. We can leave this place and empty stone Or that shinin' ball we used to call our home. So the kids they dance And shake their bones, And the politicians throwin' stones, Singing ashes, ashes, all fall down. Ashes, ashes, all fall down.

Radio K.A.O.S. was a Waters concept album about a boy who hears radio waves in his head and triggers a simulated nuclear war. "Radio Waves" was a modest hit, but "The Tide Is Turning" was a ballad on the back side referencing the impending demise of the USSR and its relation to nuclear wars, etc.

The whole song seems to be a reference to the effects of nuclear fallout/radiation on the environment and on living things

"You choose / Between living and a Tomahawk Cruise."

I had a nightmare only yesterday, you played a skeleton, you took my love then died that day, I played an american !!!, from the sky you could almost see them cry? TORA TORA TORA

"Sitting here with my love tonight, News is breaking from the south, On the radio, on the radio; Brother lead and sister steel, Are playing out their final scene, On the radio, on the radio" Yes I'm always going to be with you, My love always going to be with you, Until the day comes down, The man is on the radio, "This is station planet Earth, we're closing down, Transmission ends, Station planet Earth is closing down, Transmission ends, transmission ends."

An Italian early 80's hit. Set to a cheerful tropical music, the first part of the lyrics translates to something like this:
"What a strange dream
About a volcano and a city
People dancing on an island
A small jazz orchestra
Was playing Blue Gardenia
Water was slowly boiling to the east
The explosion and then,
A sweet, sweet atomic tan
Amidst the sweet, sweet music
Everything was falling apart
While the TV Kept telling
While the TV Kept singing <>."
I've always found the idea of the TV advertising soft drinks during a nuclear holocaust delightfully harrowing.

Insania 20 14 We've thrown away our former gods Controlling now our day We have created better ones So we control the way We are the ones with the power To hold down the enemy Our gods are perfection And they are protecting our lives We still need some more of them To be safe from the other side As long as we're stronger Nothing will happen to us Fireflash in the night Just an evil dream Holy war in the sky. . . .never Insania 20 16 Error in store 103 We watch the sun at night The pretty gods we've built ourselves Now terminate our lives Silicon brain powered voices Are crying "attack" tonight Our gods are now fighting In anger, burning our world Doomsday has come And there is no place to hide away The future is over And there is no turning back Fireflash in the night Now reality Holy war in the sky. . . . (Chorus) Twilight of the gods Insania's dead and gone Another world was born But the twilight soon will come Fireflash in the night Now reality Holy war in the sky (Chorus)

Refers to the Doomsday Clock - "Two minutes to midnight, the hands that threaten doom."

2 minutes to midnight the hands that threaten doom. A reference to the Doomsday Clock.

2 minutes to midnight, The hands that threaten doom. 2 minutes to midnight, To kill the unborn in the womb. Since it's first issue in 1947, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has maintained a "Doomsday Clock" with midnight representing global catastrophe.

in my rear view mirror the sun is going down sinking behind bridges in the road and i think of all the good things that we have left undone and i suffer premonitions confirm suspicions of the holocaust to come the rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in gives way and suddenly it's day again the sun is in the east even though the day is done two suns in the sunset hmmmmmmmmm could be the human race is run like the moment when your brakes lock and you slide toward the big truck and stretch the frozen moments with your fear and you'll never hear their voices and you'll never see their faces you have no recourse to the law anymore and as the windshield melts my tears evaporate leaving only charcoal to defend finally i understand the feelings of the few ashes and diamonds foe and friend we were all equal in the end

In my rear view mirror the sun is going down Sinking behind bridges in the road And I think of all the good things That we have left undone And I suffer premonitions Confirm suspicions Of the holocaust to come. The wire that holds the cork That keeps the anger in Gives way And suddenly it's day again. The sun is in the east Even though the day is done. Two suns in the sunset Hmmmmmmmmmm Could be the human race is run. Like the moment when the brakes lock And you slide towards the big truck Oh no![scream] Daddy, Daddy!You stretch the frozen moments with your fear. And you'll never hear their voices And you'll never see their faces You have no recourse to the law anymore. And as the windshield melts My tears evaporate Leaving only charcoal to defend. Finally I understand the feelings of the few. Ashes and diamonds Foe and friend We were all equal in the end. ...and now the weather. Tomorrow will be cloudy with scattered showers spreading from the east ... with an expected high of 4000 degrees Celsius

In my rear view mirror the sun is going down, sinking behind bridges in the road, and I think of all the good things we have left undone and I suffer premonitions, confirmed suspicions of the holocaust to come. The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in, gives way and suddenly it's day again. The sun is in the east even though the day is done, two suns in the sunset, hmmmmmmmmmmm, could be the human race is run. Like the moment when the brakes lock, and you slide towards the big truck. You stretch the frozen moments with your fear, and you'll never hear their voices, and you'll never see their faces, you have no recourse to the law anymore. And as the windshield melts and my tears evaporate, leaving only charcoal to defend. Finally I realize the feelings of the few, ashes and diamonds, foe and friend we will all equal in the end.