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My Gen X Playlist: Party at Ground Zero – Fishbone

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One thing I’ve recently learned, a lot of music I grew up with in the 80’s sang about the fear of nuclear annihilation. I had no clue until I started this blog and researched the meaning behind the music I loved. I don’t know how many times I’ve sung along to I Melt with You by Modern English, thinking it was just a new wave love song about boy meets girl. OK, Enola Gray by OMD and Red Skies by the Fixx, I should have taken the hint. And even when I sang Everyday is Like Sunday, there’s no mistaking what this one’s about. It’s right there in black and white. But I honestly thought this was a one off because, well, it’s fricken Morrissey for goodness sake. This is one of his happier songs.

I was reading blog this morning and a meme caught my eye. It went something like this.

Someone asked me if I had plans for the fall…

It took me a moment to realize they meant “autumn”, not the collapse of civilization.

I laughed, but also felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach at the same time. I have to admit, it feels like things are going to hell in a hand basket. It’s nuts and we need to find some equilibrium soon. Either that, or someone needs to shake me and wake me up from this bad dream. And even when the Orange Man leaves office (kicking and screaming no doubt), I fear the damage is already done and it will take far longer for the world to regress back to the mean. My generation had Nina singing about 99 Luftballoons. I wonder what the new generation will be singing about when all is said and done.

Fishbone was a cool local LA ska band in the 80’s. They felt like a party band and I loved their song Party at Ground Zero. Once again, it should have been obvious but I conveniently chose to ignore the writing on the wall. I thought this was just a fun happy song. It’s probably the happiest nuclear bomb song ever.

one thing about this song is it reflects on the whole Cold War tensions in the 80s. this was when we had movies like Red Dawn, War Games, and Rocky IV

YouTube comment by ZO6

Funny how a song about nuclear war could sound so catchy and upbeat. That’s ska for you!

YouTube comment by Kingrob30

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Party at ground zero
A "B" movie starring you
And the world will turn to flowing
Pink vapor stew

Johnny, go get your gun, for the commies are in our hemisphere today
Ivan, go fly your MIG, for the Yankee imperialists have come to play
Johnny goes to Sally's house to kiss her goodbye
But Daddy says to spend the night
They make love 'till the early morning light
For tomorrow Johnny goes to fight
Johnny, Ivan, Ian, everybody come along for our nations need new heroes
Time to sing a new war song

[CHORUS]

Please do not fear 'cause Fishbone is here to say (say what?)
Just have a good time the stop sign is far away
The toilet has flushed and green lights are a ghost
And drop drills will be extinct
Speedracer cloud has come
They know not what they've done
Sin has just won
The planet is a crumb

[CHORUS]

19 thoughts on “My Gen X Playlist: Party at Ground Zero – Fishbone”

  1. Crazy that we’re back to thoughts of annihilation, but I guess it suits somebody’s agenda. I have a great little cover of Leadbelly’s/Traditional song Rock Island Line with Fishbone and Little Richard, can you believe it? That’s the only one I know by them, but it’s awesome.

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  2. Some days I wish WordPress had more choices than just “Like.” Today, I would have chosen “Agree” or “100%.” I like your writing and I agree, but I don’t want to like that our world is heading to hell in a hand basket. It’s sobering.

    I also remember bebopping to those 80’s songs, not realizing they were about nuclear war. Those were the days that you couldn’t just look up the lyrics to songs online. You had to buy the album and read the liner notes. Who has time for that?

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  3. “This is one of his happier songs.” 🤣

    And so true…the existential dread of nuclear annihilation was reflected in so many songs of our youth. Your blog has brought this to light. Maybe the words were getting through to us subconsciously and that’s why GenX partied so hard. What did we have to lose?

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    1. I always appreciate your comments and point of view. Hiding under desks… we used to do that for earthquakes drills when I was a kid. That seems to make a little more sense than atomic bomb drills.

      Thanks for adding the video. I really enjoyed it, especially reading the comments.

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  6. Fantastic post. I think about this all the time, wondering where the powerful music of our time is. It’s appearing, but I’m still looking hard for more creative energy. There’s a news country artist who released an anti-ICE song with real feeling, and that hit as so important and refreshing, especially as someone who isn’t a huge country fan.

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    1. Whoever thought someone would write a song about anti-ICE? It boggles the mind, but it’s the sign of the times. Whenever I see clips of ICE roundups, I get so incensed. No human decency. And now with the federal layoffs, I hear many former federal employees are signing up. I don’t blame them entirely, they have to put food on the table and take care of their families. It just feels like too big of a trade off. But easy for me to say because I’m not in their shoes.

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      1. It’s true, everything you say, yet I hope most keep their heads about them, help one another, and resist as they’re/we’re able.

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  9. Well, I learned something new and shocking….I had NO idea about the true meaning of Modern English’s “I Melt With You.” None…zero…zilch. This will have me scratching my head for a long time to come…..

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