Escapism is an often employed coping strategy to seek distraction and see the event through a more lighthearted lens. The same can be observed in how the Americans “took the atomic bomb in stride” (Boyer, 1994, pg 10) and coped with nuclear anxiety, as can be observed through rise in atomic bomb-related songs in the late 1940s.
When faced with stressful, disturbing or serious events,
Consumer Fascination
In the 1940s and 1950s, Americans were sheltered from the consequences of the atomic bomb and the dangers of radioactivity. Instead, they wrote songs about sexy women with three arms and gamma rays shooting out of victims’ eyes and became fascinated with the concept of nuclear power.
After President Eisenhower’s “Atoms For Peace” speech, the demand for uranium skyrocketed. In 1952, several individuals managed to make it rich by finding large uranium deposits worth millions of dollars, sparking “Uranium Fever”, creating a national perception that anyone with grit, determination, and a Geiger counter could make it big. Geiger counters started being a consumer fad and were being sold as household appliances, being used to test radiation levels for safety in homes and after nuclear attacks (Tim & Smolko, 2021).
“The general opinion was, in case of nuclear attack all you really needed was a surplus Geiger counter. It might become your most prized possession, would tell you what’s safe to eat and what’s dangerous. Geiger counters were easy to get. In fact, I even had one in my New York apartment.”
Bob Dylan (Dylan, 2004)
Tic, Tic, Tic
Doris Day
With its whimsical and lighthearted tune,
“Tic, Tic, Tic” by Doris Day is generally seen as a novelty song aimed at singing “tic” as many times as possible, with its pizzicato violins driving the point home by “ticking” along with every “tic”, practically giving the listener a nervous tic (Tim & Smolko, 2021). However, the song also expresses the American fascination with Geiger counters, singing about the novelty of such an invention in response to the atomic bomb.
Oh give me your attention
There's been a new invention
It isn't any larger than an adding machine
It's only fair to mention
Though it's a new invention
It's one that you have heard about but few have ever seen
It doesn't do division and it doesn't multiply
It doesn't want to be a bird, it doesn't try to fly
It came about because they made a big atomic bomb
The new invention's clicking and because of all its ticking
I know where the idea came from
"Tic, Tic, Tic", Doris Day (1949)
The song also likens the ticking of a Geiger counter to the beating heart of someone falling in love, with the love interest being described as radioactive, making the pursuer’s heart tic incessantly (Tim & Smolko, 2021).
Along with Geiger counters,
Fallout Shelters
for each American home came into the spotlight as well. One high-profile advertising campaign for home fallout shelters in the late fifties challenged newlywed couples to remain underground for a “honeymoon” of two weeks — the length of time Americans were advised to remain in shelters in the event of an atomic attack. If they succeeded, they were rewarded with a real honeymoon in a more traditional location (Branstetter, 2021).
Women as The Bomb
Geerhart and Sitz’s recognized that the obvious sexual implications behind this “honeymoon” advertising scheme was what made it so successful in garnering interest (Geerhart & Sitz, 2005, pg 8). Similarly, popular music in this era hopped on the bandwagon by incorporating such sexual subtexts relating to an atomic attack.
In his book By the Bomb’s Early Light,
Boyer noted the early establishment of “the complex psychological link between atomic destruction and Eros” (Boyer, 1994, pg 11-12). This was observed in the rise of a new subgenre in the late 1940s — the “atomic sex songs” (Geerhart & Sitz, 2005, pg 42). We will discuss the early versions of 2 popular songs within this subgenre — “Atom Bomb Baby” by Dude Martin’s Round-Up Gang (1948) and “Fujiyama Mama” by Annisteen Allen (1955).
Atom Bomb Baby
Dude Martin's Round-Up Gang
A common thread observed within the lyrics of these 2 songs is the use of metaphors that liken women to the bomb.
She's used her TNT tactics
To bring a man down to her size
It would take a secret weapon or a Superman
To harness her energy
So stay clear away from this red headed A-bomb
'Cause she belongs to me!
“Atom Bomb Baby”, Dude Martin’s Round-Up Gang (1948)
“Atom Bomb Baby” features a male protagonist singing about a woman’s explosive sexuality, seemingly emphasizing her power. However, the lines “bring a man down to her size” and “she belongs to me” reveals the prominent male chauvinist culture that places men as superior to women. The song’s whimsical and laidback tune also completely contrasts the claims of atomic power used in the lyrics, which is reflective of a lighthearted perspective towards women, and the bomb by extension.
Fujiyama Mama
Annisteen Allen
I've been to Nagasaki, Hiroshima too!
The same I did to them, baby, I can do to you!
“Fujiyama Mama”, Annisteen Allen (1955)
“Fujiyama Mama”, on the other hand, features a female protagonist singing about her own explosive sexuality. An analysis of the lyrics against the song’s melodic elements show that despite the lyrics portraying the lead singer as a virile female through the bomb metaphor, the melodic elements give the effect of onlookers being amused — not threatened — by the lyrics’ claims. At each “Fujiyama Mama” phrase, we hear a chorus of male vocalists echoing “Fujiyama yama…”. This positions the female singer as being surrounded by a group of males seemingly egging her on while simultaneously mocking her lexical attempts at sounding powerful.
“Fujiyama Mama”’s instrumental backing consists of both Eastern and Western elements, however the difference in portrayal is evident. Series of nonrhythmic Oriental chimes, childish percussive sound effects, and tinny cymbal crashes are introduced at the beginning of the song and at certain portions in the middle. Dissimilar to any authentic Japanese music, this portrayal of oriental elements gives off a sense of mockery and immaturity. In stark contrast, rhythmic and jazzy Western musical elements harmoniously form the backbone of the song’s accompaniment. This reveals subtexts of Western supremacy over the Japanese — likely a consequence of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.