CONELRAD | ATOMIC PLATTERS: Hydrogen Bomb, The by The Hydrogen Bomb [1954]

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Hydrogen Bomb, The: The Hydrogen Bomb [1954]

In this track the song's narrator laments his bills and taxes and seems to be resigned to being blown to "dust" by the relatively new hydrogen bomb. The song conveys the world weariness of the working man dealing with technological advances that only serve to destroy on a larger scale, but, in the end, don't make a whole lot of difference to him because he's in a state of constant terror regardless of the size of the Bomb: "And with folks saying things will get worser than now, I'm scared to death all the time anyhow."

Al Rogers was born in 1924 in Homesville, a small town in western Pennsylvania and by age nine he had learned how to play the banjo and was playing for family gatherings. Soon Rogers had mastered the bass, mandolin, trumpet and guitar. While learning how to play all of these instruments, Rogers was also collecting every folk record he could lay his hands on. At the age of 14, he auditioned for and won a non-paying job on WKPA in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Soon thereafter he earned a spot on WWSW in Pittsburgh. At age 17 Rogers enlisted in the Navy and spent much of World War II in the Pacific.

After the war, Rogers returned to radio work at WJAS in Pittsburgh. He then moved to WSAZ in Huntington, West Virginia. His next move was to WAVE in Louisville, Kentucky where he also had a TV show on WAVE-TV. In 1949 Rogers succeeded in getting a contract with MGM Records. In 1952 he changed to Capitol and in 1954 to RCA Victor's new label 'X' Records. In 1957 Rogers hosted a TV show called 'Pan Handle Barn Dance' in Amarillo, Texas on KGNC. Rogers' trail grows cold after 1957.

LYRICS/TRANSCRIPTION:
Hydrogen Bomb, The: The Hydrogen Bomb [1954]

Ho, hi, ho the hydrogen bomb
Bless it all, let it fall
Ho, hi, ho the hydrogen bomb
God have mercy on me

Oh I work and I sweat and I'm just living, it's tough
I guess they don't think I've got worries enough
Ho, hi, ho the hydrogen bomb
Oh God have mercy on me

Every dollar I make goes for taxes and bills
Perhaps they've discovered the cure for my ills
Ho, hi, ho the hydrogen bomb
Bless it all, oh let it fall
Ho hi, ho the hydrogen bomb
Oh God have mercy on me

And with folks saying things will get worser than now
I'm scared half to death all the time anyhow
Ho, hi, ho the hydrogen bomb
God have mercy on me

Though it's little I am and it's less than I'm worth
At least I'll be dust with the biggest on earth
Ho, hi, ho the hydrogen bomb
Bless it all, oh let it fall
Ho hi, ho the hydrogen bomb
Oh God have mercy on me
Oh, God have mercy on me
God have mercy on me …

Al Rogers and his Rocky Mountain Boys [1954]
The Hydrogen Bomb
(Street Sawyer-Angus MacDonald)
X 4X-0029

CATEGORY: SONGS: ATOMIC

[ 1 | COMMENTS | May 10, 06 | 4:10 am ]

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