He claimed that he was of the "Angel Race", not from Earth but from Saturn. Some of his most notable influences were African and African-American theatre, theosophy, and masonic Afro-futurism. His interest in these art forms and principles led to the development of a complicated but consistent set of cosmic philosophies and lyrical poetry, which preached spiritual awareness and peace.
Born on 22nd May 1914 as Herman Poole Blount, in Birmingham, Alabama, he was nicknamed "Sonny" from his youth. Later, after his release from a detention camp for protesting against World War II, he took on the name and persona of Sun Ra (after the ancient Egyptian sun god).
Sun Ra could play many modern and classical works from memory and had worked in country and western bands before moving to Chicago. His personal music collection contained over 10,000 discs, and he was constantly reviewing and studying. Many of his improvisational and compositional innovations were extensions of ideas from twentieth-century European composers. He is responsible for having brought these ideas into jazz decades before many commercial artists popularised the same methods.
From 1955 until his death on 30th May 1993, Sun Ra led a big-band ensemble with a constant core of John Gilmore (the only sax player John Coltrane thought "worth listening to") and Marshall Allen (master of alto saxophone pyrotechnics), wrapped by an ever-changing lineup of sidemen who are big names in modern jazz today. The Arkestra, so named as to be an "ark between two worlds", never repeated a performance and rarely repeated an arrangement. Additionally, they appeared under a variety of names, including "The Solar Myth Arkestra", and the "Blue Universe Arkestra".
There is some disagreement as to Sun Ra's date of birth. He stated that he had "arrived on Earth" on a number of dates. He was fond of showing his doubters his United States passport, which clearly gave the place of birth as the planet Saturn. 22nd May 1914 appeared on his passport, but other sources place his birth anywhere from 1910 to 1918; most sources support a birth year of 1914 or 1915.
Nuclear War
Sun Ra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
yeah
they pushin' the button
first comes the heat
then comes the blast
radiation
?????
nuclear war
nuclear war
yeah
nuclear war
yeah
they pushin' the button
they pushin' the button
it takes 3 seconds
burned trees
and deadly fire
they pushin' the button
they pushin' the button
Sun Ra's Nuclear War is a powerful and impactful song that reflects the fear and concern around the possibility of a nuclear war. The lyrics depict the devastating effects of such a war, beginning with the heat and blast that would result from the initial explosion. The mention of radiation highlights the lasting and long-term impact that would follow, with the consequences lingering for generations. The repetition of the phrase "nuclear war, yeah" emphasizes the urgency and gravity of the situation. The line "it takes 3 seconds" further emphasizes the speed of the destruction that would occur, leaving little time for preparation or escape. The image of "burned trees and deadly fire" is haunting, evoking the sense of total destruction and devastation that would be brought on by a nuclear war.
Overall, Sun Ra's Nuclear War is a poignant and thought-provoking song that encourages listeners to consider the terrifying possibility of a nuclear attack. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the catastrophic consequences that would follow such an event, highlighting the need for peace and diplomacy in international relations.
Line by Line Meaning
they talkin' about nuclear war
The people are discussing the possibility of a nuclear war.
yeah
An agreement, affirmation, or submission to the previous statement.
they pushin' the button
The individuals in power are initiating a nuclear attack.
first comes the heat
The first thing that will occur during a nuclear attack is intense heat.
then comes the blast
What follows after the heat during a nuclear attack is a large explosion or blast.
radiation
A harmful radioactive substance will spread after a nuclear attack.
?????
Unknown or undetermined meaning.
nuclear war
A conflict that is settled using nuclear weapons.
yeah
An agreement, affirmation, or submission to the previous statement.
nuclear war
A conflict that is settled using nuclear weapons.
yeah
An agreement, affirmation, or submission to the previous statement.
nuclear war
A conflict that is settled using nuclear weapons.
yeah
An agreement, affirmation, or submission to the previous statement.
they pushin' the button
The individuals in power are initiating a nuclear attack.
they pushin' the button
The individuals in power are initiating a nuclear attack.
it takes 3 seconds
A very short amount of time is needed to initiate a nuclear attack.
burned trees
The trees will be destroyed due to the intense heat of a nuclear attack.
and deadly fire
A lethal fire that will spread after a nuclear attack.
they pushin' the button
The individuals in power are initiating a nuclear attack.
they pushin' the button
The individuals in power are initiating a nuclear attack.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SUN RA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@taftchatham7456
In a 1981 version that Ra did in Eugene (a gig I produced), he said, in the call and response style:
Burnt trees!
(Burnt trees!)
Burnt grass!
(Burnt grass!)
Boiling seas!
(Boiling seas!)
And yo' ass, yo' ass, you' ass!
(Yo' ass, yo' ass, yo' ass!)
I think he loved having a room full of white folks saying "motherfucker" all together. It was a great gig.
@taftchatham7456
In a 1981 version that Ra did in Eugene (a gig I produced), he said, in the call and response style:
Burnt trees!
(Burnt trees!)
Burnt grass!
(Burnt grass!)
Boiling seas!
(Boiling seas!)
And yo' ass, yo' ass, you' ass!
(Yo' ass, yo' ass, yo' ass!)
I think he loved having a room full of white folks saying "motherfucker" all together. It was a great gig.
@rao4sos
wow. Did the Babbs and Kesey attend?
@taftchatham7456
@@rao4sos Kesey was at the first show (at the Bijou Theater) but I didn't see Babbs.
@freddiehudson6163
still can't wait for Sun Ra to come back from his little trip around the cosmos.
@allison-clairehoskins6547
Space is the place. Homie aint coming back. hahaha
@R083r7n4m83r
It's call wishful thinking... but if/when they push that button we all gwan see Sun-Ra. Heheha... it's muthafucka
@sirnaked
Me too
@caseyjones7404
You got a couple of shovels in a flashlight the man's been dead
@0klb0
Who do you think he was the last time around?
@crankMiHoffer
Sun Ra warned us about 2022