I think it’s safe to say that we are all feeling some anxiety about the future in this moment in time. On the one hand, I feel like I’m “behind” because I have no idea if and when I’ll be financially secure enough to start thinking about children…and then part of me wonders if that’s even a good idea, given everything happening in the world. So Vancouver artist Lydia Hol’s recording of “Mushroom Cloud” gave me pause — at first.
As we’ll see in Hol’s artist statement, this song isn’t hers: it’s a re-recording of a song from the 1960s. While Hol gives the song a timely sense of urgency, it also serves as a reminder to me that the crises of the moment can be overcome — with enough organizing. Here’s what Hol has to say about the song and the video:
“‘A Mushroom Cloud’ is a song about the anxiety and fear of nuclear warfare in 1950’s North America. After discovering the song on an old vinyl record, I was struck by how familiar the sentiments felt – this feeling of living in a world that might explode at any moment. Like atomic bombs, the current climate crisis we’re living through is human created chaos, built by politicians and enabled by science. The powerlessness, and fear that comes with that is part of our lives now, and this song encapsulated the emotional experience for me.
“‘A Mushroom Cloud’ was written by Bourdeleux Bryant, and has only been recorded by one other artist, Sammy Salvo in 1961. (I know this because I’ve formed a friendship with the songwriter’s son after chasing down the licensing for the song) This new version incorporates vibraphone, farfisa, and a heavy drum rhythm that all play off one another to enhance the uneasiness and dread of the subject.”
Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream will be released on September 17th