# Is "Cold War Rock" a genre? Looking for other examples. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047 "2016-09-27T17:16:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/1 "2016-09-27T17:16:26Z")
Hi, I guess this could also go in IMHO but it is about music so I started here. Sometimes weekends in our house becomes music (YouTube) and board games. This weekend my partner and I were listening to a lot of 80s music, (my son is 12, we are in our late 40s.) My son was listening to songs he has heard before and asked us about the cold war themes in so much late 70’s to mid 80’s songs. I know this theme plays out a fair bit but I never thought particularly about it being a pervasive them in say pre 1985 music. Every country has their own spin on “Holy shit we are all going to die!” From RUSH’s Distant Early Warning to 99 Luftballons to Kate Bush’s “Breathing” My son likes protest songs, he can sing “Eve of Distruction” by heart (“Oh! Coagulation means blood clotting”… he says after watching me prepare for a lesson on strokes for my class." I kept meaning to ask, but I forgot!") So A) Was this ever considered a sub genre? Some songs are rock, some punk, so it crosses those types of categories. B) Lets made an end of the world play list! ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/2 "2016-09-27T17:22:43Z")
I think it was not really a genre, but was a well-used theme. Add to the playlist: “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”, REM “Americans-Soviets”, CCCP "Silent Running (Over Dangerous Ground), Mike + The Mechanics “Games Without Frontiers”, Peter Gabriel ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/3 "2016-09-27T17:23:27Z")
Try [Wind of Change](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4RjJKxsamQ) by the Scorpions and just about anything on Pink Floyd’s The Wall including the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/4 "2016-09-27T17:40:11Z")
Russians - Sting ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/5 "2016-09-27T17:41:21Z")
Best “bad timing for a song to come on” ever was having the radio on when I was driving several kids, including my son to a field trip. “Another Brick in the Wall” came on the radio. I turned it up for them. Only my son thought it was funny. (Later he complained that " I have to explain everything to kids in my class.") Yes I am a bad influence sometimes! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/6 "2016-09-27T17:45:23Z")
[Two Tribes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2QAMqTgPKI). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/7 "2016-09-27T17:46:44Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > I think it was not really a genre, but was a well-used theme. Well-used enough to have produced at least a couple [previous](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=64261) [threads](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=629081). ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/8 "2016-09-27T17:49:55Z")
I thought the overwrought “Through the Barricades” by Spandau Ballet would fit a Cold War theme, but it turns out it’s about Northern Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/9 "2016-09-27T17:53:09Z")
Corey Hart “Shoot Komrade Kiev”. The Box “Ordinary People” CanCon sure produced its fair share of “Gulp! We are flyover territory for missles” in those days. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/10 "2016-09-27T17:56:26Z")
Hi “same-name as me”, welcome to the thread. I had thought of that earlier (I’m that age that I remember Spandau Ballet well… and I remember when I found out about Spandau prison too) I found a fair number of the Englis/Irish ones are about Northern Ireland, because that was hitting the news then too. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/11 "2016-09-27T17:57:22Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > Hi “same-name as me”, welcome to the thread. I had thought of that earlier (I’m that age that I remember Spandau Ballet well… and I remember when I found out about Spandau prison too) I found a fair number of the Englis/Irish ones are about Northern Ireland, because that was hitting the news then too. My mental music video of that song needs to change, now! ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/12 "2016-09-27T17:59:42Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Try [Wind of Change](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4RjJKxsamQ) by the Scorpions and just about anything on Pink Floyd’s The Wall including the movie. I’m pretty sure any war related songs on The Wall refer to WWII, no? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/13 "2016-09-27T18:08:15Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I’m pretty sure any war related songs on The Wall refer to WWII, no? Yes. Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn? ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/14 "2016-09-27T18:12:20Z")
I know you are quoting the song, but I went and bought a bunch of Vera Lynn, Andrews sisters, Glenn Miller, and some other 30s and 40s music cds (All in a bargin bin in Zellers; also gone) and we played them at my parent’s house when we had people over after my Grandmother’s celebration of life/funeral. I meant to keep them since I work with seniors, but my parents somehow have them now and dad won’t part with them. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/15 "2016-09-27T18:25:57Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I’m pretty sure any war related songs on The Wall refer to WWII, no? Radio K.A.O.S. is all about the Cold War, though. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/16 "2016-09-27T19:01:48Z")
No love for “Weird Al” Yankovic and his “Christmas at Ground Zero”? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/17 "2016-09-27T19:02:13Z")
Hammer to Fall by Queen ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/18 "2016-09-27T19:10:48Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > No love for “Weird Al” Yankovic and his “Christmas at Ground Zero”? 🙂 There’s another song called “Red Christmas” that was on _ **Dr Demento** _, but I’ve yet to find it on YouTube (or anywhere else): \*Red Christmas, the bombs are on their way! HEY! Red Christmas, this must be the Russian way!\* ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/19 "2016-09-27T19:18:40Z")
Slightly off topic, but I’m reminded of the commercial for Radio Free Europe where the DJ does an intro in super-cool Hungarian for “American group ‘Drifters’ … ‘On Broadway’!” [Segue into _“They say the neon lights are bright **on Broadway,** ( **on Broadway** )…!”_] **"Radio Free Europe. Information … with a beat!"** 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047/20 "2016-09-27T19:27:11Z")
Hah! It’s even on YouTube: And this one: \*\*"They've got his country. Now they want his mind!"\*\* :eek: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cold-war-rock-a-genre-looking-for-other-examples/767047.md?page=2)