Atomic Platters: Cold War Music from the Golden Age of Homeland Security

Perfect music for Halloween. Every selection on this set is a jaw-dropper. The music splits from '40s hillbilly kitsch about hiding out away from the bombed out cities, mixing in some end-of-the-world lowbrow Christian warnings, alternating with fringe rock 'n roll singles. Missing from the music selections are any hint of mainstream whitebread '50s pop songs; apparently pop stars (Como, Fisher, Page, etc...) and their labels avoided breaking the confectionery happy world of white suburbia, excepting for one Vic Damone song on Mercury (not included here) mentioning an "atomic kiss."I have only one minor quibble about the song selections here, but only because I'm a dedicated country and rock 'n roll record junkie: this set includes Wanda Jackson's Capitol Records' 1957-8 rocker version of "Fujiyama Mama," which is a common enough track, instead of the 1955 white pop version done by Eileen Barton (she of "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd Have Baked a Cake").Couple this hour-and-then-some album with 1950s'/1960s' nuclear war propaganda ("Duck and Cover...") and fallout shelter films and have an uncomfortable laugh.

A great collection of tunes accurately reflecting those years of submerged angst and suppressed mass hysteria. This set neatly frames America's insane mix of the morbid and the gleeful sides of atomic hegemony. Great tunes like "Crawl Out Through the Fallout" and "I'm Gonna Dig Myself a Hole." Hooks that stick in your mind like "Bomb, Bomb, Hydrogen Bomb" and "I'm a Fujiyama mama.. when I start erupting nobody gonna make me stop."The selection of actualities and radio spots from those days is inspired. Don't miss Art Linkletter warning you, "Don't Use the Phone" or Fred MacMurray's advice on how you can build a fallout shelter for "as little as $100."The fat book included with the set is a treasure. Full of terrific old posters, magazine ads and government handouts as well as short vignettes placing the songs and artists within the context of the time.

Please be aware that this is a BIG set physically. The box is 12 1/4" square, by 2 1/4" inches deep. The hardback book is on top, followed by a plastic tray with 5 individual jewel cases, one being a dual CD/DVD case. There are several layers of sheet cardboard after that. I suppose you could use the extra space to store related items. There is a second DVD available that you could notch out a space for, for example. I suppose the box imitates an LP record set, which would have been popular during that historic time period.

Like all Behr Family collections, this one rocks, as it includes ads and PSAs from a time long gone, along with the tunes that made it all bearable. Get your copy, and get ready to Duck and Cover!

Saw this on the Retro Cocktail Hour FB page. Hesitant about getting it, but glad I did. The PSAs, by themselves, are almost a good reason to have this CD. The songs? Pretty cool - if singing about nuclear bombs can be considered cool (and they are).Lets face it - you will NEVER hear any of these songs on the radio (with maybe the exception of The Retro Cocktail Hour) - so go ahead and get it.

Great CD if you like this type ofmusic!

This is the perfect soundtrack when you are sitting at your mid century modern table playing cards with your neighbors. Absolutely the best of the atomic age music!

This is a fantastic collection for anyone interested in Cold War history. The songs are a very good look into the pop culture of the era, and are fun to listen to besides. The included booklet is a good starting point for information. This very condensed edition is good enough I'm considering saving for the big one!

I cannot recommend this package and Bear Family Records highly enough! This is boxed set is of the highest quality and is a must for any music collector or history enthusiast (or FallOut Modder). Some of the songs and announcements on here are only available here (Bert the Turtle for example). A very important historical record that should not be forgotten but should instead be held in mind and learned from. The book that comes with this 6 disc set is a 12x12” hardback full colour affair which is well written and researched, it is presented in English and German and the text is accompanied by a collection of well arranged and fascinating photos. This was a labour of love. I will be looking at the rest of the Bear Family Records catalogue as it seems they offer products that collate rare recordings of historical importance in packages that are lovingly put together with the finest materials to the highest standards. They are not cheap but they are worth the money!

This compilation has delicious mix of cold war pop songs and civil defence PSAs. A must for every Fallout fan.

I have the Atomic Platters box set, but this little sampler is well worth having on its own with some material not in the original multi-disc set.

I ordered this because I have been really enjoying the Fallout 4 Radio soundtrack, and decided to look for some more of the same genre. This one is more hokey, but still fun. Recordings are not of as good quality, but then they have not been remastered for a video game so I am not all that surprised. I get a kick out of the little radio warnings interspersed with the music.

Brought as a present for a friend who likes fallout 4. Very good buy and you do get some strange looks screaming the lyrics to Uranium Fever at the traffic lights!