Sun Ra - Nuclear War (1982)

Along with Lanquidity, Nuclear War is one of the rarest discs in Sun Ra's enormous catalog. Recorded in 1982, Nuclear War disappeared until 2001 when the Chicago-based Atavistic label made it part of their exceptional "Unheard Music Series." Originally Ra was so sure the funky dance track was a hit, he immediately took it to Columbia Records, where they immediately rejected it. Why he thought a song with the repeating chant "Nuclear War, they're talking about Nuclear War/It's a motherf***er, don't you know/if they push that button, your ass gotta go/and whatcha gonna do without your ass" would be a hit is another puzzle in the Sun Ra myth. Even with the danceability factor, without heavy censoring, the song would never be played on the radio. Severely depressed by the rejection, but still determined, Ra licensed the track to Y Records, a post-punk label out of Britain. Initially a vinyl 12" was released with "Sometimes I'm Happy" on the flip side. Two years later, Nuclear War was released as an album, but only in Italy. The remaining tracks include four originals and three standards, Ellington's "Drop Me Off in Harlem," "Sometimes I'm Happy," and "Smile." The latter two are highlights in their own right thanks to the gorgeous vocals of June Tyson.
AMG Review by Al Campbell

375. [280]  Sun Ra and his Outer Space Arkestra

A Fireside Chat with Lucifer /
Celestial Love /
Nuclear War

Sun Ra (voc -1; p, syn, org); Walter Miller (tp); Tyrone Hill (voc -1; tb); Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); June Tyson (voc -1, -2).

Variety Recording Studios, NYC,
September 1982

Nuclear War (Ra) -1                                            Saturn Gemini 19841,
                                                                             Y RA 1, Y RA 2
Retrospect (Ra)                                                    Saturn Gemini 19841, Y RA 2
Makeup (Ra)                                                        Saturn Gemini 19841
A Fireside Chat with Lucifer (Ra)                          ---
Celestial Love (Ra)                                               Saturn Gemini 19842, Y Ra 2
Sometimes I'm Happy (Caesar-Youmans) -2      Saturn Gemini 19842, Y RA 1,
                                                                              Y RA 2
Interstellarism [Interstellar Low Ways] (Ra)
Blue Intensity (Ra)                                                Saturn Gemini 19842, Y Ra 2
Sophisticated Lady (Ellington)                              Saturn Gemini 19842
Nameless One #2 (Ra)                                         Saturn Gemini 19842, Y Ra 2
Nameless One #3 (Ra)                                         Saturn Gemini 19842
Smile (Chaplin) -2                                                 Saturn Gemini 19842, Y Ra 2
Drop Me Off in Harlem (Ellington)                         Y Ra 2

Saturn Gemini 19841, also numbered Saturn A/B1984SG-9, was released in 1983 with the title A Fireside Chat with Lucifer.  The matrix numbers for this LP were Sun Ra 1984A and 1984B.  Saturn Gemini 19842, also numbered Saturn C/D1984SG-9, was released in 1983 with the title Celestial Love -- matrix numbers Sun Ra 1984C and 1984D.  Y RA 1 was a 12-inch 33-rpm single, issued in Britain in 1982.  Y RA 2 was slated for release in Britain under the title Rays from the Outer Tomorrow; it never appeared, but an Italian LP Y RA 2 was released in 1984 under the title Nuclear War.  All tracks from this LP also on the Greek release Music Box SMB 40242 [LP and cass].

Personnel were not credited on an of these releases, except for vocals by "Mr. Re" and June Tyson on the single.  Vincent Chancey identified himself, Miller, Gilmore, Allen, Jacson, and Thompson in an interview on the WKCR Sun Ra Festival.  Sun Ra mentions Tyrone Hill by name on "Nuclear War."  Michael Shore says that Burnett, Samarai, and Atakatune were regulars with the Arkestra in 1982; Samarai confirms his presence.

from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Sun Ra Arkestra
Nuclear War
Atavistic  UMS/ALP222CD

1. Nuclear War   7:48
2. Retrospect   5:43
3. Drop Me Off In Harlem   5:04
4. Sometimes I'm Happy   4:29
5. Celestial Love   5:35
6. Blue Intensity   5:17
7. Nameless One No. 2   4:02
8. Smile   4:25

-FLAC-
RS
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or

-320-
RS
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Learn more about the 12" single here.