Richard Kaplan (1949-2021) released "Nuke Blues (Melt Down Mama)" in 1982 as a 12" single on Tofu Records, the record label he began with his best friend David Nadel. Tofu Records was based out of Berkeley, CA's world music venue Ashkenaz, founded by Nadel in 1973. According to the Ashkenaz website, Kaplan is known for his contributions to Jewish World Sacred music and enthnomusicology. In that respect, "Nuke Blues" would seem to be a bit of a musical outlier compared to his later work. For this recording, Kaplan enlisted renowned jazz musicians Smiley Winters (drums) and Chuck Israels (bass) to back him.
[Lyrics]
"Tribal egos wuz on the loose
Now I'm walking through the land
Of no more use
Tribal egos wuz on the loose
Now I got the Nuke Blues
Millions of hearts must be moved
To save us from the Nuclear Blues
Millions of minds must be changed
To save us from the nulcear
Insane .. itiessssss....
Ooo, it's smokey out here baby
Nuke Blues, Nuke Blues
Nuke Blues, Nuke Blues
Hot steamy hissing electric wet
In a nuclear sunset you're gonna
Hear the people melt
After 6000 years is this all we get?!
Who's dealing the hand, and offa
What side of the deck?!
Everybody melt awhile
Melt down mama
Do the "Melt Down"
Nuke it out, boys
Blue Nuke, you saw me
melting alone
And if only every heart could see
To catch the sun is all we need
Nuke Blues, Nuke Blues
Nuke Blues, Nuke Blues
Tssssss....."