Lyr Req: In Case of Nuclear Attack-Jan Harmon^^^

Subject: Lyr Req: In Case of Nuclear Attack-Jan Harmon
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 10:19 AM

I seem to have misplaced my notes on this fine song composed in the 1980's by the late Jan Harmon of Maine. She was provoked into writing it after reading one of those offical brochures describing what one should do to best survive a nuclear catastrophe.

The chorus had such fine lines as "put on clean underwear, number 10 sunscreen, call your mother, water the plants..."

Jan was also well known for her witty rounds like the one to "Ze Tze-Tze Fly" which I do have the words to.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In Case of Nuclear Attack-Jan Harmon
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 10:33 AM

Just did some additional searching of the DT and found this song under its correct title "NUMBER FIFTEEN SUNSCREEN." I'm not sure why I couldn't find it looking for "case of nuclear attack" or "Jane Harmon" but nothing came up.

Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Add: NUMBER FIFTEEN SUNSCREEN (Jan Harmon)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 10:36 AM

And here are the words in the DT:

NUMBER FIFTEEN SUNSCREEN
(Jan Harmon)

In case of a nuclear attack
Before you evacuate
The EPA has said you will not be dead
If you follow this advice they advocate:

( Chorus )
Rub on number 15 sunscreen
Call your mother
Cover up the pool
Get your kids home from school
Wear your sunglasses
Put on clean underwear
Return all library books
And water the plants.

Remember your insurance doesn't pay
For nuclear damage to your car
So push it off a cliff or a mountain if
You feel annihilation isn't far.

Be sure to leave a forwarding address
For your local post office's file
For in a holocaust all your mail could get lost
And end up in the dead-letter pile.

Cancel your American Express
For fear of a nuclear mania
For you may be vaporized on Chicago's South Side
But your card could still end up in Lithuania.

Medicare will cover all your costs
If you happen to be over sixty-five
Or if you're on vacation when you die of radiation
You'll be promptly paid, if you're still alive.

(Repeat last verse and chorus, omitting last line)

Have a nice day!
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In Case of Nuclear Attack-Jan Harmon^^^
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 27 Mar 03 - 01:02 AM

Jan was a treasure. Not only did she write some wonderfully silly (and often biting) songs like this one, but she also was a genius at both writing and arranging choral works. There's a collection of some of her songs out, called So Bravely Dream.

One of my fondest memories is of an afternoon in December 1989 (I think) at Gordon Bok's house in Camden, trading songs with Gordon and Carol and a few other fine musicians, including Jan. I'd heard of her because we each had a song on Bob Reid's kids' album, Marz Barz--Jan's was the title cut. (Hmmm...I wonder now if the group might have included some of our Maine 'Catters.)

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In Case of Nuclear Attack-Jan Harmon^^^
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Mar 03 - 12:06 PM

Thanks, Mark, for the link to the CD that Jan's friends put together after her early death from cancer; it's one of my favorites.

She also had another anti-nuclear song entitled "Nonuke of the North" which is around here somewhere on a cassette.

Charley Noble