Crawl Out Through The Fallout

Sheldon Allman's "Crawl Out Through The Fallout" is a song that juxtaposes the grim reality of nuclear fallout with a whimsical, almost absurd romanticism. The lyrics invite the listener to imagine a scenario where, despite the catastrophic aftermath of a nuclear bomb, love persists. The song's tone is satirical, using the concept of surviving a nuclear apocalypse as a metaphor for enduring love and commitment, even in the face of the most dire circumstances.

The song's repeated refrain, "Crawl out through the fallout, baby," suggests a scenario where the singer is calling out to their lover to join them in safety, assuring them that their love can overcome even the most hazardous obstacles. The mention of strontium 90 and ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) grounds the song in the Cold War era, when the threat of nuclear war was a genuine concern. Allman uses dark humor to address this fear, suggesting that love can triumph even when the world is on the brink of destruction.

The absurdity of kissing away radiation burns or being the only girl in the world after a nuclear event adds a layer of irony to the song. It reflects the era's coping mechanisms for the anxiety of potential nuclear annihilation, using humor and love as a means to confront the unthinkable. The song, therefore, serves as a time capsule of the Cold War era, capturing the tension and the cultural response to the threat of nuclear war through a seemingly lighthearted love song.