“Five Rads High and Rising”

My mama always taught me that good things come from adversity if we put our faith in the Lord.
We couldn't see much good in the light waters when they
were causing us to have to leave home,
But when the light water went down,
We found that it had washed a load of rich radioactive dirt across our land.
The following year we had the hottest crop we'd ever had.

I remember hearing:


How high’s the light water, Mama?
Two rads high and risin’
How high’s the light water, Papa?
She said, “Two rads high and risin’”

If we can make it to the road without becoming toast
‘Cause radiations the only thing we got left on the coast
It’s ionizing over, all the wheat and the oats
Two rads high and risin’

How high’s the light water, Mama?
Three rads high and risin’
How high’s the light water, Papa?
She said, “It’s three rads high and risin’”

Well, the hives are gone, I’ve lost my bees
The chickens are roastin’ in the willow trees
Cow’s in light water up past her knees
Three rads high and risin’

How high’s the light water, Mama?
Four rads high and risin’
How high’s the light water, Papa?
She said, “It’s four rads high and risin’”

Hey, come look through the window pane
The bus is comin’, gonna take us to the train
Looks like we’ll be blessed with a little more nuclear rain
Four rads high and risin’

How high’s the light water, Mama?
Five rads high and risin’
How high’s the light water, Papa?
She said, “It’s five rads high and risin’”

Well, the rails are washed out north of town
We gotta head for cooler ground
We can’t come back till the rads go down
Five rads high and risin’
Well, it’s five rads high and risin’