1980 - This song makes me think of a few things that were happening at the time. For one the Iranian hostage crisis was going on which became the Iran-Contra hearings. That was when certain politicians during the Ronald Reagan era had provided weapons illegally to Iran to negotiate the hostage’s release. To complicate the issue, funds from the sales of weapons were used to fund the anti-Sandinista factions in Nicaragua. All of this didn’t come into light in the public until around 1986, but the hostages and hostilities between Iran and the US were really boiling. Along with this unrest came the foreboding fear of nuclear weapons proliferation worldwide and more specifically the possibility of a nuclear showdown between the US and the Soviet Union.
Although the nuclear power disaster at Chernobyl didn’t occur until 1986, many of my friends and I were planted firmly on the naïve high ground of being anti-nuclear power as well as anti-nuclear weapons. Since I lived just a half-hour drive from the San Onofre nuclear power plant, I took time out to voice my distaste for radioactive waste and the threat of a nuclear disaster in our area with this song.
Another thing I think of during that era was the jam sessions and partying with Dan and Paula in Long Beach. That friendship certainly delved into the recreational drug use which was so common during that era of my life. Dan helped with some of the lyrics of the second verse. Thanks Dan wherever you are!
At first glance you might think the content of this song is just comedic and maybe even promoting casual drug use, but nothing could be further from the truth. What I'm trying to get across is that putting illegal drugs into your system is akin to exposing yourself to nuclear radiation. And when we waste what God has given us, we not only destroy ourselves, but also the potential He has pre-ordained for us.
BLOW AND GLOW
Words and music by Reggie Michaud © 1980 - 2015
Blow and glow on nuclear cocaine – blow your mind away
Blow and glow on nuclear cocaine - snort three times a day
Well San Onofre makes a lot of waste – we put it in the cocaine for extra taste
Mix it up into a yellow glowing paste; and you gonna feel okay
Have you heard of nuclear cocaine and how it all began
In the super-secret laboratory of mysterious Coca Dan
He was cruising by the plant on his super scooter
When he got some glowing goop on his favorite tooter
Then he thought he gave his nose up to Roto-Rooter
And became a glowing man
People say that nuclear cocaine will never do you good
It’ll give ya cancer of the upper septum and turn your brains to wood
But I don’t care what people say I still wanna blow
They say it makes me stupid but I just don’t know
Go in the bathroom and turn off the lights and watch me glow
Wouldn’t quit it if I could
Blow and glow on nuclear cocaine- now don’t you say a word
Am I wasting this old pea brain or the temple of the Lord
Cuz He created me for good works in Christ
And covered all my failures when He paid the price
But I have wandered far away not once or twice
So I’d better put it down – oh yeah…
I said I’m gonna put it down