Go 4th and Multiply: A Few Tunes & Toons

Music by Dylan, Dacus, Prine, Toussaint and Keen.

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books and now writer/director of award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre.” Now watch trailer for acclaimed 2025 film “The Atomic Bowl” coming to PBS in July. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for FREE. Sustain this newsletter by ordering the companion book to “The Atomic Bowl.”

Planned to give you a break and skip today’s newsletter but a few good new cartoons out there and passage of the Big Bootyfull Bill needs further addressing….

But first, an apt historical story for this day, but’s it’s over at my revived “other” Substack which covers nuclear dangers, past, present and future: On this day in 1945 the famed physicist Leo Szilard made one of the few major attempts to get President Truman to think twice about using the new bomb against Japan. Spoiler: Oppenheimer was not on board. (And a reminder that my “Atomic Bowl” film is starting at PBS next Saturday, with companion e-book available now.)

A few songs, then cartoons.

Dylan’s first ever version of “This Land Is Your Land”— live in 1961—which few have ever heard.

You may know it by its writer, Dave Alvin, but here from his buddy Robert Earl Keen. Hey, baby, it’s the Fourth of July.

John Prine, “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Any More.”

Lucy Dacus, “Forever Half Mast.”

Allen Toussaint, “Yes We Can Can”

What the Hell, 4?

Ann Telnaes: