Eve of Destruction was an anti-war song written by P.F. Sloan in 1964 and recorded by Barry McGuire the following year. McGuire’s rendition has become one of the best-known protest songs of the 1960s.

While it avoids any direct reference to Vietnam, Eve of Destruction refers to the “eastern world… exploding”. It also mentions several conflicts and struggles of the Cold War period. Sloan’s lyrics emphasise a critical argument of the anti-Vietnam War movement: that many young soldiers were not old enough to vote for the government that sought to draft them.

Eve of Destruction was popular both in the anti-war movement and with mainstream radio, reaching number one on the US singles chart and the top 10 in several other countries.

The eastern world, it is exploding
Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’
You’re old enough to kill, but not for votin’
You don’t believe in war, but what’s that gun you’re totin’
And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin’

But you tell me over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe … we’re on the eve of destruction.

Don’t you understand what I’m tryin’ to say?
Can’t you feel the fears I’m feelin’ today?
If the button is pushed, there’s no runnin’ away
There’ll be no one to save with the world in a grave
Take a look around ya boy, it’s bound to scare you boy

And you tell me over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe … we’re on the eve of destruction.

Yeah, my blood’s so mad feels like coagulatin’
I’m sitting here just contemplatin’
I can’t twist the truth, it knows no regulation.
A handful of senators don’t pass legislation
And marches alone won’t bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin’
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin’

And you tell me over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe … we’re on the eve of destruction.

Think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama
You may leave here for four days in space
But when you return, it’s the same old place
The poundin’ of the drums, the pride and disgrace
You can bury your dead, but don’t leave a trace
Hate your next-door neighbour but don’t forget to say grace

And, tell me over and over and over and over again, my friend
You don’t believe … we’re on the eve of destruction
Mm, no no, you don’t believe … we’re on the eve of destruction.

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