Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Written by P.F. Sloan at age 19, when this was released in 1965, the United States had been through nuclear war scares including the Cuban Missile Crisis and had suffered the shocking assassination of President Kennedy and was seeing a continued escalation of the War in Vietnam.
Barry McGuire was p...
[Verse 1]
The Eastern world, it is explodin'
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'
[Chorus]
But you tell me over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
[Verse 2]
Don't you understand what I'm tryin' to say?
And 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 you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy
[Chorus]
And you tell me over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
[Verse 3]
Yeah, my blood's so mad, feels like coagulatin'
I'm sittin' here just contemplatin'
I can't twist the truth, it knows no regulation
Handful of senators don't pass legislation
And marches alone can't bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin'
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin'
[Chorus]
And you tell me over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
[Verse 4]
Think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama
Ah, 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 neighbor, but don't forget to say grace
[Chorus]
And tell me over and over and over and over again, my friend
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
No, no, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
Eve of Destruction was written by P.F. Sloan.
Eve of Destruction was produced by Lou Adler.
P.F. Sloan wrote in his story behind the lyrics: “The song ‘Eve of Destruction’ was written in the early morning hours between midnight and dawn in mid-1964. The song was one of five that were written that evening Three of the five became notable for some reason. The other two were ‘The Sins of A Fa...
Please read the annotations.