Reflecting Upon the
  Ceebeethree - June 2nd, 2008    Views1: 608    Rated: 
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The anti-war protest song, "Eve of Destruction", authored by P. F. Sloan, and recorded by Barry McGuire is as seminal for today's events as it was when written in 1965.

Below are the lyrics to the song. To convey the message within the lyrics, editorial comment is added.

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’.

The above refers to, of course the escalating Viet Nam crisis. At the date this was written, only United States citizens, who were over the age of 21, could participate in our democracy. Yet, if a male member of our citizenry was over the age of 18, he could be drafted into the military.

And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin’.

A reference to the biblical river where baptism was held.


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 ya boy]

World wide nuclear destruction was greatly feared in this country and prefabbed bomb shelters and "Duck and Cover" exercises were completely normal in the sixties.


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,
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’.

The above needs no commentary, if one keeps up with history.


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,

China tested an atomic bomb on October 16, 1964


Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama.

Martin Luther King led a non-violent freedom march in Selma, that was assualted by the white supremacists of the day.

You may leave here for 4 days in space,

The NASA Gemini space flights were occurring.

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.
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.

The times are upon us, folks!

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