Artist: Barry McGuire Album: ---Released as single only--- Song: Eve Of Destruction Year: 1965 Top Chart Position: #1

The eastern world it tis explodin', violence flarin', bullets loadin', you're old enough to kill but not for votin', you don't believe in war, 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 trying to say? Can't you see the fear that I'm feeling today? If the button is pushed, there's no running away, There'll be noone to save with the world in a grave, take a look around you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy, but 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 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', 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! Tehn take a look around to Selma, Alabama! Ah, you may leave here, for four days in space, but when your eturn, it's the same old place, the poundin' of the drums, th 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 you tell me over and over and over and over again my friend, ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Barry McGuire uses some rather "interesting" rhymes to talk about war in general, but for the most part he makes references to the escalating situation in the fight against communism in the ‘60s, leading to Vietnam, and as he predicts, possibly the end of the world. The Cold War was very real then. The arms race in was progress and people were caring less and less about each other and about anything in general. This military scare was constantly taking them on nasty emotional rides.