Barry McGuire - Eve of Destruction

You're old enough to kill but not for voting

Album: Eve of Destruction [debut album]
Genre: Folk Rock
Album Release: August 12th 1965
Single Release: August 12th 1965 [lead single]
Length: 3:36
Producer: Lou Adler
Vocalist: Barry McGuire
Label: Dunhill Records

Music Video


Live [miming]

Charts, Streams & Sales

Australia (singles): #2
Canada (singles): #1
Ireland (singles): #2
Norway (singles): #1
Sweden (singles): #1
UK (singles): #3
USA (singles): #1
West Germany (singles): #1
Spotify: 45,400,000 +
YouTube Music: 49,000,000 +

Credits

Bass, drums, guitar [x2], percussion

Details

• In 1964, sometime after midnight, America flirted with nuclear annihilation while a young songwriter, known as P.F. Sloan, picked up his guitar and wrote a little song. When he finished it was dawn, as if the writing itself had caused the sun to come up. The process was an exorcsim of sorts. An exorcism of the anxieties felt by young people throughout America as the situation in Vietnam deteriorated and the Soviet Union had its nuclear arsenal pointed squarely at the heads of every family in the country.
  
  The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 was the closest the human race ever came to its end. Two superpowers aimed city killing weapons at each other and waited to see who would blink first. We were one mistake away from armageddon. Having such a formative experience would rightfully shake a young persons sense of security which is partially why the same generation started the hippie movement, with its message of peace and love.
  
  It would, after all, be young people who were drafted to fight in Vietnam, those between the ages of 18-26. If my future had a realistic propect of war then a movement for world peace would soon become appealing.
  
  P.F. Sloan said he wrote the song as a prayer to God and young people all over the world were having similar thoughts. At that time, there was something foul in the air, war was brewing and the young wanted none of it. They, Barry McGuire, Sloan and the fans, were labelled "unpatriotic"or even "treasonous" by the establishment and the song was banned from TV in  America and restricted in the UK. The powers that be feared that upon hearing the song listeners would lose their will to fight, which is evidence of the its effectiveness.
  
  'Eve of Destruction' questioned the pervading authority of the time with statements such as "even the Jordan river has bodies floating." We kill even though the Bible says not to. "Handful of Senators don't pass legislation." People can refuse to enact the law. "Take a look at all the hate there is in Red China. Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama." We are as hateful as our enemies. "You may leave here for four days in space but when you return it's the same old place." Money spent on the space program would be better spent at home.
  
  The government wanted to ban the song from radio and TV because it ran contrary to the official narrative of the time. However, the same official narrative presented the west as superior to the communists precisely because we allowed freedom of thought and speech, so by banning the song, the authorities contradicted their own message and proved P.F. Sloan right. This inevitably led to increased sales and the government achieving the exact opposite of what they wanted to achieve, which caused people to question the war.
  
  The song penetrated the public consciousness of the time but it also ended Barry McGuire's career as a pop star. He continued to make music but the industry wouldn't play ball. 'Eve of Destruction' would be his only number one hit. He had two other songs that charted but they only reached #72 and #62 respectively [both in the US]. Standing up to the man has consequences, but some truths demand to be heard. Barry McGuire sacrificed his career on the altar of such truth. P.F. Sloan wasn't drafted, but over 2 million people were. 'Eve of Destruction' helped to shift public opinion against the war and in doing so saved millions of lives.
  
  
• There are cover versions by Public Enemy, James Last and The Pogues among others.
  
• The song is a cover of the original by The Turtles although the original wasn't released until 1970.
  
  
  

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