Eve of Destruction 2.1 Released (on 43rd Anniversary of Original Version)

By DiAnne Grieser on July 26, 2008 9:45 AM
Remember "Eve of Destruction" (if you are old enough)? The lyrics were:"The Eastern world, it is exploding, Violence flaring, bullets loading, You're old enough to kill, but not for voting, You don't believe in war, but what's that gun you're toting?" That was back in 1965. The Vietnam war was going on, as well as riots in the cities. The country was divided. It was controversial but the record went to the top of the charts. It was the first song to spell out specifics about the Vietnam War for the general public.
He recorded the song again, and with Mick Fleetwood, Roger McGuinn and Todd Smallwood. The new version was released on July 21, on the 43rd anniversary of the original release. (For you youngsters, that's Barry McGuire the original artist, Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, and Todd I know performed with Jackson Browne, Robbie Krieger of the Doors and organized a Cuban/American singer-songwriter project in Havana for World Peace.) I knew Todd when I was a teen, during a time of horrific social unrest domestically and the tragic war in Vietnam going on abroad. The song meant alot to most of us, though conservatives who felt the song unpatriotic released a follow-up called "Dawn of Correction." (The modern version might be called "The Surge is Working.)
Barry McGuire is now 72. He says, "the stupidity of armed conflict doesn't end. Vietnam, Korea, Desert Storm and now Iraq. How many people are still being murdered, slaughtered, blown to bits? If anything, we're on the Dawn of Destruction." McGuire was converted to Christianity but doesn't care much for organized religion. He follows Christ directly.
Some of the material for this "review" came from Same Old Song for Singer Barry McGuire, in a North Carolina newspaper. The rest came from my memory, and then from the speakers of my Mac.
Todd Smallwood site & MySpaceJim McGuinn blog
I just bought it on iTunes. If you have an iTunes player you can go to the iTunes store and hear at least 30 seconds for free. If you want to buy it, it's a dollar. If I find an MP3 I'll put it up. If I find a video I'll put it up. I am tracking this closely. There are more great rumors (great things could happen with this song later this summer!) but those have to wait. Here are the lyrics to the original version. They may have been tweaked just a little for the new version. The new version is a new version - beautifully arranged, performed and recorded by some great artists!
Here is one of many videos that has been made to this song - this one with desert imagery rather than jungle - but too many things about our foreign policy just haven't changed!

EVE OF DESTRUCTION (Original lyrics)
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 ya 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.
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
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama
You may leave here for 4 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
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.
LinkHere