Barry McGuire is a singer-songwriter from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Eve of Destruction was written by P.F. Sloan, the Los Angeles songwriter who also penned "Secret Agent Man." It was recorded by McGuire in 1965 and became a number 1 hit on the Billboard charts. McGuire experienced a born-again conversion in 1971 and went on to write and record numerous Christian Rock songs.
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 whats 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 you boy, it's bound to scare you 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 coagulating 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 four days in space But when you return it's the same old place The pounding 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 Mmm, no, no, you don't believe We're on the eve of destruction