The Eastern world, it is explodin’
Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’
And even the Jordan river has bodies floatin’
But you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
How you don’t believe
We’re on the eve of destruction
When I was in high school, I heard Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire, a popular folk song back in the 1960s. I loved this song. I went to the music store and bought the album. I thought Barry McGuire nailed it.
He was looking at the world turned upside down and the chaos at the time and put it into words and music.
That was over 50 years ago.
Eve of Destruction was a #1 hit in 1965, and since its debut, I’ve been to many Barry McGuire concerts over the years.
He became a Christian about a year before I did, in 1971.
Despite ridicule and hate, he became a top Christian artist and is still going strong.
As I watched what is transpiring in the Middle East, I thought about this song and how it’s just as powerful today as it was back then.
He has done multiple updates to the song over the years, but one of the verses that has been a constant is, “Hate your next-door neighbor, but don’t forget to say grace.”
Here are the full lyrics to the song:
The Eastern world, it is explodin’
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
How you don’t believe
We’re on the eve of destruction
Don’t you understand what I’m trying to say
Can’t you feel the fears I’m feeling 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
How 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
How you don’t believe
We’re on the eve of destruction
And think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama
Ah, you may leave here for four 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 you tell me
Over and over and over and over again, my friend
You don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction
No, no, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction
I thought you would also enjoy hearing the song, so I’ve posted the links below:
Click HERE to see the VIDEO of the original version.
Click HERE to see the VIDEO of his recent update to the song.
Click HERE for his personal testimony VIDEO.
Enjoy.
You can read our article: HUEY REPORT: Top 10 Christian Worldview Articles of 2022
Comments 1
Dear Craig, this is a subject I wish you could send out to the public ,everyone needs to know how gory and awful it is to abort a child ,what this wonderful creation of god goes thru at that time ,the stupid dem voters need to know or they will win.
Ron Heigl.