Mad As Hell!

Eve Of Destruction
Lyrics by P.F. Sloan

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.

This song was written, recorded, and released in 1965. It was performed by Barry McGuire who did an amazing job in my opinion. I heard it for the first time as a teenager and thought it was a great song that captured the essence of the Vietnam/Civil Rights era very well. A great Vietnam War protest song.

Listening to that song tonight, I realize that 42 years later we are in the same damn position. Our boys (and girls) now can vote, but are still sent to kill and be killed over some old men's disagreements. I guess our president forgot history, so we are now repeating it.

Maybe we should look toward Selma or New York or Washington, DC, or any other city in America and clean up our own problems and take care of our own people before we take on wealthy oil dictators. What about the evil dictators in this world that AREN'T sitting on a pile of oil? Why aren't we ousting them and helping the people they are terrorizing? Oh, right, oil, never mind!

All I have to say is January 20, 2009, can't get here fast enough.