by P.F. Sloan
sung by Barry McGuire
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
On July 14, 1965, Barry McGuire was asked to sing a trial vocal on a new song by P.F. Sloan called “Eve of Destruction.” Someone suggested he had the right voice for the song. With the lyrics in his hand scribbled on a crumpled piece of paper, and a small rhythm section backing him up, he laid down a vocal in one take, sure that they would do a more polished version of the song in the near future, if in fact he would get to be the singer on the final version. But that proved to be unnecessary, because that night, someone leaked the song to an L.A. radio station and the very next day, Barry heard himself, and his rough vocal, on the radio. And the rest is history.
The song became an instant hit because it perfectly captured the fear and angst that a whole generation of young people was feeling right then: anger towards war, fear of nuclear annihilation, failure of politics and government to make any lasting social changes, and frustration over racial strife, hatred, and religious hypocrisy. Does any of this sound familiar? Of course it all does. Are these not the same things grabbing our attention today, and connecting us up with what Millennials and younger are currently feeling about their world? Add climate change, a democracy teetering on oblivion, and a war in Ukraine, and let’s face it, the song could have been recorded yesterday.
What does this mean for us today? It means there is a strong link between where many of us were almost 60 years ago and where many of us are right now. That’s exactly why we are bringing the Jesus Movement forward today: so there can be a meeting up of generations — a synthesis of prophetic realities, and most of all, the creative embarkment of a new movement — call it a relationship movement — that will couple the best of then with the best of now.
Think beyond “Eve of Destruction” to Peter, Paul and Mary singing “everybody gonna pray on the very last day,” Creedence Clearwater singing, “I know the end is coming soon,” and Bob Dylan singing “when the ship comes in,” and you realize the Jesus Movement rode in on the heels of apocalyptic prophecy in popular music.
“People get ready.” It was true then; it’s even more true now.
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John Fischer The Catch 
I woke up this morning with this song in my head – God’s timing, at work. You would only need to change the lines about Selma, Alabama. Maybe “Look at all the hate / In the middle of Africa / And then ask yourself / ‘Do I love my neighbour?’”
The thing is, Peter,Paul and Mary (and The Hollies, in the UK) warned about the Very Last Day; Curtis Mayfield told us to Get Ready; 60 years ago, and it hasn’t happened. And it’s still happening. But as the Apostle Peter reminds us: God is not slack. We do have to make sure we have oil in our lamps, and help others do the same.