Analyzing The Never-ending "Eve of Destruction" In 1964, at only 19 years old, P.F. Sloan wrote the lyrics to one of the greatest protest songs of the era in an attempt to highlight some of the cultural and political ills facing American society. Highly religious, Sloan contends that his song was a “prayer and conversation with God” in order to “vent his frustrations” with the critical issues that were afflicting the American, and global, society at the time. In 1965, after only one take, folk rock singer, Barry McGuire, recorded his song sending it to number one on the Billboard charts. Expressing more than anti-Vietnam War sentiments, “Eve of Destruction” touches on subjects such as voting rights, Middle East tensions, racism, communism, morality, religion, and US government legislation to name a few. Historical analysis reveals that many of these issues, in one form or another, have been plaguing America since its founding. Sloan’s song in particular, reveals concerns that were relevant not only during the turbulent 60’s but many of which are also still of concern to Americans today. Each generation has believed that their world was teetering on the brink. But if these issues have been going on throughout history, how long will this “eve” of destruction last?
Read more below for an in-depth evaluation of the 1965 hit and click here for full song lyrics. A major point of contention during the 60’s, especially when viewed in context of the Vietnam War, was the voting age in America. The legal voting age at the time was 21, something Sloan found to be fundamentally unfair. He effectively conveys his feelings to the American people with the line, “You’re old enough to kill but not for votin’.”Sloan is using logical reasoning to showcase the fact that many American soldiers were fighting in the Vietnam War who were under the age of twenty-one. He lamented the fact that they were old enough to kill for, and to die for, America but they were not old enough to participate in the electoral process. He persuasively argued that these young Americans should be given the right to vote and the chance for their voice to be heard. I agree with Sloan’s conclusion. This issue resonated with the people, and it appears, with the US government itself as can be seen with the ratification of the 26th Amendment in 1971, which modified the federal voting policy and set the legal voting age to 18 years old.
Nuclear proliferation was a particularly sensitive issue during the 60’s. Founded or not, Americans were living in fear of the possibility of World War III. In the second verse, Sloane asks two questions of his listeners in an effort to draw them in to his conversation. “Don’t you understand, what I’m trying to say?” is an attempt to encourage the listener to think about the seriousness of nuclear war and see the issue from another person’s point of view. In the second question, Sloan draws the listener in with the use of alliteration when he asks the rhetorical question, “And can’t you feel the fears I’m feeling today?”Sloan paints a grim picture for the world if a nuclear war were to occur when he writes, “If the button is pushed, there’s no running away/There’ll be no one to save with the world in a grave…” He is making an emotional appeal to common sense and common knowledge as he comments on the inability of people to escape the gripping effects of nuclear annihilation.To get his point across, he establishes an emotional connection for his audience by likening the world to a grave and forces his audience to think about their own mortality. Fear, anxiety and panic are powerful emotions.Sloan uses these emotions to influence his audience and make them re-think what nuclear war would mean for the entire world. The issue of nuclear proliferation, and possible nuclear war, are as real today as they were in the 60’s as enemy nations of the United States including North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have nuclear weapon capabilities and unstable governments. This is a real and present danger for America, as well as, the world.As more and more countries around the world acquire nuclear weapons, or the technology to make them, the world is constantly vulnerable to its destruction.
Another issue that has not been resolved, and one that could be argued has gotten worse lately, is racism. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing when “Eve of Destruction” was written.African Americans were still largely discriminated against especially in the southern states. “Jim Crow“ laws at the state and local levels played a huge role in segregating blacks and whites, often prohibiting blacks from bathrooms, classrooms, restaurants, transportation and government. Even though in 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the “separate but equal” doctrine that laid the groundwork for rampant discrimination, there was still unrest among the African American community. Civil Rights activists used peaceful marches and civil disobedience to bring their issue into the mainstream consciousness. In the third verse, Sloane highlights the fact that racial tensions were at an all time high. “Yeah, my blood’s so mad, feels like coagulatin’/ I’m sittin’ here, just contemplatin’” was Sloan’s way of telling the world that he, as well as many whites, were enraged by the concept of segregation and he thought joining the Civil Rights Movement was the right thing to do. He realizes that he cannot rely on the government to pass regulation insuring blacks rights or rely on the use of peaceful marches to insure equality when there is such a strong divide between blacks and whites; “Handful of Senators don’t pass legislation/And marches alone can’t bring integration.” During that period of time in America, it seemed as though a civil war was going to erupt. In some people’s eyes, the American way of life as they knew it was going to be destroyed. While America has made great strides toward equality for African Americans over the last 50 years, some people don’t think it is enough. Even today, there is unrest in the streets, on college campuses, and in the workplace. Today’s climate has given rise to groups such as Black Lives Matter and the New Black Panther Party. Some think the racial tension between blacks and whites are equal too, if not more than, what they were in the 60’s. It seems as though the ‘eve’ of racial divisiveness is still going on.
While Sloane’s last verse touches on communism, “Think of all the hate there is in Red China!” and a further reference to racial strife, “Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama!,” I feel his most important line, “Hate your next door neighbor, but don’t forget to say grace” touches on one of the most volatile issues since the beginning of time: religion. Sloane shows the listener the hypocrisy of people who consider themselves to be religious.
Our spiritual or religious beliefs are supposed to be based on love, compassion and respect for one another. The second commandment asks us to “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” How can one adhere to this teaching in the midst of war, bigotry or racial discrimination? Most wars are caused in the name of religion. Extreme Islamic terrorism is a very real threat to the world today. The Jewish people are in constant turmoil with their Arab neighbors. And even the varying factions within the Muslim religion are at war with each other. Death, destruction, misery, and chaos are the ‘rewards’ of this way of life. If all we do is concentrate on our differences how will we be able to make the world a more loving and peaceful place in which to live? This hypocrisy continues to this day, and I fear will continue in the future. It is one of the most serious threats to civilization and most certainly could lead us to our ‘eve of destruction.’
On its face, P.F. Sloane’s song ‘Eve of Destruction’ was a depressing testament to the critical issues facing American society during the 1960’s. The urgency of his words cannot be denied and his fear that the world was in imminent danger of being destroyed was evident with his continual chorus of“Ah, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction.” Some of the issues touched upon are as applicable today as they were then and are still as serious.However, whether he was aware of it or not, every generation faces their own unique set of problems that seem insurmountable at the time. If nothing else, Sloane’s song is a grim reminder that every generation considers itself to be on the ‘eve of destruction.’
To watch the Official "Eve of Destruction" Music Video click here.
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