The eastern world it is explodin',
Battles flarin' and bullets loadin',
You're old enough to kill, 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',
Now you tell me over and over and over again, my friend,
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Hope you understand what I'm trying to say.
Don't you feel the fears that I'm feeling today?
The button is pushed, there's no running 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
You don't believe it's on the eve of destruction.

I'm so mad, blood's 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',
The whole crazy world is too frustratin',
Now you tell me over and over and over again, my friend
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Think of all the hate that there is in Red China
Then take a look around in Selma, Alabama
You may leave here for four days in space
But when your 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,
Now you tell me over and over and over and over again, my friend
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.


Lyrics submitted by epiwoosh

Eve of Destruction (Barry McGuire cover) song meanings
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