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The One-Hit-Wonder File: “Eve of Destruction”

eve of destruction

The highest-charting protest song of 1965 didn’t come from the pen of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, or Phil Ochs. It was the foreboding, socially relevant “Eve of Destruction,” written by P.F. Sloan, which reached number one on the Billboard charts that year. Sloan wrote or co-wrote a number of hit songs, including “You Baby” for The Turtles, and “Secret Agent Man” for Johnny Rivers. He also crafted tunes for Jan & Dean, Herman’s Hermits, and The Searchers.

Sloan and his frequent songwriting partner Steve Barri played on the studio sessions for the first version of The Grass Roots, who scored a hit with the Sloan-Barri tune “Where Were You When I Needed You.” The duo was also busy producing records for artists like Shelley Fabares, Ann Margaret, and The Ginger Snaps.

Sloan wrote the apocalyptic, Dylan-esque “Eve of Destruction” in 1964, and presented the song to The Byrds, who turned it down. The Turtles recorded it, and the band included the song on their 1965 debut album, It Ain’t Me Babe, but their take on the tune wasn’t released as a single at the time. It was eventually issued in 1970.

Singer-songwriter Barry McGuire (who had been a member of The New Christy Minstrels) recorded the most well-known version of the song. The backing musicians included drummer Hal Blaine and bassist Larry Knechtel, who were part of that legendary coterie of session musicians who came to be known as The Wrecking Crew. Sloan, who played guitar on the song, was also a sometime member of that group, having played with them on tracks like The Mamas and The Papas hit “California Dreamin’.”

Barry McGuire’s gravelly-voiced, distinctive vocals, coupled with the song’s startling imagery and pointed commentary on social issues such as war, race, and religion, helped strike a chord with listeners. But “Eve of Destruction” also generated some controversy and negative reactions. The song was banned on a number of radio stations, and it was criticized by conservatives. That didn’t stop it from rising to the number one spot on the Billboard charts in September of 1965, taking the top spot away from “Help!” by The Beatles. It even inspired a response record, entitled “Dawn of Correction,” recorded by a group called The Spokesmen. McGuire’s album, Eve of Destruction, made it to number 35 on the charts, and in addition to the title track, included his version of Bob Dylan’s “She Belongs To Me” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” as well several compositions from Sloan and the Sloan-Barri team.

“Eve of Destruction” turned out to be McGuire’s only Top 40 hit. He continued to record and release albums, was featured in films such as the cult satire The President’s Analyst, and appeared in the Broadway show Hair. He later became an important artist in the genre of Contemporary Christian music. P.F. Sloan also continued to write and record throughout the years but often expressed that he felt shunned and pushed aside by the music industry. He penned a memoir, What’s Exactly The Matter With Me? which was published in 2014, and he passed away the following year.

“Eve of Destruction” has been covered by artists as varied as Jan & Dean, Johnny Thunders, Public Enemy, and Lemmy. The song’s message continues to resonate and seems just as relevant as ever in these difficult times.

 

-John Visconti

 

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John Visconti is a lifelong music and movies aficionado with wide-ranging tastes, from The British Invasion and Motown, to the blues, a dash of jazz, on through to power pop, funk, retro soul, folk, bubblegum and metal. He digs film noir, screwball comedies, classic B movies, and Toho’s original Godzilla series. In the late 1980s, John was a writer and editor for the KISS fanzine Fire. A friend once called him “the human incarnation of an entertainment encyclopedia.” After long stints in the worlds of publishing and IT, he’s currently working in healthcare. You can check out his blog, John V's Eclectic Avenue at http://jveclectic.blogspot.com.

7 comments on “The One-Hit-Wonder File: “Eve of Destruction”

  1. Harry S. Steinmetz

    It’s a truly great song, with a fascinating history. Thanks for sharing it with all of us. This is why we read this publication. Thanks.

  2. This is indeed the best ever anti-war song. McGuire and Sloan put Dylan to shame and look like a fool with his phony songs and lyrics. Interesting that radio stations wouldn’t play the song. Perhaps threatened by a nervous government who felt itself threatened by anti-war sentiments and protests. You know the war must go on no matter what. Are we in 1964 or 2022? I’m still just as angry and frustrated then as now!

  3. Is that album by Barry McGuire still available?

  4. No mention of his work with The New Christy Minstrels? His distinctive vocals were at the forefront of their more recognisable hits.

    • One of my all time favorites. He did more for folk rock music than most could imagine. I followed him from the original Christy’s through to the his last performances. He had a great voice and his music will always be with us.

  5. Larry Kennedy

    I was eleven years old at this time, I remember loving the melody, I just listened to the words, at sixty nine years old, thank you for posting this gem.

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