I was about to write a post about the song Eve of Destruction today, but when I checked, I had done just that in 2014. So I don’t have to do it again. However, it’s now been a full 60 years since that song first came out. In 1965, our parents and grandparents worried about the state of the world. They thought it was going to end.

Today, it rings truer than ever – again. There are frightening parallels today to what we worried about then. It gives me hope, since the world didn’t actually end up blowing up in 1965, it’s likely that we get through 2025 also, and one time look back on this crazy part of history.

Here are the lyrics with my commentary in blue:

The eastern world it is exploding
Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’

It’s still the eastern world, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Ukraine, India, Pakistan, Thailand that are exploding, with violence flarin’ and bullets loadin’. 

You’re old enough to kill but not for votin’

We’re still old enough to kill but not for votin’ today.

You don’t believe in war but whats 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?

Today we have fears that the United States becomes an autocracy after the likes of Russia. Our highest level of government seems completely corrupt and focused on gaining permanent power, while hurting millions of its citizens. We have seen this playbook before. 

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

Yes, that button is still there, and now we have one apparently not-right-in-his-head man threatening to push that button. It’s bound to scare me, 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 coagulating
I’m sitting here just contemplatin’

My blood’s mad today, just like it was for our grandparents in 1965. I see the pain, I see the damage, and I have started not watching or reading the news anymore, since it just makes my blood coagulate and I feel powerless. I’m sitting here contemplatin’, writing blog posts that go nowhere and help no one. 

I can’t twist the truth it knows no regulation

The truth is being twisted today like it was in 1965. 

Handful of senators don’t pass legislation

Senators don’t pass legislation but rather enable the would-be king wandering around the world with no clothes. 

And marches alone can’t bring integration

We’re marching, alright, we’re marching backwards, not just to 1965, but to 1935.

When human respect is disintegratin’

Human respect is definitely disintegratin’ if that human is brown or black or Asian or homosexual or intellectual or liberal or atheist.

This whole crazy world is just too frustratin’

I am not watching the news anymore because 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

There seems to be a lot more hate in Washington DC now than in Selma, Alabama.

There seems to be more hate in the United States than there is in China.

You may leave here for four days in space
But when you return it’s the same old place

Now we go into space for eight months at a time and when we come back it’s the same old place. We now go into space using one company’s private vehicles. 

The pounding 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

If your neighbor is an immigrant, or speaks Spanish, or Chinese, or is not Christian, feel free to hate. The government will support you. 

And tell me
Over and over and over and over again my friend
You don’t believe
We’re on the eve of destruction
Mmm, no, no, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve of destruction

No, I don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction. I think we’ll get through this too and come out wiser and healthier on the other side. Hang in there.