

McGuire's single hit #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1965.Īfter becoming a born-again Christian, McGuire re-recorded "Eve of Destruction" as the lead track on his second contemporary Christian release: "Lighten Up". The following Monday morning he got a phone call from the record company at 7:00 am, telling him to turn on the radio - his song was playing. McGuire recalled in later years that "Eve of Destruction" had been recorded in one take on a Thursday morning, reading lyrics scrawled on a crumpled piece of paper. The song was an instant hit, and as a result, the more polished vocal track that was at first envisioned was never recorded. The vocal track was thrown on as a rough mix and was not intended to be the final version, but a copy of the recording "leaked" out to a disc jockey, who began playing it.

Sloan on guitar, Hal Blaine (of Phil Spector's Wrecking Crew) on drums, and Larry Knechtel on bass guitar. The accompanying musicians were top-tier Los Angeles session players: P. McGuire's recording was made between July 12 and July 15, 1965, and released by Dunhill Records. "You may leave here for four days in space, but when you return it's the same old place" refers to the June 1965 mission of Gemini 4, which lasted just over four days.(The Jan and Dean version substitutes " Watts, California" in the lyrics, in apparent reference to the Watts riots.) The song's mention of Selma, Alabama pertains to the Selma to Montgomery marches and " Bloody Sunday" in March 1965."If the button is pushed, there's no runnin' away." Refers to the threat of a nuclear war at any moment, and the damage that this would cause."And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin'" refers to The War over Water."You’re old enough to kill, but not for votin'" refers to the United States law requiring registration for the draft at age 18, while the minimum voting age (in all but four states) was 21, until a Constitutional amendment changed it to 18 in July 1971.Their version was issued as a track on their 1965 debut album It Ain't Me Babe, shortly before McGuire's version was cut it was eventually released as a single and hit #100 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. group which often recorded The Byrds' discarded or rejected material, recorded a version instead. The song was offered to The Byrds as a Dylanesque potential single, but they rejected it. 3.3 Controversy, parodies, and response songs.
