Eve of Destruction – Barry McGuire

Chart Position: 1

• Originally recorded by Turtles (1965)
• Written by P.F. Sloan
• Instruments: Wrecking Crew
• Produced by Lou Adler, Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan
• Recorded in Los Angeles CA
• This was an anti-Vietnam war anthem
• Barry McGuire is a former member of New Christy Minstrels and has acted in several films including The President’s Analyst (1967)
• McGuire’s vocal was only intended to be a rough take but the recording got into the hands of an LA DJ and the ensuing popular demand prompted the record label to issue the single without a more polished vocal
• McGuire read the lyrics off of a piece of paper
• Barry McGuire later became a contemporary Christian performer; he includes this song in concert but with updated lyrics
• This is Barry McGuire’s only #1 single
• Later recorded by Jan and Dean (1965), Grass Roots (1966), Dickies (1978) and Screaming Jets (1997)