Protest Song: "Eve of Destruction" by PF Sloan - 568 Words | Essay Example (2024)

“Eve of Destruction” by P.F. Sloan is an iconic piece which describes an epoch. It was written in 1965 when the USA endured really hard times. In fact, the song is a response to the escalation of the conflict in Vietnam. Notably, it was written by a nineteen-year-old boy who had graduated from school only a year before.

The song is the general attitude of young Americans towards the conflict in Vietnam. Americans did not want any wars or violence. It is also necessary to note that the American society was also torn by a conflict as the tension between African Americans and white Americans was at its peak (Benarde 90).

Caribbean Missile Conflict also made people anxious. The fear of atomic war and the horrors of “red” countries made people think of destruction and decay. Besides, there was a lot of violence within the boundaries of the country as young people were shooting in their school and killed their peers. The song is a reflection on these constraints.

The music was composed in June-July 1965, during the conflict when the American society was torn into two camps (Perone 14). The majority of Americans did not want the war, but there were some who still tried to justify the war in Vietnam. It is necessary to note that American troops only started landing on the territory of Vietnam but many foresaw that the war would take many American lives.

Sloan was against the war and any violence. He was also against the hypocrisy in the American society. He did not want to escalate the conflict. On the contrary, he wanted to make people stop killing each other. Remarkably, the song reached its intended audience as it became number one in 1965 in the USA (Benarde 90).

All Americans were inspired by the song and it became a kind of an anthem to create a better life and a more righteous American society. Nonetheless, it did not have a direct effect on the development of the conflict as it did not stop the war. However, it contributed greatly to development of public opinion on the matter.

The song became popular when Barry McGuire sang it in summer 1965. It was a great success due to the piece itself and due to the inspirational performance of the singer. The lyrics discuss wrongs of the American society. The Vietnam War and the threat from ‘red’ countries are the core elements of the song.

Sloan wrote, “Think of all the hate in Red China” and this line reveals Americans’ fears of those times (quoted in Benarde 90). It is possible to note that the lyrics reveal that the writer of the song is on the side of the American society. However, the song is also a way to help Americans see their vices and become a better society.

The piece pertains to folk rock. Thus, the texture of the piece is hom*ophonic. The instruments used are typical for folk rock. Thus, a guitar, drums and harmonica are used. The melody is conjunct. This type of melody may have contributed to the piece’s popularity. The song is performed in quite slow tempo.

These means make the song inspirational as every musical peculiarity stresses the idea of the song. Thus, the melody is quite simple and very catchy. The words are full of meaning. People listened to and sang the song as it was easy to perform and it revealed a particular viewpoint.

Works Cited

Benarde, Scott R. Stars of David: Rock ’n’ Roll’s Jewish Stories. Lebanon, NH: UPNE, 2003. Print.

Perone, James E. Music of the Counterculture Era. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004. Print.

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