Eve Of Destruction
The Screaming Jets Lyrics

The eastern world
Refers to the political and social unrest in the eastern part of the world.

It is explodin'
There's widespread violence and chaos.

Violence flaring, bullets loading
There are riots and protests everywhere, and people are arming themselves.

You're old enough to kill
You're old enough to fight and take a life.

But not for votin'
You can serve your country but cannot vote to choose your leaders.

You don't believe in war
You claim to be against war.

Then what's that gun you're totin'
Why are you carrying a weapon if you don't believe in violence?

When even the Jordan River has bodies floating
People are dying and their bodies are floating in the once peaceful Jordan River.

But you tell me Over and over and over again my friend
The singer is addressing the listener, who keeps denying the possibility of impending disaster.

You don't believe we're on The Eve of Destruction
You refuse to accept that the world is on the brink of destruction.

Don't you understand what I'm tryin' to say
Don't you comprehend the severity of the situation?

Can't you feel the fear that I feel today
Don't you share the same fear that the singer feels?

If the button I's pushed there's no running away
Once a catastrophic event occurs, there will be no escape.

There'll be no one to save
No one will be able to rescue you or the world in general.

With the world in a grave
The entire world will be buried and destroyed.

Take a look around you boy
The singer is urging the listener to observe the current state of the world.

It's bound to scare you boy
The state of the world is enough to frighten anyone.

My blood's so mad
The singer is very angry and upset.

Feels like coagulating
Their anger is boiling over and making their blood thick and sluggish.

And I'm just sitting here
The singer feels helpless in the face of such disaster.

Contemplating
The singer is deep in thought, considering the enormity of the situation.

I can't change the truth
The singer is acknowledging that they cannot change what is happening in the world.

It has no regulation
The situation is out of control, and there are no rules or regulations to contain it.

A handful of senators
The singer is referring to the government officials who are not passing necessary legislation.

Won't pass legislation
The officials are not enacting laws that could help the situation.

And marchers alone
Peaceful protesters are not enough to bring about meaningful change.

Can't bring integration
Simply marching will not integrate the different parts of society.

When human respect Is disintegrating
Nobody is respecting each other anymore, and this is causing the society to break apart.

This whole damn world Is too frustrating
The singer is at their wit's end, and the frustration is too much to bear.

Think of all the hate There is in Red China
The singer is pointing out that hate is present in many parts of the world.

Then take a look around To Selma, Alabama
The hatred and violence is not just in far-off lands like China, but also present in the US.

You might leave here For four days in space
You might temporarily escape the world's problems by leaving on a spaceflight.

But when you return It's the same bloody place
However, upon returning, you will find that the world's problems remain the same.

The beating of the drums And the pride and disgrace
The world is filled with war and conflict, as well as pride and shame.

You can bury your dead But don't leave a trace
You can put an end to the violence, but do it in a way that doesn't perpetuate more violence.

And hate your next-door-neighbor But don't forget to say grace
Don't let the hate in the world cause you to lose your sense of gratitude and respect for others.

Yeah, you don't believe we're on The Eve of Destruction
The singer is repeating the main idea that the listener is refusing to acknowledge the impending doom.