Anti-Protest Protest Song

Annotation — McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" & Answer Songs

Garage rock novelty song "Anti-Protest Protest Song" (Mercury Records # 72537) by David Winters, another track mocking the protest movement, especially singers, referencing Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction": "Eve of Destruction says we'll soon be dead, but I never knew misery could make such friends". It also referenced Bob Dylan and Sonny and Cher: "comb your hair like Bobby Dylan... Sonny and Cher... protest pair are making a mint". Composed by Lenny Revell. Arranged and conducted by Alan Lorber.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Now gather around folk singers, and hear what I say / How I got myself a record today, first you comb your hair like Bobby Dylan / Then you look around for injustice and killing / Don't make like a Beatle that's already been / Cause listen cat, if you want to be in / You got to protest baby (I got nothing to protest) / Come on and protest baby (I got nothing to protest) / Jump on the White House lawn and shout out notice / Stand on your head on a bed until you're noticed... / Now Sonny and Cher, if you'll take a hint / Protest pair are making a mint / And Eve of Destruction says we'll soon be dead / But I never knew misery could make such friends / So strum that guitar and look kind of sick / The come along on this groovy kick / Come on and protest baby (I got nothing to protest) / Jump on the White House lawn and shout out notice / Stand on your head on a bed until you're noticed... / Now with my protest money and my protest car / And my protest girl, I'm a protest star / But the crazy thing about this brand new bag / Man it's like getting to be a drag / Cause the only things left to protest are protest songs... / Oh yeah we are the anti-protest protesters, and all that jazz

Notes

Mercury Records 72537, matrix YW1-37224, black "High Fidelity" label, vocal; "Anti-Protest Protest Song" (Lenny Revell), Just Music (BMI), time 2:00; producers Shelby Singleton and Alan Lorber; arranged and conducted by Alan Lorber; Mercury Record Corporation, made in U.S.A. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

David Winters (5 April 1939, London, England - 23 April 2019, Fort Lauderdale, Florida), dancer, choreographer, actor, director and producer who originated the role of A-rab in the Broadway West Side Story and danced in the film version, later choreographing television and film and running his own production companies in the United States. [Source: Wikipedia; Discogs; obituaries]

Themes

Anti-Protest · Answer to Eve of Destruction · Bob Dylan · Beatles · Sonny & Cher

In collections

McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" & Answer Songs · Garage Rock Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]