Dawn of Instruction

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

Less well-known and successful than the above, the Michigan garage rock song "Dawn of Instruction" (Deltron # 21) also provided an answer to McGuire's "Eve of Destruction". Starting with the sound-effect of a bomb dropping, the narrator criticised McGuire for being negative and spreading fear, as he claimed that the US was "getting better". The narrator went on to criticise those that avoided the draft: "you're the kind...to sit around moaning while better men are fighting" - hence why this song is included in the pro-government section. Also note the reference to Civil Rights legislation: "griping along can't bring integration...it takes work and time to pass legislation...we are all god's creation".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Things are good but getting better... / I don't believe we are on the eve of destruction / Surely feel that we're at the dawn of instruction / Sure we understand what you're trying to say / But we can't live in fear to see it your way / If ever we push the button, you're the kind... / To sit around moaning while better men are fighting... / We never quit, we know no variation / When human respect is disintegrating / Griping along can't bring integration / It takes work and time to pass legislation / Some men will see we are all god's creation

Notes

Deltron 21 (1227-45-0467-A), vocal, 45 RPM, yellow label with a lightning-bolt triangle logo; "Dawn of Instruction", Trusdale-BMI, time 3:41; Jayhawkers. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

The Jayhawkers were an American garage and folk-rock band led by Jay Walker, who afterwards worked as a radio disc jockey at WKNX Saginaw and WGRD under the name Sonny Fox; they recorded for Deltron, a label run from Bay City, Michigan by Bill Kehoe and Jim Atherton of Delta Promotions, and subsequently for Lucky Eleven and Lyke Til through 1967, and opened for Simon and Garfunkel at the Saginaw YMCA on 29 December 1965. "Dawn Of Instruction", an answer record to P.F. Sloan's 'Eve Of Destruction' whose lyric tells the doom-peddler to step aside, was issued on Deltron 21 in October 1965 backed…

Themes

Patriotic · Draft Dodger · Answer to Eve of Destruction · Civil Rights · Draft

In collections

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