Eve of Tomorrow

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

Tony Mammarella, producer of Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and founder of the record label Swan, released the song "Eve of Tomorrow" (Swan Records # S-4226), a patriotic response to Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" (1) Born 2 September 1924 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. Died November 1977 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It sought to present a positive take on world politics: "go hide on the dark of the day... tomorrow belongs to the brave". It recalled previous wars fought by the older generation, seeking to make a connection to fighting in Vietnam: "it's the same gun your fathers fought with, just to give you a chance... and they gave you this chance to change things, in...Vietnam". Also responding to McGuire remarks on the Civil Rights movement, Mammarella said that "three kids come from the north... they marched down to Mississippi and they died for what they knew was right" - a reference to the murders of three Civil Rights activist, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner on 21 June 1964 by the KKK. (1) On mutually-assured destruction (MAD), he claimed: "nobody is going to push a button, as long as we have a button to push".Songs referencing the…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Civil Rights Songs

Tony Mammarella, producer of Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and founder of the record label Swan, released the song "Eve of Tomorrow" (Swan Records # S-4226), a patriotic response to Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" (1) Born 2 September 1924 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. Died November 1977 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It sought to present a positive take on world politics: "go hide on the dark of the day... tomorrow belongs to the brave". It recalled previous wars fought by the older generation, seeking to make a connection to fighting in Vietnam: "it's the same gun your fathers fought with, just to give you a chance... and they gave you this chance to change things, in...Vietnam". Also responding to McGuire remarks on the Civil Rights movement, Mammarella said that "three kids come from the north... they marched down to Mississippi and they died for what they knew was right" - a reference to the murders of three Civil Rights activist, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner on 21 June 1964 by the KKK. (1) On mutually-assured destruction (MAD), he claimed: "nobody is going to push a button, as long as we have a button to push".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Anthony "Tony" Mammarella (born 2 September 1924 in Atlantic City, New Jersey - delivered at the family house during a Labor Day visit - and raised in Philadelphia's Italian Market; died November 1977 of metastatic lung cancer at Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was the first producer and second host of American Bandstand, co-founded Swan Records with Dick Clark and Bernie Binnick in 1958, and ran Swan after the payola scandal forced Clark out - writing and arranging as "Anthony September". "Eve Of Tomorrow" / "Love Letter" (Swan S-4226) appeared under his real name…

Themes

Patriotic · Answer to Eve of Destruction

In collections

McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" & Answer Songs · Civil Rights Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs