The Protest Singer

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

The song "The Protest Singer" (Treva # 222), released on a Hollywood, California label - but no further details known of this artist - took an anti-protest position, mocking musicians who wake up and "look around until I find something that is wrong", and then write a song, which included the major issues of the day: "I sing about Vietnam, ban the bomb, end the war", as well as Civil Rights: "I sing about segregation, integration, demonstration, legislation". It referenced Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction", suggesting the protest singers were in it for the money: "I want to make my fortune before destruction's eve, long as people pay, I hope the problems stay". The song also denounced hippie culture, often presented in song as a youth movement, related to psychedelic music, drugs use (e.g. LSD and marijuana), long hair (both men & women), jeans, flairs, pop art, free love (sex, love-in), travelling, spirituality: "can't take my time to comb my hair, shave or take a bath". Also note the reference to the KKK, and the US president Lyndon B. Johnson.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I wake every morning, it's the early dawn / Look around until I find something that is wrong / Then write a song, it don't take long to write a protest song / I sing about segregation, integration, demonstration, legislation, communism, socialism, any ism is an ism, is alright with me / Can't take my time to comb my hair / Shave or take a bath / If restaurant owners laugh at me, they'll have to take the wrath of the protest sing / I could be cleaner, but I'm a protest singer / I sing about Vietnam, ban the bomb, end the war, and help the poor, the KKK, the PTA, and LBJ is A-okay with me / Now I'm the protest singer, this you can believe / I want to make my fortune before destruction's eve / Long as people pay, I hope the problems stay / I'm the protest singer / I sing about Red Chinese minorities, PhDs, low salaries, a race for space, the human race, day or night a quite riot is alright with me... Why can't they stop, why can't they wait / Why can't they stop, just stop and think / Can't they see that they're just fools / Can't they see that they're just tools / Of those that make a living peddling hate / The peddlers of hate / Why can't they stop, why can't they wait / Why don't they stop before its too late / For I know that they're confused / Can't they see they're being used / Of those that make a living peddling hate / The peddlers of hate / Why can't they stop, why can't they see / They're just human being like you and me / If they can't wait for just a while…

Notes

Treva Records 222, Suite #616, 6290 Sunset, Hollywood, Calif.; red label, 45 RPM, marked "Not for Sale" (the Protest Singer side also "Promotional Copy"). "The Protest Singer" (K. Johnson-D. Hinson), 1:56, Limelite Music-Garpax Music Inc. (BMI), matrix 59477; "Peddlers of Hate" (D. Hinson-K. Johnson), 2:00, Garpax Music Inc.-Limelite Music (BMI), matrix 59477-X. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

American novelty singer, best known for the 1964 monster-novelty recordings with Don Hinson and the Rigamorticians ('Riboflavin-Flavored, Non-Carbonated, Polyunsaturated Blood'); co-wrote and recorded the protest-response 45 'The Protest Singer' / 'Peddlers of Hate' (Star-Burst S-B-126, 1965, reissued on Treva 222, 1966; tipped in Billboard, January 1966), later anthologised on 'Twisted Tales From the Vinyl Wastelands'. [Source: Discogs / 45cat]

Themes

Patriotic · Anti-Protest · Demonstration · LBJ · Civil Rights · Atomic · KKK · Answer to Eve of Destruction

In collections

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