What's Come Over This World?

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

The song "What's Come Over This World" (Colpix Records # CP-791) written by Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller took a patriotic stance. It particular criticised the anti-war movement. The song noted draft card burning, calling them "an army of cowards" and that "while the country is in danger they just carry a sign". It also made references to previous wars that the US fought in - Korea and World War II - and suggested that the protesters who did not do their duty in Vietnam were betraying those who had died defending the US. The opening line, which attacked the "songs that they sing" can be viewed as an answer to the Barry McGuire song Eve of Destruction (Dunhill Records # 45-D-4009). Note the John F. Kennedy reference: "what can you do for your country, his words...written in blood...forgot what he died for". The New York based record label promoted this record heavily, taking a full-page advert in Billboard on 6 November 1965, which claimed the lyrics to be "one of the most powerful and dramatic songs of our time!...A record that will be heard 'round the world". (1) On 27 November it bubbled under the Hot 100 at # 133. (2) It made marginal progress by 4 December, climbing to #…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Garage Rock Songs

The song "What's Come Over This World" (Colpix Records # CP-791) written by Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller took a patriotic stance. It criticised the anti-war movement. The song noted draft card burning, calling them "an army of cowards" and that "while the country is in danger they just carry a sign". It also made references to previous wars that the US fought in - Korea and World War II - and suggested that the protesters who did not do their duty in Vietnam were betraying those who had died defending the US. The opening line, which attacked the "songs that they sing" can be viewed as an answer to the Barry McGuire song Eve of Destruction (Dunhill Records # 45-D-4009). Note the John F. Kennedy reference: "what can you do for your country, his words...written in blood...forgot what he died for". The New York based record label promoted this record heavily, taking a full-page advert in Billboard on 6 November 1965, which claimed the lyrics to be "one of the most powerful and dramatic songs of our time!...A record that will be heard 'round the world". (1) On 27 November it bubbled under the Hot 100 at # 133. (2) It made marginal progress by 4 December, climbing to # 126. (3) It…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Unknown - 'What's Come Over This World' b/w '(Wait Till You See) My Gidget' (Colpix CP-791, 1965) was written, produced and arranged entirely by Jack Keller and Howard Greenfield as a Screen Gems in-house production; no source names the singer, and the credit is presumably a studio pseudonym. [Source: Discogs]

Themes

Patriotic · Answer to Eve of Destruction · Anti-Protest · Demonstration

In collections

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