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 # 126.3 It shifted up to # 118 on 25 December, and had a regional breakout in Pittsburgh.4 Publisher: Screen-Gems Columbia Music. Performing Rights: BMI.Sources1Billboard, 6 November 1965↩2Billboard, 6 November 1965↩3Billboard, 6 November 1965↩4Billboard, 6 November 1965↩

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 shifted up to # 118 on 25 December, and had a regional breakout in Pittsburgh.4 Publisher: Screen-Gems Columbia Music. Performing Rights: BMI.Sources1Billboard, 6 November 1965↩2Billboard, 6 November 1965↩3Billboard, 6 November 1965↩4Billboard, 6 November 1965↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: What's become of this nation and the songs that they sing? / Everybody's protesting, what's it all gonna bring?... / There's an army of cowards, see them marching in line while the country is in danger / They just carry a sign, look at them burning their draft cards and refusing to fight / While they talk about freedom, they're dimming freedom's light... / My brother fought in Korea, my daddy in World War II, now there's a war in Vietnam and there's a job we must do / What can you do for your country / His words were written in blood / Those who forgot what he died for and dragging the flag through the mud

Notes

Colpix CP-791 (10363); "What's Come Over This World?" (Greenfield-Keller), 2:45, Screen Gems-Columbia Music BMI; Billy Carr; "Arr. & Prod. by Greenfield & Keller for Screen Gems"; "Colpix Records, a Division of Columbia Pictures Corporation, New York, N.Y.", Made in U.S.A. [From the record sleeve and labels]

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 [War Years]