Eve Of Destruction-- Handsome Dick Manitoba

Earlier I mentioned that the House subpoena for Mick Mulvaney is for this Friday. He won't show up. Who really cares though-- especially because something much more relevant is absolutely showing up on that day: the first solo album, Born In The Bronx, by Handsome Dick Manitoba, formerly lead singer of the legendary Dictators. On a personal note, the very last red (in in this case, pink) meat I ever ate was with the Dictators at a White Castle when they were shooting this picture for the inner sleeve of The Dictators Go Girl Crazy:

P.F. Sloan wrote "The Eve of Destruction" in 1964 and it was a #1 hit (in the U.S. and Canada and #3 in the U.K.) when it was released by Barry McGuire the following year, despite it being banned by many conservative radio station owners for giving aid and comfort to America's enemies in Vietnam. Among the bands that subsequently covered the song, before Handsome Dick, were The Turtles, Jan and Dean, the Grass Roots, Tiny Tim, John Thunders, The Dickies (a punk version on white or yellow vinyl), The Undead, DOA, Public Enemy, Christian rockers Crashdog and Larry Norman, and (not Christian rockers)  Psychic TV.

The eastern world it is explodin'
Violence flarin', bullets loadin'
You're old enough to kill but not for votin'
You don't believe in war, what's that gun you're totin'
And even the Jordan river has bodies floatin'
But you tell me over and over and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction

Don't you understand, what I'm trying to say?
Can't you see the fears that I'm feeling today?
If the button is pushed, there's no running away
There'll be no one to save with the world in a grave
Take a look around you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy
And you tell me over and over and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction

Yeah, my blood's so mad, feels like coagulatin'
I'm sittin' here, just contemplatin'
I can't twist the truth, it knows no regulation
Handful of Senators don't pass legislation,
And marches alone can't bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin'
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin'
And you tell me over and over and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction

Think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama!
Ah, you may leave here, for four days in space
But when you return, it's the same old place
The poundin' of the drums, the pride and disgrace
You can bury your dead, but don't leave a trace
Hate your next-door-neighbour, but don't forget to say grace
And you tell me over and over and over and over again my friend
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
No no you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction

Jon Tiven, who's playing organ on the Handsome Dick version, produced it and used PF Sloan's background vocals. Here's the version the Red Rockers did for my label, 415 Records, on their album Good As Gold in 1983, which was produced by David Kahne who I believe was the one who suggested the band cover the song. Sounds great, right? And the video looks good, but CBS, which had bought my label by then, ignored it the same way the DCCC ignores all the good congressional candidates. Exactly the same way.