3 Vietnam War Protest Songs That Baby Boomers Still Can’t Forget
The article highlights three protest songs associated with the Vietnam War that it says remain especially memorable for baby boomers. It presents them as examples of how popular music expressed anger about the war, inequality and wider social tensions, helping define the era’s counterculture.
Barry McGuire’s 1965 “Eve of Destruction”, written by P. F. Sloan, addressed Vietnam, nuclear fears and civil rights, reaching number one in the US. Country Joe and the Fish’s 1967 “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag” used dark satire and gained prominence after Woodstock, despite not charting strongly. Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1969 “Fortunate Son” criticised draft inequality and privilege, peaking at number three in the US.
- Three songs captured opposition to the Vietnam War.
- “Eve of Destruction” reached number one in the US.
- “Fortunate Son” criticised unequal exposure to the draft.