Flygkraschen inträffade 28 januari 1948. I planet befanns sig 28 mexikanska jordbruksarbetare på väg tillbaka för att deras kontrakt gått ut el för att de befunnit sig illegalt i landet. Guthrie i New York reagerade på att inga namn stod i tidningarna. Han ansåg också att det var fel att regeringen betalade bönderna för att förstöra skörden för att hålla priserna uppe. Guthrie skrev orden, tio år senare skrev Martin Hoffman melodin.

"You’re old enough to kill, but not for votin’" ("du är gammal nog att döda, men inte att rösta"); den tidens lagar i USA (utom i fyra delstater), hade 21 och inte 18 som rösträttsålder.
"And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin’" beskriver konflikterna i Mellanöstern.
Sången beskriver även Selma, Alabama där den blodiga söndagen 1965 utspelade sig.
""Ah, you may leave here, for four days in space, but when you return, it's the same old place" ("Du kan lämna detta ställe för fyra dagar i rymden, men då du återvänder är det samma gamla plats). Det beskriver hur rymdfarkosten Gemini 4 i juni 1965 användes för en fyra dagar lång rymdresa.

https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve_of_Destruction

Well come on all of you big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again,
He got himself in a terrible jam,
Way down yonder in Vietnam,
Put down your books and pick up a gun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun

And its 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for?
Don't ask me I don't give a damn,
The next stop is Vietnam,
And its 5, 6, 7 open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
WHOOPEE we're all gonna die

Now come on wall street don't be slow,
Why man this is war go go,
There's plenty good money to be made,
By supplying the army with the tools of the trade,
Just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb
They drop it on the Vietcong.

And its 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for?
Don't ask me I don't give a damn,
The next stop is Vietnam,
And its 5, 6, 7 open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
WHOOPEE we're all gonna die

Now come on generals let's move fast,
Your big chance is here at last,
Gotta go out and get those reds,
The only good commie is one that's dead,
And you know that peace can only be won,
When you blow them all to kingdom come

And its 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for?
Don't ask me I don't give a damn,
The next stop is Vietnam,
And its 5, 6, 7 open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
WHOOPEE we're all gonna die

Now come on mothers across the land,
Pack your boys off to Vietnam,
Come on fathers don't hesitate,
Send your sons off before its too late,
Be the first one on your block,
To have your boy come home in a box

And its 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for?
Don't ask me I don't give a damn,
The next stop is Vietnam,
And its 5, 6, 7 open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
WHOOPEE we're all gonna die