I'm 70 so was in my late teens when this came out. So many songs in the 60s were so prophetic and still relevant....Eve of Destruction..Sound of Silence. Even at that age I think we knew we were on the cusp of something great.
I'm near 67 today, and 14v when this was released, and you are absolutely correct. Most all of us simply thought this entire song was a spoof, and just their idea of "entertainment". But a lot of what was sung about here has in fact already come true, and in just over 50 years...Pretty scary as you have said....
The themes of this song were common themes of SciFi of the 20's-60's. The person who did this video related to that by using scenes from Metropolis a 1927(?) Dystopian movie.
I agree Chet. I was 13 and I thought it was a fantasy/scifi like the movies that were around at that time. I loved this song but didn't take it seriously at all.
Everything is a matter of perspective, and environment has much to do with that. I'm slightly older than you. Many in my environment and circle of Associates knew this was already happening or just around the corner. But then as now many preferred to live in a comfortable bubble. Perspective!
I graduated high school in '68, then thus song came out. We had no concept of what his song was about. Now I'm 71, and the past few years, this song has been echoing in my mind. And, yes, all that has come to be in this song...it only seems like yesterday.
I don’t remember - did you do another popular one-hit from their-60’s, Barry McGuire’s ‘Eve of Destruction’. If not, you really really should. I’ll vouch for this one.
@@fatandhandsome5922 I saw him too. He has it on an album Lighten Up...Eve of Destruction goes into Don't Blame God For The Sins Of America...talk about telling the future.
They didn't see the future but most of the 70s artists Rock, Blues, Soul they were more spirituality connected and saw how life was being disrespected, Today peoples hearts have grown hard and cold and numb
Zager & Evans were an American rock-pop duo active during the late 60's-70's. This futuristic song "2525" was their biggest hit so they are often classified as a one-hit wonder.
They are the DEFINITION of a one hit wonder. This was number 1 for SIX weeks, they only had two others hit the top 100 and they were like 86 and 94 or something.
First of all, props to Craig for sponsoring this video and suggesting it for you to react to, Harri! Second, I always enjoyed this song when I was much younger, and I'm glad you did too! Third, I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned it, but the film sequence to this song are from the Fritz Lang science fiction classic called "Metropolis" from 1927. Finally, I second the motion of Micheal S. suggesting Barry McGuire's "Eve Of Destruction"! Keep up the great work, Harri!!
It's amazing how Metropolis is such a perfect fit for this song. That film is in my permanent top five films of all time. It is a brilliant film on every level.
Hi, I'm 49 from Italy I love all kind of music and I discover this little treasure only few days ago and I'm so into it that I don't even started any research about this band. The video with footage from Metropolis by Fritz Lang also increases the impact and feel of the lyrics. Your reaction is similar to others I've seen in various channels, especially American ones, but I really appreciated your analysis by pointing out things you don't agree with or the contradictions that are there. Thank u and sorry for my English.
I second Michael's recommendation to listen to Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" from 1965. He either had a working crystal ball or wa a true visionary!
No, he was a Vietnam veteran who wrote this song on his tour of duty. Those of us who were there knew EXACTLY what the insanity and destructive rage was about to kill us. If you watch the movie "Apocalypse Now," you will gain an understanding of what "the Eve of Destruction" really means. It is an allegorical movie - partly true, and partly a view inside the minds of the people who were running it, and those who had to fight in it, thanks to the Draft - which we ended.
When this song came out Americans were just beginning to realize how much of earth was being destroyed in the name of "progress". In many cities raw sewage and toxic industrial waste was being dumped into rivers that were a source of drinking water by cities/towns downstream! The first "Earth Day" was still a year away! So, yeah, at this point Mankind WAS taking A LOT from this Earth and not giving much back! Honestly, we are STILL not giving back nearly what we are destroying every day. We can and should be doing better!
I was same age and surprised to see comments by others even older than us who say they did not understand at that time what this was about. It seemed very clear to me.
The song freaked us out in 1969 when it came out! The older folks then used to tell us kids that we were coming to the end of the world, signs from the Bible you know?
Saw an interview somewhere years ago and they asked the songwriter what deep philosophical meaning and hours and hours of work were put into this song and he replied that he came home drunk on night and wrote in about 30 minutes 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Because up till that time 1969 he was right. To that point we hadn't put anything back. We hadn't really thought about it yet but that was right about the time when smog control devices were being mandated for cars and emission controls were being mandated for factories. That is also around the time (If memory serves 1967) when it became mandatory for car makers to install seat belts in all new cars and pick up trucks. Only half ton trucks. Anything over 3/4 ton didn't require seat belts till much later.
Denny Zager and his son have a company that builds and sells guitars. That are very highly rated for their quality and playability. I ordered a guitar from them and am waiting for it to be delivered. That said, this song came out when I was 10 years old and it always freaked me out. Harry, I just wanted to say that you seem that like a really nice guy and i love your reactions.
I loved this song the moment I heard it, way back in 1969! Great reaction Harri! I couldn't even imagine many of the things he was saying when I first heard it, of course I was only 12 years old, I loved it because it was about the future!
Whoever put together the video for this classic sixties one hit wonder did a great job. I agree with you that in spite of some legitimate (but sometimes overblown) environmental concerns, mankind should be grateful for the standard of living enjoyed due to the prowess of the human mind, science, and technology. Contrast present day with life in the dark or middle ages: Life was (to quote historians, "short, nasty and brutish".
Kudos to whoever picked this out for you. The song for which the term One Hit wonder was coined. Odd to pair the song with the movie Metropolis which is another prediction of the future from even earlier than 1969.
I heard this song when I was a kid. My grandfather made me expand my music horizons as a child (thank the gods). This song used to fascinate and scare me. It still does to this day.
Interesting, the movie clip is from 1927. Its a famous movie called Metropolis. That's almost 100 years.....so we look back and see what they see in the future. its ranked as the 35th most influential movie of all time.
I was in elementary school when this song came out. There have been many times, over the years, when the lyrics come flying back to me. Great reaction! ✌️❤️
This song scared the crap out of me as a child when it came on the radio... of course there wasn't much that didn't, because I got spooked easy as a kid! And all of our bedtime stories were scary and gruesome in the Appalachian mountains!
I was 9 years old when this huge hit came out and myself and everyone else think about what humankind had already done to its people and the earth itself!
I remember being 7 yo when this song came out. When I heard this song I would ask for the station to be changed or the volume to be turned down. At that age, it literally scared me because of the future regarding death and dying (being the future year 2525 didn't matter to me at all in 1969)
I've first heard this song in 1969...flying on a TWA from San Francisco to Hawaii...great song ...but never saw a video...official or otherwise til now.BRILLIANT!...to put together this song and footage of the great movie classic of the 1920's...Metropolis...Sheer Genius!...
When I saw the movie "Walli" and the humans were on the spaceship in chairs because they had no muscle mass and the computer did everything for them, I thought of this song and the verse about "In the year 5555, your arms are hanging limp at your side, your legs have nothing to do, some machine's doing that for you".
Love this song for years. Saw a joke on internet tge other day. Man at register, cashier says 25.25. He responded.."if man is still alive." Hahahaha (cashier had no clue)
I am sure they were thinking it was so far off in future it kind reminds me of thinking in the 80s with prince singing party like its 1999 was as far off as we thought lol
Don’t know about Evans, but I think Zager is still around. My brother in law was learning to play guitar by a method created by Zager. We loved this song as kids, it was science fiction in a song!
I love this tune! Great choice Craig! This is so profound and so true to life. These dudes can write great music, and this track proves it. They have other tracks in their catalog that are just as great.
In was 23 years old in 1969 and a year out of the Navy. It was interesting to hear. It was something new compared to what was 'normal' at that time. It has a lot of the same feeling and sound as music from the Musical "Hair" (Which I saw done live at the Moore Theater in Seattle) it added some 'shock' value to music which seemed to be something at the time.
Yeah, I don't remember any other songs by them, I do remember listening to this song though, I was only 8 years old, it gave me a grim feeling, I wondered how much of it would come to pass in my life time. Well, I don't have to wonder anymore. I think when it comes to the part of the song "Man has taken all this poor earth can give, and ain't never give nothin' back", refers to all the natural resources. There were concerns even back then about what was happening to our planet. This really was a great reaction video, Harry, thanks!
Mr. Zager is alive and kicking as a matter of fact he is one of the greatest guitar maker of our time. His guitar is considered by professional musicians as one of the best guitar in the market. His guitar is rated in top 5% of guitar manufacturers in the market today better than the Martins and Taylors in the same class categories. Go check his guitars you gonna love the quality and it is handmade with the highest quality parts.
This video is so creepy but the song is so chilling. My favorite line is "He's taken everything this old Earth can give & he ain't put back nothing". Man takes & takes. When I was a kid, we used to swim in the Detroit River & at Metro Beach off Lake St. Clair, in Michigan. All the car factories dumped their waste in the river. When the fish started floating, no more swimming. Metro Beach has been closed on & off for years due to e coli. There's construction & destruction & war. You can walk down the streets of cities & see vacant, boarded up or burned out buildings. It's sickening. But I won't mention politics. Zager is still alive. Evans passed in 2018. I was a teen back then. Love the song, but it's scary, because everything is possible. Maybe if we are all scared, things will change. I doubt it, but I can hope. Love your reactions!! ☮
the video are clips from the 1927 film "Metropolis" yes it is a scify movie. film made it easy for scify to be seen not just read in books. scify was difficult to do on live stage. but the newly invention of the moving pictures. ah, now there was a medium to showcase scify. even tho it was a "silent movie." to this day it's still a classic among scify fans, and movie history students. one would classify it as a Triple A movie of its day.
I've always loved this song and I was young when it came out, and believe me, people did not treat it as a fairy tale. During that time period people, especially young people, were very intense about their feelings and fears for the future. I am happy though that you see a lot of things positively and feel hopeful about human beings.
Great combination of sound and vision, so thought provoking and good to hear once in a while. I wonder how far into the future people will be listening to this and, given the way things turn out, how they would react to hearing it. Thanks Harry.
Hari. First off, I really enjoy your channel. I love your reactions, and you seem like such a wonderful guy. I remember loving this song when it came out. I was 8 years old, and I got the 45 of it. I played it all the time. It sort of scared me a bit but I loved the tune. And I agree with your assessment that while mankind has indeed pulled off some whoppers, we have also done tremendous good. And we are learning to do better, I hope. But, I would seriously love it if you would do some more Yes. There are some incredible track on some albums that most people seem to overlook. Such as Tormato. Or Union. Both of those albums, in my opinion are fantastic. Songs such as Don't Kill the Whales, Release Release, Future Times/Rejoice, Onward, and then on Union there is Take the Water to the Mountain, and Angkor Wat Lift Me Up, and I Could Have Waited Forever. Then there are some songs from the old days like A Venture, and And You and I, and Close to the Edge, and the whole album of Tales from Topographic Oceans.
I'm 62 I was in elementary school when this came out.... I was thinking on New Years Day that most of what we were expecting has not come true... think Jetsons, we throught by the time the 21st century came around we'd be in flying cars in the cities in the sky with personal robots.... sure we went from 45 vinyl, to 8 track, to CD, to streaming, our TVs are better..... we have phones that fit in our pockets and digital cameras..... but since that song was written, life is pretty much the same... we had AC, movies, cars, motorcycles, jet airliners, and we put a man on the moon.... the one thing that really has made life easier that we had NOTHING like, was a GPS .... of course the government had it since 78 but we didn't get it until 20 years ago... however the PREVIOUS 60 years, those folks saw the world change.....
62 here also. My grandmother was born in 1905, and one day my uncle, who was born when my grandmother was 43, was making fun of her for being muddled in her thinking. Grandma told him that if he'd gone from the horse and buggy to seeing man on the moon like she had, he'd be muddled too. Right on, Grandma!!!😂
The song's full title is "In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)" The group consisted of Denny Zager, who was born February 14, 1944 in Wymore, Nebraska and Rick Evans, who was born January 20, 1943 in Lincoln, Nebraska and died in February 2018 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Zager now builds custom guitars at Zager Guitars in Lincoln, Nebraska)
I was 16 then. It was scary, so many songs (if not outright "love" songs) dealt with scary stuff. I thought things would happen faster than the song predicted (but I'd also been reading)
Harry When they stated man has taken everything from the earth but put nothing back. They are referring to we have striped the earth of all its resources but put nothing back into mother earth
Here's an interesting fact, this song was #1 on the Billboard hot 100 singles chart during the Apollo 11 moon landing. This song made me think of the 1968 movie, "2001: A Space Odyssey" dealing with the same themes as this song, such as, existentialism, human evolution, technology, and artificial intelligence.
In addition to “Eve of destruction” you should also listen to “Universal Soldier” ( the Buffy Saint Marie ) version. She is Native American and she was a giant star.
One of the amazing things about In the Year 2525 is not just that the song, which came out on RCA in 1969, was way ahead of its time, but that Rick Evans actually wrote it way back in 1964!
I was a small child when this came out and it scared the hell out of me. Then in 1980 Hazel O'Connor released Eighth Day and scared me again with a similar prediction of doom.
I remember this song when it was a hit and it had a profound effect on my thinking. I'm an old woman now and so sad to say that much of what they foresaw either has come to pass or will do soon.
i remember listening to this song when the first moon landing happened ... it really seemed so prophetic that it coinsided with that leap in technology
Check out H. G. Wells' "Time Machine" (1895) which explored much of this topic. His story was also retconned several times in dubious much more recent films.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm 70 so was in my late teens when this came out. So many songs in the 60s were so prophetic and still relevant....Eve of Destruction..Sound of Silence. Even at that age I think we knew we were on the cusp of something great.
This is the 1st record I bought with my own money, amazed I can 50+ years recall the lyrics!
Coming true in many ways
I'm near 67 today, and 14v when this was released, and you are absolutely correct. Most all of us simply thought this entire song was a spoof, and just their idea of "entertainment". But a lot of what was sung about here has in fact already come true, and in just over 50 years...Pretty scary as you have said....
Not true at all. I believe many people felt that with all the wars s d evil in this world at that time that anything was possible!
The themes of this song were common themes of SciFi of the 20's-60's. The person who did this video related to that by using scenes from Metropolis a 1927(?) Dystopian movie.
I agree Chet. I was 13 and I thought it was a fantasy/scifi like the movies that were around at that time. I loved this song but didn't take it seriously at all.
I was 1, but have witnessed a good deal of this coming true.
Everything is a matter of perspective, and environment has much to do with that. I'm slightly older than you. Many in my environment and circle of Associates knew this was already happening or just around the corner. But then as now many preferred to live in a comfortable bubble.
Perspective!
The robot/human scene in Metropolis creeps me out, but when paired together, the film and song hit on another level. They are truly prophetic
I graduated high school in '68, then thus song came out. We had no concept of what his song was about. Now I'm 71, and the past few years, this song has been echoing in my mind. And, yes, all that has come to be in this song...it only seems like yesterday.
Amen! 72 here...........ditto!
I agree Im 66 now
I was 22 when this song was released. Very scary, and I think it was a warning very much worth heeding.
I played this at a Rise to Remember event here in Tulsa.
No one could handle it.
I don’t remember - did you do another popular one-hit from their-60’s, Barry McGuire’s ‘Eve of Destruction’. If not, you really really should. I’ll vouch for this one.
Second that! Great suggestion!!
I saw Barry M live in Hawaii in 1977.
He had become a Christian and was playing his hits. Fabulous song and message. 👍
Absolutely! "Eve of Destruction, is a masterpiece.
@@fatandhandsome5922 I saw him too. He has it on an album Lighten Up...Eve of Destruction goes into Don't Blame God For The Sins Of America...talk about telling the future.
And the answer to Eve of Destruction, Dawn of Correction.
They didn't see the future but most of the 70s artists Rock, Blues, Soul they were more spirituality connected and saw how life was being disrespected, Today peoples hearts have grown hard and cold and numb
Zager & Evans were an American rock-pop duo active during the late 60's-70's. This futuristic song "2525" was their biggest hit so they are often classified as a one-hit wonder.
They are the DEFINITION of a one hit wonder. This was number 1 for SIX weeks, they only had two others hit the top 100 and they were like 86 and 94 or something.
Zager and Evans were optimistic.
@@chetstevens4583 Not completely true, Michael Zager had a worldwide hit with Let's All Chant!
Is true the man has done nothing but destroy everything wihih wars and global warming 😢
One hit? That's one more than MY bands ever had.
The lyrics are what have stayed with me since I heard this song in the 60's. I wish more people would listen to the lyrics and change course.
I've HEARD this song lots of times, BUT, never have I actually LISTENED to it, until now. I must agree...this song is scary!
First of all, props to Craig for sponsoring this video and suggesting it for you to react to, Harri! Second, I always enjoyed this song when I was much younger, and I'm glad you did too! Third, I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned it, but the film sequence to this song are from the Fritz Lang science fiction classic called "Metropolis" from 1927. Finally, I second the motion of Micheal S. suggesting Barry McGuire's "Eve Of Destruction"! Keep up the great work, Harri!!
It's amazing how Metropolis is such a perfect fit for this song. That film is in my permanent top five films of all time. It is a brilliant film on every level.
I've always liked this song It's so ominous
Hi, I'm 49 from Italy I love all kind of music and I discover this little treasure only few days ago and I'm so into it that I don't even started any research about this band. The video with footage from Metropolis by Fritz Lang also increases the impact and feel of the lyrics. Your reaction is similar to others I've seen in various channels, especially American ones, but I really appreciated your analysis by pointing out things you don't agree with or the contradictions that are there. Thank u and sorry for my English.
I was 14 years old when this came out. It's the first song to really make me think about things beyond my little world.
I second Michael's recommendation to listen to Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" from 1965. He either had a working crystal ball or wa a true visionary!
No, he was a Vietnam veteran who wrote this song on his tour of duty. Those of us who were there knew EXACTLY what the insanity and destructive rage was about to kill us. If you watch the movie "Apocalypse Now," you will gain an understanding of what "the Eve of Destruction" really means. It is an allegorical movie - partly true, and partly a view inside the minds of the people who were running it, and those who had to fight in it, thanks to the Draft - which we ended.
When this song came out Americans were just beginning to realize how much of earth was being destroyed in the name of "progress". In many cities raw sewage and toxic industrial waste was being dumped into rivers that were a source of drinking water by cities/towns downstream! The first "Earth Day" was still a year away! So, yeah, at this point Mankind WAS taking A LOT from this Earth and not giving much back! Honestly, we are STILL not giving back nearly what we are destroying every day. We can and should be doing better!
Nicely stated Pamela!
Mankind, since the very beginning, has been taking A LOT...TOO MUCH from MOTHER EARTH. We stll don't know what our punishment will be.
Wasn’t it in the early 70’s that the river running thru Detroit became so polluted it caught on fire?
@@tomdowling638 Mother Earth Is God.
@@tomdowling638 The Ten Commandments...what are they ?
This song gave me chills when I was a child. It still does.
I remember this song when it came out and thought of it as merely an interesting theory. Today, it seems more eerie. Nice insights Harri🌺✌️
I loved this song back in 1969. I was 12 and it made really think about the future. Haven’t heard it in a while.
I was 11. Ditto!
I was 12 'remember it well
I was six and absolutely loved it.
I was same age and surprised to see comments by others even older than us who say they did not understand at that time what this was about. It seemed very clear to me.
The song freaked us out in 1969 when it came out! The older folks then used to tell us kids that we were coming to the end of the world, signs from the Bible you know?
Saw an interview somewhere years ago and they asked the songwriter what deep philosophical meaning and hours and hours of work were put into this song and he replied that he came home drunk on night and wrote in about 30 minutes
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Because up till that time 1969 he was right. To that point we hadn't put anything back. We hadn't really thought about it yet but that was right about the time when smog control devices were being mandated for cars and emission controls were being mandated for factories. That is also around the time (If memory serves 1967) when it became mandatory for car makers to install seat belts in all new cars and pick up trucks. Only half ton trucks. Anything over 3/4 ton didn't require seat belts till much later.
Denny Zager and his son have a company that builds and sells guitars. That are very highly rated for their quality and playability. I ordered a guitar from them and am waiting for it to be delivered. That said, this song came out when I was 10 years old and it always freaked me out. Harry, I just wanted to say that you seem that like a really nice guy and i love your reactions.
I loved this song the moment I heard it, way back in 1969! Great reaction Harri! I couldn't even imagine many of the things he was saying when I first heard it, of course I was only 12 years old, I loved it because it was about the future!
I think this is a song everyone should hear once. And then, optionally, never again. It gives me the willies.
What a great song, and somewhat prophetic? Great classic it is. Thanks to Harri and Craig
Whoever put together the video for this classic sixties one hit wonder did a great job. I agree with you that in spite of some legitimate (but sometimes overblown) environmental concerns, mankind should be grateful for the standard of living enjoyed due to the prowess of the human mind, science, and technology. Contrast present day with life in the dark or middle ages: Life was (to quote historians, "short, nasty and brutish".
Kudos to whoever picked this out for you. The song for which the term One Hit wonder was coined. Odd to pair the song with the movie Metropolis which is another prediction of the future from even earlier than 1969.
I heard this song when I was a kid. My grandfather made me expand my music horizons as a child (thank the gods). This song used to fascinate and scare me. It still does to this day.
Red pill or Blue- the Matrix! So much they wrote has came to fruition. Great reaction Harri!
Interesting, the movie clip is from 1927. Its a famous movie called Metropolis. That's almost 100 years.....so we look back and see what they see in the future. its ranked as the 35th most influential movie of all time.
Love this song… Shout out to whoever created this fan video 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I was in elementary school when this song came out. There have been many times, over the years, when the lyrics come flying back to me. Great reaction! ✌️❤️
This song scared the crap out of me as a child when it came on the radio... of course there wasn't much that didn't, because I got spooked easy as a kid! And all of our bedtime stories were scary and gruesome in the Appalachian mountains!
This song did blow my mind, as a kid ..when it was a hit on the radio...
Welcome to my youth, brother!
Eve of Destruction, too
The singer has like a scary voice.
I was 9 years old when this huge hit came out and myself and everyone else think about what humankind had already done to its people and the earth itself!
This was the song and my husband I took to our hearts.
I remember being 7 yo when this song came out. When I heard this song I would ask for the station to be changed or the volume to be turned down. At that age, it literally scared me because of the future regarding death and dying (being the future year 2525 didn't matter to me at all in 1969)
Great matching this song with the movie „Metropolis“. A movie really ahead of its time! Cheers
I've first heard this song in 1969...flying on a TWA from San Francisco to Hawaii...great song ...but never saw a video...official or otherwise til now.BRILLIANT!...to put together this song and footage of the great movie classic of the 1920's...Metropolis...Sheer Genius!...
I remember this as a kid. It was weird. I was thinking how far away that is. So weird.
Music has been such a wonder for the past 60 years! I could spend ALL my time reviewing all the music I have lived all these years!
When I saw the movie "Walli" and the humans were on the spaceship in chairs because they had no muscle mass and the computer did everything for them, I thought of this song and the verse about "In the year 5555, your arms are hanging limp at your side, your legs have nothing to do, some machine's doing that for you".
Yes exactly
Same here
These clips are from the movie "Metropolis", watch it some time if you dare. And while you're at it, try the movie "1984" (from 1956 is the best)
I was in grade 5 when this came out. It was very popular, and played on the radio as much as Get Back from the Beatles and CCR’s Rollin on the River!
Evans passed in 2018 and Zager is well know for his custom Guitars
Great reaction, it can be a little more comforting to know you're not alone in your scaredness .
Love this song for years. Saw a joke on internet tge other day. Man at register, cashier says 25.25. He responded.."if man is still alive." Hahahaha (cashier had no clue)
I was 12 and just enjoyed the beat when this came out. Now this song, like many others, carry’s so much more meaning.
I am sure they were thinking it was so far off in future it kind reminds me of thinking in the 80s with prince singing party like its 1999 was as far off as we thought lol
Scary ??????????? You bet !!!!!!!! Love how they used film clips from the past in order to show us the future !! Brilliant !!!!!!!!!!
Don’t know about Evans, but I think Zager is still around. My brother in law was learning to play guitar by a method created by Zager.
We loved this song as kids, it was science fiction in a song!
Science fiction often turns into science fact. ☮️🌻❤️👵🏼
I loved this but recall vividly that it scared the bejesus out of me! Hi Harri, looking cool.
I love this tune! Great choice Craig! This is so profound and so true to life. These dudes can write great music, and this track proves it. They have other tracks in their catalog that are just as great.
In was 23 years old in 1969 and a year out of the Navy. It was interesting to hear. It was something new compared to what was 'normal' at that time. It has a lot of the same feeling and sound as music from the Musical "Hair" (Which I saw done live at the Moore Theater in Seattle) it added some 'shock' value to music which seemed to be something at the time.
Yeah, I don't remember any other songs by them, I do remember listening to this song though, I was only 8 years old, it gave me a grim feeling, I wondered how much of it would come to pass in my life time. Well, I don't have to wonder anymore. I think when it comes to the part of the song "Man has taken all this poor earth can give, and ain't never give nothin' back", refers to all the natural resources. There were concerns even back then about what was happening to our planet. This really was a great reaction video, Harry, thanks!
Never saw the video before but heard the song on the radio all the time as a young teen and it never scared me.
Mr. Zager is alive and kicking as a matter of fact he is one of the greatest guitar maker of our time. His guitar is considered by professional musicians as one of the best guitar in the market. His guitar is rated in top 5% of guitar manufacturers in the market today better than the Martins and Taylors in the same class categories. Go check his guitars you gonna love the quality and it is handmade with the highest quality parts.
This video is so creepy but the song is so chilling. My favorite line is "He's taken everything this old Earth can give & he ain't put back nothing". Man takes & takes. When I was a kid, we used to swim in the Detroit River & at Metro Beach off Lake St. Clair, in Michigan. All the car factories dumped their waste in the river. When the fish started floating, no more swimming. Metro Beach has been closed on & off for years due to e coli. There's construction & destruction & war. You can walk down the streets of cities & see vacant, boarded up or burned out buildings. It's sickening. But I won't mention politics. Zager is still alive. Evans passed in 2018. I was a teen back then. Love the song, but it's scary, because everything is possible. Maybe if we are all scared, things will change. I doubt it, but I can hope. Love your reactions!! ☮
the video are clips from the 1927 film "Metropolis" yes it is a scify movie. film made it easy for scify to be seen not just read in books. scify was difficult to do on live stage. but the newly invention of the moving pictures. ah, now there was a medium to showcase scify. even tho it was a "silent movie." to this day it's still a classic among scify fans, and movie history students. one would classify it as a Triple A movie of its day.
Thanks - was thinking the images were just as disturbing as the song.
I've always loved this song and I was young when it came out, and believe me, people did not treat it as a fairy tale. During that time period people, especially young people, were very intense about their feelings and fears for the future. I am happy though that you see a lot of things positively and feel hopeful about human beings.
I really enjoy your feedback; it has substance and great analysis. Great job
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Evans died in 2018 but Zager owns and operates a shop called Zager Guitars in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Great combination of sound and vision, so thought provoking and good to hear once in a while. I wonder how far into the future people will be listening to this and, given the way things turn out, how they would react to hearing it. Thanks Harry.
Hari. First off, I really enjoy your channel. I love your reactions, and you seem like such a wonderful guy. I remember loving this song when it came out. I was 8 years old, and I got the 45 of it. I played it all the time. It sort of scared me a bit but I loved the tune. And I agree with your assessment that while mankind has indeed pulled off some whoppers, we have also done tremendous good. And we are learning to do better, I hope. But, I would seriously love it if you would do some more Yes. There are some incredible track on some albums that most people seem to overlook. Such as Tormato. Or Union. Both of those albums, in my opinion are fantastic. Songs such as Don't Kill the Whales, Release Release, Future Times/Rejoice, Onward, and then on Union there is Take the Water to the Mountain, and Angkor Wat Lift Me Up, and I Could Have Waited Forever. Then there are some songs from the old days like A Venture, and And You and I, and Close to the Edge, and the whole album of Tales from Topographic Oceans.
Great song ,I was only a year old when this song came out.🇨🇦
I'm 62 I was in elementary school when this came out.... I was thinking on New Years Day that most of what we were expecting has not come true... think Jetsons, we throught by the time the 21st century came around we'd be in flying cars in the cities in the sky with personal robots.... sure we went from 45 vinyl, to 8 track, to CD, to streaming, our TVs are better..... we have phones that fit in our pockets and digital cameras..... but since that song was written, life is pretty much the same... we had AC, movies, cars, motorcycles, jet airliners, and we put a man on the moon.... the one thing that really has made life easier that we had NOTHING like, was a GPS .... of course the government had it since 78 but we didn't get it until 20 years ago... however the PREVIOUS 60 years, those folks saw the world change.....
62 here also. My grandmother was born in 1905, and one day my uncle, who was born when my grandmother was 43, was making fun of her for being muddled in her thinking. Grandma told him that if he'd gone from the horse and buggy to seeing man on the moon like she had, he'd be muddled too. Right on, Grandma!!!😂
I remember this song and The Age of Aquarius were played a lot then … it has stuck in my head … and still makes me wonder
The song's full title is "In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)" The group consisted of Denny Zager, who was born February 14, 1944 in Wymore, Nebraska and Rick Evans, who was born January 20, 1943 in Lincoln, Nebraska and died in February 2018 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Zager now builds custom guitars at Zager Guitars in Lincoln, Nebraska)
This is my favorite song of all time...and it's 54 years old...from the Summer of '69.
I was 16 then. It was scary, so many songs (if not outright "love" songs) dealt with scary stuff. I thought things would happen faster than the song predicted (but I'd also been reading)
Harry
When they stated man has taken everything from the earth but
put nothing back. They are referring to we have striped the earth
of all its resources but put nothing back into mother earth
I remember this when it first came out I was only a young girl my older cousin had it and used to play it with the other classic records from the 60s
Here's an interesting fact, this song was #1 on the Billboard hot 100 singles chart during the Apollo 11 moon landing. This song made me think of the 1968 movie, "2001: A Space Odyssey" dealing with the same themes as this song, such as, existentialism, human evolution, technology, and artificial intelligence.
Once upon a time, there were several species of humanoids living together. We are the only humiods left.
Love this one too ❤. Love your reaction. Thx for sharing ♥
Ten Years After, Year 3000 Blues is very prophetic as well, 1970.
Thankyou for the memories...lol
In addition to “Eve of destruction” you should also listen to “Universal Soldier” ( the Buffy Saint Marie ) version. She is Native American and she was a giant star.
Thanks for taking me back to high school days!
A old Classic!! Very nice!
One of the amazing things about In the Year 2525 is not just that the song, which came out on RCA in 1969, was way ahead of its time, but that Rick Evans actually wrote it way back in 1964!
BLOODY HELL ?
Loved that use to play it over and over,
Crazy predictions!!! Rite.... been listening since I was 6😲✌🥰
I was a small child when this came out and it scared the hell out of me. Then in 1980 Hazel O'Connor released Eighth Day and scared me again with a similar prediction of doom.
Zager and Evans! Were way ahead of there time, geniuses.❤
My boyfriend of 13 years truly believes humans are going to end up in a " judged by God" situation. It's a scary thought. What a Great Song!
I had this on a 45 when I was around 10, always loved it.
Friggin GREAT song! Haven’t heard it in a long time. Thanks
Oh wow. I was wondering just yesterday when someone would react to this song!
I remember this song when it was a hit and it had a profound effect on my thinking. I'm an old woman now and so sad to say that much of what they foresaw either has come to pass or will do soon.
This was a number one pop song, played constantly on AM Top 40 Radio. It was number one for six weeks!!
i remember listening to this song when the first moon landing happened ... it really seemed so prophetic that it coinsided with that leap in technology
I heard this song in an A&W 12 or 13 years ago. A cover of this song was used in the TV show Cleopatra 2525.
Check out H. G. Wells' "Time Machine" (1895) which explored much of this topic. His story was also retconned several times in dubious much more recent films.
Also reminded me of A Brave New World published in 1932.