Released: May 27, 1963
Songwriter: Bob Dylan
Producer: John Hammond Tom Wilson (producer)
[Verse 1]
Come, you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
[Verse 2]
You that never done nothing
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
[Verse 3]
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
[Verse 4]
You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
While the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
While the young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
[Verse 5]
You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins
[Verse 6]
How much do I know
To talk out of turn?
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
[Verse 7]
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness?
Do you think that it could?
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
[Verse 8]
And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I will follow your casket
By the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead
Come, you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
[Verse 2]
You that never done nothing
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
[Verse 3]
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
[Verse 4]
You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
While the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
While the young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
[Verse 5]
You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins
[Verse 6]
How much do I know
To talk out of turn?
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
[Verse 7]
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness?
Do you think that it could?
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
[Verse 8]
And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I will follow your casket
By the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead
Biograph
- Forever Young (Demo)
- Romance in Durango
- Million Dollar Bash
- You Angel You
- On a Night Like This
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
- I Shall Be Released
- Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
- Time Passes Slowly
- If Not for You
- Lay Lady Lay
- Positively 4th Street
- Isis
- Solid Rock
- I Wanna Be Your Lover
- Baby, I’m in the Mood for You
- Up to Me
- Caribbean Wind
- Jet Pilot
- Mixed-Up Confusion
- Percy’s Song
- I’ll Keep It with Mine
- The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar
- Heart of Mine
- Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
- Lay Down Your Weary Tune
- Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)
- Tangled Up in Blue
- Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
- Visions of Johanna
- All Along the Watchtower
- You’re a Big Girl Now
- Blowin’ in the Wind
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
- Mr. Tambourine Man
- Masters of War
- The Times They Are A-Changin’
- Tombstone Blues
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Gotta Serve Somebody
- I Believe in You
- Abandoned Love
- I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
- Dear Landlord
- It Ain’t Me Babe
- To Ramona
- The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
- Every Grain of Sand
- Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)
- Just Like a Woman
- I Want You
- I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
- Subterranean Homesick Blues
- Murder Most Foul
- Blowin’ in the Wind
- The Times They Are A-Changin’
- All Along the Watchtower
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Make You Feel My Love
- Hurricane
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
- Mr. Tambourine Man
- A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
- Subterranean Homesick Blues
- Desolation Row
- Tangled Up in Blue
- Masters of War
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
- It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
- Girl from the North Country
- Tempest
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
- Ballad of a Thin Man
- Visions of Johanna
- I Contain Multitudes
- To Fall in Love with You
- Shelter from the Storm