With God on Our Side
With God on Our Side

Bob Dylan - With God on Our Side Lyrics

7
With God on Our Side Music Video

With God on Our Side Lyrics

Oh my name it ain't nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I was taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side

Oh, the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh, the country was young
With God on its side

The Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War, too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I was made to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side

The First World War, boys
It came and it went
The reason for fighting
I never did get
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side

The Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And then we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now, too
Have God on their side

I've learned to hate the Russians
All through my whole life
If another war comes
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side

But now we got weapons
Of chemical dust
If fire them, we're forced to
Then fire, them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side

Through many a dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ was
Betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
That if God's on our side
He'll stop the next war

Writer(s): Bob Dylan
Copyright(s): Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When was 'With God on Our Side' by Bob Dylan first released?

    'With God on Our Side' was first released as the third track on Bob Dylan's 1964 album 'The Times They Are A-Changin'.'

  2. What historical events are mentioned in the song 'With God on Our Side'?

    The song mentions several historical events, including the slaughter of Native Americans, the Spanish-American War, the American Civil War, World Wars I and II, The Holocaust, and the Cold War.

  3. Did Bob Dylan perform 'With God on Our Side' with anyone else?

    Yes, Bob Dylan performed 'With God on Our Side' as a duet with Joan Baez at the Newport Folk Festival in July 1963 and July 1964. Their July 27, 1963 performance was released on Newport Broadside: Topical Songs at the Newport Folk Festival 1963.

  4. What is the origin of the melody for 'With God on Our Side'?

    The melody of 'With God on Our Side' is essentially identical to the traditional Irish folk song 'The Merry Month of May,' which was also used by Dominic Behan in his song 'The Patriot Game.'

  5. Has 'With God on Our Side' been performed live with additional verses?

    Yes, Dylan added an additional verse about the Vietnam War for live versions in the 1980s. A rare performance with extra lyrics was recorded on November 4, 1975, and included in the box set The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings.

  6. Were any verses omitted in later performances of 'With God on Our Side'?

    Yes, in Dylan's performance of the song on the album 'Bob Dylan Unplugged,' released in 1995, verses about the Germans and the Holocaust, and the Russians and the Cold War were significantly omitted.

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