Social Justice Song Lyrics

With God on Our Side
by Bob Dylan

Oh my name it means nothin'
My age it means less
For the country I come from
is called the Midwest
I was taught and brought up too
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
and the Indians fell
The cavalries charged
and 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 closed out its fate
The reason for fighting
I never got straight
But I learned to accept it
accept it with pride
for you don't count the dead
when God's on your side.

When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And 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 Russians
all through my whole life.
If another war starts
it's them we must fight.
And 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 the 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.

In 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:
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.

Written by Bob Dylan
©1964 M. Whitmark & Sons
renewed 1991 Special Rider Music
(ASCAP) All rights reserved.