Masters Of War

Words and music by Bob Dylan, arranged by Roger

This is a cover version of a song from the "The Freewheeling Bob Dylan" album. Dylan's song bounces along in a poppy sort of way, whereas Roger has made the song sound really dark and evil, which is much more like it should be. There is a live version on Dylan's "Real Live" album which is electric and is even more rocky. All the versions seem to have different verses, and one of Rog's verses (the one about "fear to bring children into the world") isn't in either of the Dylan versions I've mentioned here. Whether he added it himself or whether there are more Dylan versions I don't know

Click here for chords

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

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

You fasten all the triggers

For the others to fire

Then you sit 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 into the mud

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're not worth the blood that runs in your veins

And I hope that you die

And your death will come soon

I'll follow your casket

On a pale afternoon

And I'll watch while you're lowered

Down to your deathbed

I'll stand over your grave

Till I'm sure that you're dead