With God On Our Side lyrics

Song information

Artist: Bob Dylan
Album: The Times They Are A-Changin'

Lyrics

With god on our side (bob dylan, 1963)
Rendition by o.v. michaelsen (ove ofteness)

Adapted from dominic behan's "the patriot game," predated by "the nightingale"
(An appalachian song). dominic was a brother of brian and playwright brendan behan

Never mind what my name is, my age, it means less
The land that I come from is the free, open west
Was taught and brought up there, the laws to abide
And the country 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, they fell
The cavalries charged, the indians, they died
When the country was young and new, with god on its side

Well, the spanish-american war had its day
And the civil war, too, was soon laid away
And the name of each hero, I was made to memorize
With a gun in his hand and god on his side

Oh, the first world war, boys, it closed out its fate
Though the reason for fighting, I never got straight
But I learned to accept it, and accept it with pride
For you never ask questions when god's on your side

Spoken line: when the second world war finally came to an end
We'd forgiven the germans, and then we were friends
Though they crucified millions, and it can't be denied
Well, the germans, now too, have god on their side

In a many dark hour, well, i've thought about this:
That jesus, the christ, was betrayed by a kiss
Oh, but I can't think for ya, you'll have to decide
Whether judas iscariot had god on his side

And so now as I'm leavin', I'm weary as hell
The amazement I'm feelin', mere words could not tell
How long will it take till you believers will see
If a god is on our side, he'll prevent world war three?

[from http://lyrics.doheth.co.uk]

"The Times They Are A-Changin'" album track list