With God On Our Side
Manfred Mann
Words and Music by Bob Dylan
-From their LP "The Best Of Manfred Mann"
My name it is nothing, my age it means less
The country I come from is a part of the Free West
I was taught and brought up there its laws to abide
And that the 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
For the country was young with God on its side
Oh the first World War, it came and it went
The reason for fighting I never could get
But I learned to accept it, accept it with pride
For you donÔÇÖt count the dead when GodÔÇÖs on your side
And then the second World War, it came to an end
We forgave the Germans and now we are friends
Though they murdered six million, in the ovens they fried
The Germans now, too, have God on their side
But now we have weapons of chemical dust
And if fire them weÔÇÖre forced to, why then fire them we must
One push of the button and a shot the worldwide
And you never ask questions when GodÔÇÖs on your side
ÔÇÿtho many a long hour IÔÇÖve thought on this
That Jesus Christ was betrayed by a kiss
But I canÔÇÖt think for you, you willhave to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot had God on his side
And now as I leave you, IÔÇÖm weary as hell
The confusion IÔÇÖm feelinÔÇÖ, there ainÔÇÖt no tongue can tell
The words fill my head and drop to the floor
That if GodÔÇÖs on our side, heÔÇÖll stop the next war.
Transcribed by Ronald E. Hontz
ronhontz@worldnet.att.net
