God Bless [the World... Including] America

Is God on America's Side ?

Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's 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.

Oh the Spanish-American * War had its day
And the Civil War too * Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes * I's made to memorize
With guns in their hands * And God on their side.

Oh 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
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 a many 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.

Words and Music by Bob Dylan 1963 (renewed in 1991) - Original Title: "With God on Our Side" - Warner Bros. Inc - Special Rider Music
(Picture by "Príncep d'Astúries de les Arts")