With God on Our Side
Bob Dylan
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Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not I," says the referee, "Don't point your finger at me. I could've stopped it in the eighth An' maybe kept him from his fate, But the crowd would've booed, I'm sure, At not gettin' their money's worth. It's too bad he had to go, But there was a pressure on me too, you know. It wasn't me that made him fall. No, you can't blame me at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not us," says the angry crowd, Whose screams filled the arena loud. "It's too bad he died that night But we just like to see a fight. We didn't mean for him t' meet his death, We just meant to see some sweat, There ain't nothing wrong in that. It wasn't us that made him fall. No, you can't blame us at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not me," says his manager, Puffing on a big cigar. "It's hard to say, it's hard to tell, I always thought that he was well. It's too bad for his wife an' kids he's dead, But if he was sick, he should've said. It wasn't me that made him fall. No, you can't blame me at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not me," says the gambling man, With his ticket stub still in his hand. "It wasn't me that knocked him down, My hands never touched him none. I didn't commit no ugly sin, Anyway, I put money on him to win. It wasn't me that made him fall. No, you can't blame me at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not me," says the boxing writer, Pounding print on his old typewriter, Sayin', "Boxing ain't to blame, There's just as much danger in a football game." Sayin', "Fist fighting is here to stay, It's just the old American way. It wasn't me that made him fall. No, you can't blame me at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not me," says the man whose fists Laid him low in a cloud of mist, Who came here from Cuba's door Where boxing ain't allowed no more. "I hit him, yes, it's true, But that's what I am paid to do. Don't say 'murder,' don't say 'kill.' It was destiny, it was God's will." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for?
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Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
8 facts about this song
Release Date & Album"With God On Our Side" is a track from Bob Dylan's third album, "The Times They Are A-Changin'," which was released in 1964.
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GenreThe genre of the song is folk, which is a hallmark of Dylan's early career. It's recognized for its powerful and deeply introspective lyrics.
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Lyrics ThemeThe lyrics of "With God on Our Side" comment on the philosophy that justifies war by placing God on one side, highlighting the questionable morality of such belief. Dylan walks through various historical events, including World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.
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Live PerformancesA 10-minute live version of the song was recorded in 1988 during the Never Ending Tour and was included in Dylan's album "The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration".
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Covert ReferencesThe song refers to various military engagements in American history, but Dylan never specifically mentions Vietnam, although the conflict was escalating at the time the song was written and released.
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ControversySome critics compared the tune of "With God on Our Side" with an earlier folk song, "The Patriot Game" by Dominic Behan. Dylan was accused of 'borrowing' the melody from Behan's song.
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Political ImpactThis song is considered one of Dylan's most poignant and powerful political statements, it drove the folk music's turn into 'protest music' during the civil rights movement and the escalating Vietnam War.
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CollaborationsIn 2003, Dylan played a duet version of the song with Joan Baez during his performance at The Newport Folk Festival, focusing on the civil rights and anti-war themes.
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Citation
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"With God on Our Side Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/23201124/Bob+Dylan/With+God+on+Our+Side>.
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