Date: 10/26/96

Subject of the Post: Meaning

Somebody else wrote:

Masters of War. Its a reductionistic sloganeering song. Again, I don't dislike it, but about all it says is "war is bad." Bob wrote it when he was, what, 22? The song (like all art that prostrates itself to ideology) ignores all complexities. It doesn't grapple with evil and what an appropriate response is. You'd think after Bob's Christian and (perphaps) Judaistic phases - not to mention 30 yrs of growth- his own thinking on the subject would be more nuanced. These are precisely > the kind of utopian ballads he himself kissed off (cf. Back Pages/ Baby Blue) in 64-65. Please don't misunderstand me. In no way am I a blind militarist. I rarely approve of US foriegn policy. I just expect more from a thinker/writer of Bob's stature. I like "Masters of War," but more for Bob's tone and poetic skill in the song than for any cogent argumentation.

I think you got it wrong. "Masters of War" is an expression of pure rage. The song doesn't even ATTEMPT to argue one way or the other about the evils of war. In fact, nowhere in the song does it even hint that war per se is bad. The rage is directed at those who would try to remain cleanly out of the fight and who would supply the means for others to wage war. The singer is consumed by hatred against the individuals, the corporate war profiteers, and wishes nothing less than to spit on their graves. It's truly a chilling song.

Like most of Dylan's early "protest" songs, there is more depth here than many people realize.

Date: 11/27/96

Subject of the Post: Jesus would never forgive what you do

somebody wrote:

I'm not too crazy about this song; the apparent feelings of hatred in it have always bothered me. However, I was pleased to note that he didn't sing the verse about Jesus never forgiving what these people do. Wondered if he did it on purpose or not.

Matthew Zuckerman wrote:

Ever since his conversion to Christianity, Bob has avoided this verse. Certain verses get dropped from many of his songs, often different ones from night to night, but this verse has never appeared in concert in the 1980s and 90s.

By the way, an excellent review of the concert. I enjoyed it very much.

Matthew

_________________________________ Matthew Zuckerman

HEY HEY HEY it's much simpler than all that!!!

he's been leaving out TWO verses:

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 ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's a-one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

WHY? - first one above: he has kids now! duh. second one above: he aint younger than them anymore! he aint unlearned anymore, either!

if you want to cut verses out in the first place, because of any number of reasons, then you cut these.

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page