Masters of War

Rock has always had a history of venting the frustration of the masses to the government. With that said one of ,if not the, original voices of the people is without a doubt Bob Dylan. Dylan started his musical career after dropping out of college and moving to New York. Dylan has won many awards and is often depicted as a reluctant figurehead of the counter culture movement. Dylan performs with guitar, piano and harmonica; has been back up by many different musicians over the years including The Band, Blur, Prince, L.L. Cool J and The Streets. His Musical and Lyrical prowess is nigh unparalleled and even his toughest critics have to admit that his songs have enough poetical content to rival that of Robert Frost, Lord Byron, and Shakespeare.

Bob Dylan's Masters of War off The FreeWheelin' Bob Dylan is a perfect example of just how well Dylan can use poetical devises. Alteration is strung though out the song in lines like "build the big bombs" and "Unborn and unnamed". The song like all Dylan songs has quite a few metaphors like "You fasten the triggers - For the others to fire". Dylan also pulls off one of the hardest poetical devises in the English language a paradox in the line "You that never done nothin' -But build to destroy". Despite all of this fancy pen work however, Dylan's most effective tool is none other than humble imagery. This is best portrayed in the verse
"But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud"

Just looking at the poetic side of the song can make one forget the song's message and point of view and while Dylan may show off on occasion his over all goal is to raise the issue at hand. In this particular song Dylan is just singing from his own point of view on the Cold War not the Vietnam War. While this may come as a surprise this song was written and released in 1963 while troops did not actually land in Vietnam until 1965.

Masters Of War

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

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 one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead