by Bob Dylan



To preach of peace and brotherhood,

Oh, what might be the cost!

A man he did it long ago

And they hung him on a cross.

Long ago, far away;

These things don't happen

No more, nowadays.



The chains of slaves

They dragged the ground

With heads and hearts hung low.

But it was during Lincoln's time

And it was long ago.

Long ago, far away;

Things like that don't happen

No more, nowadays.



The war guns they went off wild,

The whole world bled its blood.

Men's bodies floated on the edge

Of oceans made of mud.

Long ago, far away;

Those kind of things don't happen

No more, nowadays.



One man had much money,

One man had not enough to eat,

One man lived just like a king,

The other man begged on the street.

Long ago, far away;

These things don't happen

No more, nowadays.



One man died of a knife so sharp,

One man died from the bullet of a gun,

One man died of a broken heart

To see the lynchin' of his son.

Long ago, far away;

Things like that don't happen

No more, nowadays.



Gladiators killed themselves,

It was during the Roman times.

People cheered with bloodshot grins

As eye and minds went blind.

Long ago, far away;

Things like that don't happen

No more, nowadays.



And to talk of peace and brotherhood,

Oh, what might be the cost!

A man he did it long ago

And they hung him on a cross.

Long ago, far away;

Things like that don't happen

No more, nowadays, do they