With God On Our Side

Manfred Mann

Words and Music by Bob Dylan



-From their LP "The Best Of Manfred Mann"



My name it is nothing, my age it means less

The country I come from is a part of the Free West

I was taught and brought up there its laws to abide

And that the 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

For the country was young with God on its side



Oh the first World War, it came and it went

The reason for fighting I never could get

But I learned to accept it, accept it with pride

For you don't count the dead when God's on your side



And then the second World War, it came to an end

We forgave the Germans and now we are friends

Though they murdered six million, in the ovens they fried

The Germans now, too, have God on their side



But now we have weapons of chemical dust

And if fire them we're forced to, why then fire them we must

One push of the button and a shot the worldwide

And you never ask questions when God's on your side



'tho many a long hour I've thought on this

That Jesus Christ was betrayed by a kiss

But I can't think for you, you will have to decide

Whether Judas Iscariot had God on his side



And now as I leave you, I'm weary as hell

The confusion I'm feelin', there ain't no tongue can tell

The words fill my head and drop to the floor

That if God's on our side, he'll stop the next war.



Transcribed by Ronald E. Hontz

ronhontz@worldnet.att.net