Bob Dylan - "Masters of War"

     With all these wars going on in the Middle East, it reminded me of a song by the great songwriter Bob Dylan called "Masters of War". This song was released in 1963. Even though this song was wrote about the Cold War, I think it still applies today.  The lyrical genius of this song transcends time with a story that is still true.

     “Masters of War” is one of many protest songs made in the 60’s and 70’s.  In the beginning, the song talks about people who build big bombs, guns, and planes.  When this song was written, it was intended to be about the Russians.  Now, these same Lyrics apply to the Muslim extremists in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Lebanon. 

     In lines 25-32, the song accuses “you” of making other people go out and die while “you” just sit back and watch from “your” mansion.  To me, actually sounds a lot like Osama Bin Laden and his cohorts.  He squirreled himself away in his little compound for years.  Just as the Russians “fastened the triggers for others to fire”, Bin Laden convinced innocent men to strap bombs on their chests to go out and blow up innocent people.

     In the last lines of “Masters of War”, Bob Dylan condems “you” to die.  This is a lot like the US government going out and condemning and killing Osama Bin Laden.  These are just a few of the ways Bob Dylan’s song “Masters of War” is still applicable to our world today.