MASTERS OF WAR song analysis

MASTERS OF WAR by BOB DYLAN

“Masters of War” is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan. It was written in 1963 during the Vietnam War. When Dylan performed it for the first at Newport, it was seen as a great shock to the American people as at that time it was not seen as right to criticize the government especially in a time of war.

This political song was written to criticize the American government for sending teenagers off to war in Vietnam. Dylan also speaks about the cowardness, corruption and disgracefulness of the American government who sent these youths to war, of which many were killed. Dylan feels that these leaders deserve to die and he would want to make certain of their deaths.

Even though “Masters of War” was written about the Vietnam War it is relevant to all the wars that are going on and thus has universal appeal. Dylan thus performed “Masters of War” again in 1991 at a Grammy ceremony which was during the Gulf War. ...