June 12: Bob Dylan – Masters Of War, Portland, Oregon 1999 (Video)

bob dylan 1999

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

Great sound & good video…  GREAT version.

Rose Garden Arena
Portland, Oregon
12 June 1999

Musicians:

  • Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
  • Charlie Sexton (guitar)
  • Larry Campbell (guitar, mandolin, pedal steel guitar & electric slide guitar
  • Tony Garnier (bass)
  • David Kemper (drums & percussion)

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

Check out:

-Egil

6 thoughts on “June 12: Bob Dylan – Masters Of War, Portland, Oregon 1999 (Video)”

  1. really good version bobs voice was in pretty good shape around this time compared to what it was around 1991-1993

  2. I really like this version…
    I recall a concert in Vredenburg Utrecht somewhere in the nineties.
    He was not very inspired I think…most of the time he had been singing with
    his head bowed down…
    And then something happened….the room lights came on….he stood up straight and sang Masters of War with tremendous power…spitting out the words ….looking straight at the audience…it gave me goosebumps….
    I will never forget it…

    If there is any material of this ‘out there’ I would love to see/hear it here !

  3. Fantastic version, great guitar work, builds beautifully – I thought I’d listened to this song too many times to listen to the whole thing again, but I was wrong. Just the best, thanks guys!

    1. Thanks Mike,

      This is indeed a great version.. there is so much fantastic Dylan live material “out there”.. our job is to make people aware of .. at least some of it.
      -Egil

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