Pearl Jam On The Late Show w/ Letterman

Pearl Jam performs Masters Of War live on the late show with David Letterman. Eddie Vedder and company give a chilling rendition of the Bob Dylan Classic.

Lyrics:


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

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

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  Music

[PetMyPeeve]

I think Bob Dylan would tell you that it shows how little has changed in the 50 years since he wrote it.

[Jamie Sly]

This song will always be relevant.

[Jamie Sly]

Don't know what I was thinking...with genius like this we should all be just fine...

[MrEmitremmus]

yeah cause you're being complacent. faggot.

[Daniel Pfost]

Irrelevant. Your boy has been in there for 5 years and we're STILL there. And no, they aren't done, no matter how many times President Black Jesus says they are...

[Brendan Sheeran]

amazing version.... and yes very little has changed since the song was written.

[randall2020]

Eisenhower's farewell speech on "the military-industrial complex" originally was "the military-industrial-congressio­nal" complex, but his advisers got him to drop the last part.

[randall2020]

Tea Party idiot. Obama didn't start the useless wars, that was GW Bush, Dick Cheney, the neo-cons, and Rethuglicans in general. You guys are such hypocritical assholes.

[Erick Miertschink]

it's ironic and it's tragic that it's still so very relevant.

[charlie s]

Eddie Vedder sings this song with so much passion. Ironically Dylan wrote this before Eddie Vedder was born. This is my second favorite version (behind Dylan).

[RicAdbur]

Let's hope you're wrong, and one day there will be a world where it will no longer be necessary.

[louis patenaude]

Of course the big boys at Columbia took the original  out of You Tube.