John Brown
Bob Dylan
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John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore His mama sure was proud of him He stood straight and tall in his uniform and all His mama's face broke out all in a grin "Oh son, you look so fine, I'm glad you're a son of mine You make me proud to know you hold a gun Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get And we'll put them on the wall when you come home" As that old train pulled out, John's ma began to shout Tellin' ev'ryone in the neighborhood "That's my son that's about to go, he's a soldier now, you know" She made well sure her neighbors understood She got a letter once in a while and her face broke into a smile As she showed them to the people from next door And she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun And these things you called a good old-fashioned war Oh, good old-fashioned war! Then the letters ceased to come, for a long time they did not come They ceased to come for about ten months or more Then a letter finally came saying, "Go down and meet the train Your son's a-coming home from the war" She smiled and went right down, she looked everywhere around But she could not see her soldier son in sight But as all the people passed, she saw her son at last When she did she could hardly believe her eyes Oh his face was all shot up and his hand was all blown off And he wore a metal brace around his waist He whispered kind of slow, in a voice she did not know While she couldn't even recognize his face! Oh, lord, not even recognize his face! "Oh tell me, my darling son, pray tell me what they done How is it you come to be this way?" He tried his best to talk but his mouth could hardly move And the mother had to turn her face away "Don't you remember, ma, when I went off to war You thought it was the best thing I could do? I was on the battleground, you were home acting proud You wasn't there standing in my shoes" "Oh, and I thought when I was there, God, what am I doing here? I'm a-tryin' to kill somebody or die tryin' But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close And I saw that his face looked just like mine" Oh, lord, just like mine! "And I couldn't help but think, through the thunder rolling and stink That I was just a puppet in a play And through the roar and smoke, this string is finally broke And a cannonball blew my eyes away" As he turned away to walk, his ma was still in shock At seein' the metal brace that helped him stand But as he turned to go, he called his mother close And he dropped his medals down into her hand
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Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Background Information"John Brown" is a song by Bob Dylan, which was first performed in 1962. It tells the story of a young man who joins the army and returns from war terribly disfigured, pointing out the gruesome realities of war.
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Composition and LyricsThe song is characterized by its powerful anti-war lyrics. The song describes John Brown's mother sending him off to war with phenomenal pride, but when he returns, his face is "all shot up and his hand was all gone."
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Unreleased OriginalThe song was originally recorded in 1962 during the sessions for "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" but was not included in the album and remained unpublished until the 1990s.
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Song InspirationSome scholars believe that the title character of the song may be inspired by the 19th-century American abolitionist John Brown, who used violent actions to fight against slavery.
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Live PerformanceThe first well-documented performance of "John Brown" was at the Broadside Show in New York City's Town hall on May 12, 1962.
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Notable CoversThe song has been covered by various artists throughout the years, including Eddie Vedder and Natalie Maines.
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Album AppearanceIt was eventually officially released in Dylan's 1994 MTV Unplugged concert.
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Distinctive PresentationUnlike many of Dylan's early protest songs, "John Brown" is neither topical nor based on an existing folk song.
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Symbolic ConnotationThe song is commonly used as a symbol against the glorification of war and the military.
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Pop CultureThe song was included in a season two episode of the TV show "Mad Men," wherein its lyrics powerfully underscore the show's themes of disillusionment and faded idealism.
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Unique FeatureThe song begins with a sober melody performed on a banjo, which Dylan rarely used in his music.
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AwardsAlthough the song hasn't won any awards, Bob Dylan is a Nobel laureate, his award in Literature attests to the power of his songwriting.
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Critical AcclaimCritics often praised "John Brown" for its harsh but realistic portrayal of war's impact, showing a side often hidden behind heroism and honor.
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Citation
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"John Brown Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/31184059/Bob+Dylan/John+Brown>.
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