said the old man to the young
I’m sorry but what’s done is done
ours is not to reason why
ours is but to do and die

said the young man to the old
your heart is black, your soul is sold
on the axis of a we’ll burn
on the spit of hell the world it turns

just like my father before me
hear the call to cross the sea
blood must on the river run
and freedom ride with the roaring gun

I’ve left the path that I must chose
there is no battle to win or lose
I’ll sing for peace forevermore
it’s my six strings against the war

these songs that I don’t understand
if you’re not a soldier, you’re not a man
harken to the bugle’s call
push on ‘til the enemy falls

I listen to another voice
the call of conscience is my choice
my heart is true, my faith won’t fail
rather than fight, I’ll go to jail

can you hear me? can you hear me?
can you hear me through these prison walls?
0 father, father, father can you hear my call?
I love you most of all right now
I want to feel your grace somehow,
but I turn around, I turn around
I turn around and you are gone...

how many wars have I seen?
but father I still dream the dream
it was years ago you passed away
I wish we’d made our peace that day

now I’m turning fifty-three
god bless us and our liberty
but I stand where I have stood before
it’s still six strings against the war

can you hear me? can you hear me?
can you hear me through these prison walls?
o father, father, father can you hear my call?
I love you most of all right now
I want to feel your grace somehow
but I stand where I have stood before
it’s still six strings against the war