(Words and Music by Joan Baez)
It's walking to the battleground that always makes me cry
I've met so few folks in my time who weren't afraid to die
But dawn bleeds with the people here and morning skies are red
As young girls load up bicycles with flowers for the dead
An aging woman picks along the craters and the rubble
A piece of cloth, a bit of shoe, a whole lifetime of trouble
A sobbing chant comes from her throat and splits the morning air
The single son she had last night is buried under her
They say that the war is done
Where are you now, my son?
An old man with unsteady gait and beard of ancient white
Bent to the ground with arms outstretched faltering in his plight
I took his hand to steady him, he stood and did not turn
But smiled and wept and bowed and mumbled softly, Danke shoen
The children on the roadsides of the villages and towns
Would stand around us laughing as we stood like giant clowns
The mourning bands told whom they'd lost by last night's phantom messenger
And they spoke their only words in English, Johnson, Nixon, Kissinger
Now that the war's being won
Where are you now, my son?
The siren gives a running break to those who live in town
Take the children and the blankets to the concrete underground
Sometimes we'd sing and joke and paint bright pictures on the wall
And wonder if we would die well and if we'd loved at all
The helmetless defiant ones sit on the curb and stare
At tracers flashing through the sky and planes bursting in air
But way out in the villages no warning comes before a blast
That means a sleeping child will never make it to the door
The days of our youth were fun
Where are you now, my son?
From the distant cabins in the sky where no man hears the sound
Of death on earth from his own bombs, six pilots were shot down
Next day six hulking bandaged men were dazzled by a room
Of newsmen. Sally keep the faith, let's hope this war ends soon
In a damaged prison camp where they no longer had command
They shook their heads, what irony, we thought peace was at hand
The preacher read a Christmas prayer and the men kneeled on the ground
Then sheepishly asked me to sing They Drove Old Dixie Down
Yours was the righteous gun
Where are you now, my son?
We gathered in the lobby celebrating Chrismas Eve
The French, the Poles, the Indians, Cubans and Vietnamese
The tiny tree our host had fixed sweetened familiar psalms
But the most sacred of Christmas prayers was shattered by the bombs
So back into the shelter where two lovely women rose
And with a brilliance and a fierceness and a gentleness which froze
The rest of us to silence as their voices soared with joy
Outshining every bomb that fell that night upon Hanoi
With bravery we have sun
But where are you now, my son?
Oh people of the shelters what a gift you've given me
To smile at me and quietly let me share your agony
And I can only bow in utter humbleness and ask
Forgiveness and forgiveness for the things we've brought to pass
The black pyjama'd culture that we tried to kill with pellet holes
And rows of tiny coffins we've paid for with our souls
Have built a spirit seldom seen in women and in men
And the white flower of Bac Mai will surely blossom once again
I've heard that the war is done
Then where are you now, my son?
© 1973 Chandos Music (Ascap)
Where Are You Now My Son
Joan Baez
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Lyrics by Joan Baez
'Nu Bello Cardillo (Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around (Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around 'nu Bello Cardillo A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall A Heartfelt Line Or Two A Mi Manera A Satisfied Mind A Song For David A Stranger in My Place A Swallow Song A Young Gypsy Adeste Fidelis [Instrumental] Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around All in Green Went My Love Riding All In Green Went My Love Riding (E. E. Cummings) All My Trails All My Trials All My Trials, Lord All the Pretty Little Horses All The Pretty Little Horses (Negro Lullaby) All The Weary Mothers Of The Earth Amazing Grace Amsterdam And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda Angeline Angels We Have Heard on High Angels We Have Heard on High [Instrumental] Annabel Lee Asimbonanga Astrapsen (The Sun Is Risen) At\u00c3\u00a9 Amanh\u00c3\u00a3 Até Amanhã Até Amanhã Autumn Leaves Ave Maria (Sung in German) Away In A Manger Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 -- Aria Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti, Pt. 1 Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti, Pt. 2 Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti, Pt. 3 Banks of the Ohio Barbara Allen Battle Hymn of the Republic Be Not Too Hard Before The Deluge Best of Friends Birmingham Sunday Black Is The Color Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair Blessed Are Blessed Are... Blowin' in the Wind Blowing in the wind Blue Sky Boots of Spanish Leather Boulder to Birmingham Boulder to Birmingham [Electric] Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella [Instrumental] Brothers in Arms Burgundian Carol Caleb Meyer Cambodia Cantique De Noel (O Holy Night) Careless Love Carrickfergus Carry It On Caruso Casida Of The Lament Catch the Wind Catch the Wind [#] Children And All That Jazz Children of Darkness Children Of The 80's China Christmas In Washington Coconuts Colours Colours (Live) Colours [Duet With Donovan] Comandante Che Guevara Come All Ye Fair Come All Ye Fair & Tender Maidens Come All Ye Fair and Tender Maidens Copper Kettle Copper Kettle (Live) Coventry Carol Crack In The Mirror Cry Me a River Cucurrucuc\u00c3\u00ba Paloma Cucurrucuc� Paloma Cucurrucucú Paloma Cucurrucucú Paloma Daddy, You Been on My Mind Danger Waters Dangling Conversation Day After Tomorrow De Colores Dear Landlord Deck the Halls Deck the Halls [Instrumental] Diamonds & Rust Diamonds And Rust Do Right Woman, Do Right Man Don't Blame My Mother Don't Cry For Me Argentina Don'T Think Twice Its Al Don't Think Twice Its Al (Live) Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Donna Donna Down In Yon Forest Down In Yon Forrest Drifter's Escape Drug Store Truck Drivin Man East Virginia Edge Of Glory El Preso Numero Nueve El Rossinyol Eleanor Rigby Elvis Presley Blues Engine 143 Esquinazo Del Guerrillero Famous Blue Raincoat Fare Thee Well Fare Thee Well (10,000 Miles) Farewell Angelina Farewell, Angelina February February (Live) Fennario Fennario [#] Fifteen Months Finlandia Fishing Fishing (Live) Flora the Lily of the West For All We Know For Sasha Forever Young Fountain Of Sorrow Free At Last Freight Train Gabriel And Me Gacela Of The Dark Death Geordie Geordie (Live) Georgie Ghetto Glad Bluebird Of Happiness Go 'Way From My Window Go 'way From My Window God Is God Good Christian Kings [#][Instrumental] Good King Wenceslas Good King Wenceslas [Instrumental] Gospel Ship Gospel Ship (Live) Gossamer Gracias A La Vida Green, Green Grass Of Home Guantanamera Gulf Winds Hand To Mouth Happy Birthday, Leonid Brezhnev Heaven Help Us All Hello In There Help Me Make It Through The Night Henry Martin Henry Russell's Last Words Here's to You Here's To You Hickory Wind Hickory Wind (Extended Version) Honest Lullaby House Carpenter House Carpenter (Live) House Of The Rising Sun Hush Little Baby Hush Little Baby [#] I Am A Poor Wayfaring Stranger (Duet With Mimi Far... I Am A Wanderer I Dream of Jeannie/Danny Boy I Dream Of Jeannie/danny Boy [medley] I Dream of Jeannie\/Danny Boy [medley] I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine I Live One Day At A Time I Pity The Poor Immigrant I Saw The Vision Of Armies I Shall Be Released I Shall Be Released (Extended Version) I Still Miss Someone I Wonder As I Wander I'm With You If I Knew If I Were a Carpenter If I Wrote You If I Wrote You (Live) If You Were A Carpenter Ilego Con Tres Heridas Imagine In Geurnica In Guernica In My Time of Need In The Morning Light In the Pines In The Quiet Morning In the Quiet Morning (For Janis Joplin) Isaac & Abraham It Ain't Me Babe It Ain't Me Babe It's All Over Now, Baby Blue It's All Over Now, Baby Blue Jack-A-Roe Jackaroe Jackaroe (Live) James & The Gang Jericho Road Jerusalem Jesse Joe Hill John Riley John Riley [*] Juan De La Cruz Just A Closer Walk With Thee Kingdom Of Childhood Kitty Kumbaya Kumbaya (Live) La Colombe -- The Dove La Llorona La Llorona (The Weeping Woman) Lady Di And I Lady Gay Lady Mary Las Madres Cansadas Lass From The Low Country Last, Lonely and Wretched Last, Lonely, And Wretched Legend Of A Girl Child Linda (Previously Unrelease... Legend Of The Girl Child Linda Less Than The Song Less Than the Song [*] Let It Be Let Your Love Flow Light A Light Lily Lily Of The West Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts Lincoln Freed Me Today (The Slave) Little Drummer Boy Little Moses Llego Con Tres Heridas Llego Con Tres Heridas (I Come With Three Wounds) Lonesome Road Long Bed From Kenya (Live) Long Black Veil Long Black Veil [#] Longest Train I Ever Saw Lost, Lonely And Wretched Love Is A Four Letter Word Love Is a Four-Letter Word Love Is Just a Four Letter Word Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word Love Minus Zero / No Limit Love Minus Zero/No Limit Love Minus Zero\/No Limit Love Song For A Stranger Love Song To A Stranger Love Song To A Stranger, Part Ii Lowlands Luba, The Baroness Lucifer's Eyes Man Smart, Woman Smarter Manhã de Carnaval Manha De Carnaval (Live) Manha De Carnaval/te Ador Manha de Carnaval\/Te Ador Many A Mile To Freedom Maria Dolores Marie Flore Marriott, U.S.A. Mary Mary Call Mary Hamilton Mary Hamilton [Stereo][Multimedia Track] Mary's Wandering Matty Groves Me and Bobby McGee Mercy Bound Michael Michael Row Your Boat Ahore Milanese Waltz/ Marie Flore Milanese Waltz/Marie Flore Milanese Waltz\/ Marie Flore Minister Of War Minister Of War (Translated From The Chinese By Ar... Miracles MLK Money For Floods Money For Floods (Live) Moscow On Hollywood Boulevard Motherland My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains My Lord What A Morning Myths Myths Natalia Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer Night They Drove Old Dixie Down No Expectations No Man Is An Island No Man Is An Island (John Donne) No Mermaid No Mermaid (Live) No Nos Moveran No Woman No Cry North North Country Blues O Come, O Come Emmanuel O Come, O Come, Emmanuel O What A Beautiful City Oh Brother Oh Happy Day Oh Happy Day [*] Oh Happy Day [Electric] Oh, Brother! Oh, Had I A Golden Thread Oh, Happy Day Old Blue Old Gospel Ship Old Welsh Song Old Welsh Song (Henry Treece) Once I Had A Sweetheart Once I Had A Sweetheart (Live) Once I Knew A Pretty Girl One Day At A Time One Tin Soldier One Too Many Mornings Only Heaven Knows Only Heaven Knows (Ah, The Sad Wind Blows) Outside The Nashville City Limits Outside The Nashville City Limits Pack Up Your Sorrows Pajarillo Barranqueno Pal Of Mine Paso Rio Paso Rio (I Pass a River) Pauvre Ruteboeuf Plaisir d'Amour Plane Wreck At Los Gatos (Deportee) Play Me Backwards Please Come To Boston Poor Wayfaring Stranger Portland Town Pretty Boy Floyd Prison Trilogy Prison Trilogy (Billy Rose) Put Your Hand In The Hand Queen Of Hearts Queen Of Hearts (Live) Railroad Bill Railroad Boy Rainbow Road Rake And Rambling Boy Ranger's Command Ranger's Command Recently Rejoice in the Sun Requiem Restless Farewell Reunion Hill Rexroth's Daughter Rexroth's Daughter Rider, Pass By Ring Them Bells Rock Salt and Nails Rock, Salt And Nails Rock, Salt and Nails [#] Rose Of Sharon Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Low Lands Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands Sag' Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind Sag' Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind Sagt Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind Saigon Bride Sail Away Ladies Sailing San Francisco Mabel Joy San Francisco Mabel Joy Satisfied Mind Scarlet Ribbons Scarlet Tide Seabirds Seven Bridges Road Seven Curses Sgt. Pepper's Band Shes A Trouble Maker Silent Night Silent Running Silkie Silver Dagger Simple Twist Of Fate Since You've Asked Sing Low Sweet Chariot Sing Me Back Home So We'll Go No More a-Roving So We'll Go No More A-Roving Song of Bangladesh Speaking Of Dreams Steal Across The Border Stephanie's Room Stephanie's Room Stewball Still waters ar Night Still Waters At Night Stones In The Road Stones in the Road [*/#][#] Strange Rivers Streets of Laredo Suzanne Suzanne [Acoustic] Swallow Song Sweet Sir Galahad Sweeter For Me Swing Low Sweet Chariot Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Swing Low, Swing Chariot Take Me Back To The Sweet Sunny South Te ador Te Recuerdo Amanda Te Recuerdo Amanda (I Remember Amanda) Tears In My Eyes Tears Of Rage The 33Rd Of August The Altar Boy And The Thief The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti, Pt. 1 The Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti The Ballad Of Sacco And Vanzetti, Part One The Ballad Of Sacco And Vanzetti, Part Three The Ballad Of Sacco And Vanzetti, Part Two The Bells Of Gethsemani The Brand New Tennessee Wal The Brand New Tennessee Waltz The Brand New Tennessee Waltz The Carol Of The Birds The Cherry Tree Carol The Crimes Of Cain The Dangling Conversation The Death Of Queen Jane (Child No. 170) The Dream Song The First Noël [#] The First Noel The Greenwood Side The Hitchhikers' Song The Hitchhikers' Song The Lady Came From Baltimore The Land of a Thousand Dances The Last Thing On My Mind The Last Thing On My Mind (Extended Version) The Lily of the West The Little Drummer Boy The Lower Road The Mockingbird Song (Hush Little Baby) The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress The Night They Drove Old Dixie The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down [Live] The Partisan The Railroad Boy The Restless Farewell The Riddle Song (feat. Pete Seeger) The Riddle Song (Very Early Joan) The River In The Pines The Sad Wind Blows The Salt Of The Earth The Song At The End Of The Movie The Swallow Song The Sweet Sunny South The Tramp on the Street The Trees They Do Grow High The Unquiet Grave The Unquiet Grave (Child No. 78) The Walls Of Redwind The Walls of Redwing The Water Is Wide The Water Is Wide [*/#][#] The Water Is Wide [#] The Wild Mountain Thyme There But For Fortune Three Fishers Three Horses Through Your Hands Time Is Passing Us By Time Rag To Bobby To Ramona (Live) Tomorrow Is A Long Time Tramp On The Street Trees They Do Grow High Trees They Grow High Tumbleweed Turquoise Twelve Gates To The City Txoria Txori Virgin Mary Virgin Mary [#] Wagoner's Lad Wagoner's Lad Walkin' Down the Line Walkin' Down The Line Warriors Of The Sun Water Is Wide Wayfaring Stranger We Shall Overcome We Three Kings [#][Instrumental] Weary Mothers Welcome Me Well May the World Go What Child Is This What Have They Done To The Rain? What You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby When Time Is Stolen When You Hear Them Cuckoos Hollerin' When You Hear Them Cuckoos Hollerin' Where Have All The Flower Where Have All The Flowers Gone Where's My Apple Pie? Who Do You Think I Am Wild Mountain Thyme Wild Mountain Thyme [#] Wildwood Flowder Wildwood Flower Will The Circle Be Unbroken Willie Moore Winds Of The Old Days Wings Wings Of Fantasy With God On Our Side With God On Our Side (Live) Yellow Coat You Ain't Goin' Nowhere You Ain't Goin' Nowhere You're Aging Well
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