God Bless Robert E. Lee
Johnny Cash · Other Songs - Johnny Cash
Jefferson Davis was upset about it
He said how dare that man resent an order
Form the president of the Confederate States of America
Then somebody told him that General Lee had made the decision himself
In order to save lives because he felt that the battle comin' up
Would cost about 20 000 lives on both sides
And he said 240 000 dead already is enough
So this song is not about the North or the South but about the bloody brother war
Brother against brother father against son the war that nobody won
And for all those lives that were saved I gotta say God bless Robert E Lee
Well the mansion where the General used to live is burning down
Cottonfields are blue with Sherman's troups
I overheard a yankee say yesterday Nashville fell
So I'm on my way to join the fight General Lee might need my help
But look away look away Dixie I don't want them to see
What they're doing to my Dixie God bless Robert E Lee
Sherman's troups burned Atlanta and the flames lit up the sky
And those of us who survived it are watchin' my Dixie die
But today at Appamattox General Lee sat down
And surrended to the yankees and Ulysees S Grant
So look away look away Dixie...
I won't ever stop loving you my Dixie till they put me in the ground
And the last words they probably hear from me are God bless Robert E Lee
God Bless Robert E. Lee
Johnny Cash's 'God Bless Robert E. Lee' stands as a stark counterpoint to his usual moral gravitas, delivered with a haunting, almost accusatory tone. The song juxtaposes the Confederate general's name with a traditional blessing, reflecting the complex and often controversial legacy of the Civil War era in the American South. Recorded during a period where Cash frequently explored themes of history, religion, and social tension, the track captures the lingering shadows of the past. Its inclusion in his discography highlights his willingness to address uncomfortable historical truths, using his signature baritone to question the morality of the Confederacy while maintaining his signature acoustic delivery.