I just heard Dylan’s Masters of War on the radio.

It reminded me of the time I was in California, Berkeley to be exact, with a lively pleasant guy.

As we were waiting for our wives to do some shopping, a street busker stopped near where we were sitting and cut loose with Masters of War.

My friend started listening. And got quiet. And still. When the singer finished with “I hope that you die and I will stand over your grave till I’m sure that you are dead”, I think my friend stopped breathing.

“What the hell was that?” he asked.

I explained it was Dylan and Masters of War.

When music hits with raw truth and emotion in a rare song and writer and moment as that one, it can make anybody stop and take notice. Even if the message makes you wince.

Even today, I stopped everything and just listened.

The power of music at its best.