"Masters Of War" Is A Song By Bob Dylan Written In 1963 And Released On The Album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. It Is An Adaptation With New Words By Dylan Of "Nottamun Town". As With Many Of The Major Songs Dylan Composed At This Time He Often Adapted Or "borrowed" Melodies From Traditional Songs. On This Occasion However He Had Borrowed An Arrangement By Veteran Folksinger Jean Ritchie. The Arrangement Of "Nottanum Town" Unknown To Dylan Had Been In Her Family For Generations And Ritchie Wanted An Acknowledgement On The Writing Credit. This However Was Not To Be The Case As Dylan's Lawyers Paid Her $5 000 To Settle And Agree Not To Make Further Claims. There Is A Live Electric Version On Dylan's Real Live Album. In His 1994 Hiroshima Concert Dylan Played The First Acoustic Version Of "Masters Of War" Since 1963. Dylan Also Played The Song In Oshkosh Wisconsin On The Night Of The 2004 U.S. Presidential Election.