waltz

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

A song about war- by Eric Bogle

When I was a young man I carried my pack

And lived the free life of the rover

From the Murray's Green Basin to the dusty outback

I waltzed my Matilda all over

Then in 1915 my country said "Son,

It's time to stop rambling, there's work to be done."

So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun

And they sent me away to the war

And the band played Waltzing Matilda

As the ship pulled away from the quay

Amidst all the cheers, flag waving and tears

We sailed off for Gallipoli

It's well I remember that terrible day

Our blood stained the sands and the waters

And how in that hell that they called Souvla Bay

We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter

'Johnny Turkey' was ready, he'd primed himself well

He rained us with bullets and he showered us with shell

And in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hell

Nearly blew us right back to Australia

And the band played Waltzing Matilda

As we stopped to bury our slain

We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs

Then it started all over again

Those who were living did their best to survive

In that mad world of death, blood and fire

For ten weary weeks I kept myself alive

While around me the corpses piled higher

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse-over-head

And when I awoke in my hospital bed

And saw what it had done, Christ, I wished I was dead

Never knew there were worse things than dying

For no more I'll go waltzing Matilda

All around the green bush far and near

For to hang tents and pegs a man needs two legs

No more waltzing Matilda for me

They collected the wounded, the crippled and maimed

And shipped us back home to Australia

The armless, the legless, the blind and insane

The proud, wounded heroes of Souvla

And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay

I looked at the place where my legs used to be

And thanked Christ there was no one there waiting for me

To mourn and to grieve and to pity

And the band played Waltzing Matilda

As they carried us down the gangway

But nobody cheered, they just stood there and stared

Then they turned all their faces away

So now every April I sit on my porch

And watch the parade pass before me

I see my old comrades, how proudly they march

Reliving their days of past glory

I see the old men all twisted and torn

The tired old heroes of a forgotten war

And the young people ask me "What are they marching for?"

And I ask myself the same question

And the band plays Waltzing Matilda

And the old men still answer the call

Year after year, their numbers get fewer

Some day no one will march there at all

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda

Who'll go a'waltzing Matilda with me?

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