Born in Peebles, Scotland, and emigrating to Australia in 1969, he currently resides near Adelaide, South Australia. Written in 1972, And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is perhaps his best-known song, being a haunting evocation of the ANZAC experience fighting in the Battle of Gallipoli. It has also been interpreted as a reaction to the Vietnam War.
Bogle's songs cover a wide range of subjects, including bright comic songs, satires, protest songs and other serious considerations of the human condition. Some idea of the breadth of his work can be gained from the differing subject matter, ranging from The Aussie Bar-B-Q to a homage to Stan Rogers, entitled Safe in the Harbour. One of his most popular songs, Katie and the Dreamtime Land, is a tribute to American folksinger Kate Wolf, following her untimely death from leukemia in 1986.
In a similar vein to And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda", his song, No Man's Land, refers to the old Scottish song, "Flowers of the Forest" being played over the grave of a World War I soldier. (Bogle has been known to call the song The Green Fields of France, a title it was first given by The Fureys and subsequently used by The Men They Couldn't Hang.) In 1997, British Prime Minister Tony Blair presented a Belfast girl who wrote to him about the Troubles with a framed copy of the lyrics to The Green Fields of France", calling it his favourite anti-war poem.
Other well-known songs, with lighter subject matter, include two homages to departed pets, Little Gomez" and Nobody's Moggy Now, and an acknowledgment of his folk music fans with Do You Sing Any Dylan?.
Many of his songs have been covered by other artists, particularly his anti-war songs. And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda and No Man's Land both gained fame in versions by June Tabor, The Men They Couldn't Hang and The Clancy Brothers. And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda was covered by John McDermott, Mike Harding and The Pogues, and "All the Fine Young Men" was recorded by De Dannan. Recently, the Dropkick Murphys covered "The Green Fields of France", and "Shelter" was covered by John Williamson on his album of great Australian anthems.
In 2000 a five CD collection was released called, Singing The Spirit Home. In 2006 he undertook a lengthy UK tour accompanied by long term friend and collaborator John Munro.
Future plans include recording a new CD for release in 2008.
No Man's Land
Eric Bogle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you mind if I sit here down by your grave side?
A rest for awhile in the warm summer sun
I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done
And I see by your gravestone that you were only 19
When you joined the glorious fallen in 1916
Well I hope you died quick and I hope you died clean
Or, William McBride, was it slow and obscene?
Did they beat the drum slowly?
Did they sound the pipes lowly?
Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down?
Did the bugle sing 'The Last Post' in chorus?
Did the pipes play 'The Flowers o' the Forest'?
And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind?
In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined
And though you died back in 1916
To that loyal heart are you always 19
Or are you just a stranger without even a name
Forever enclosed behind some glass-pane
In an old photograph torn and tattered and stained
And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame?
Did they beat the drum slowly?
Did they sound the pipes lowly?
Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down?
Did the bugle sing 'The Last Post' in chorus?
Did the pipes play 'The Flowers o' the Forest'?
Well the sun it shines down on these green fields of France
The warm wind blows gently and the red poppies dance
The trenches are vanished now under the plough
No gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now
But here in this graveyard it is still No Man's Land
And the countless white crosses in mute witness stand
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man
And a whole generation that was butchered and downed
Did they beat the drum slowly?
Did they sound the pipes lowly?
Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down?
Did the bugle sing 'The Last Post' in chorus?
Did the pipes play 'The Flowers o' the Forest'?
And I can't help but wonder now Willie McBride
Do all those who lie here know why they died?
Did you really believe them when they told you the cause?
Did you really believe them that this war would end war?
But the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame -
The killing, the dying - it was all done in vain
For Willie McBride, it's all happened again
And again, and again, and again, and again
Did they beat the drum slowly?
Did they sound the pipe lowly?
Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down?
Did the bugle sing 'The Last Post' in chorus?
Did the pipes play 'The Flowers o' the Forest'?
Eric Bogle's song "No Man's Land" is a poignant ballad questioning the reasons and consequences of war. The song starts with the singer addressing William McBride, a young soldier whose tombstone he encounters while taking a rest. The singer recognizes the grave belongs to a person who died too young and too soon in the First World War of 1916. The chorus then asks if the soldiers were given a respectful funeral with church bells, rifles firing, and bugles playing the Last Post and Flowers of the Forest.
The song's second verse further delves into the personal life of William McBride. The singer muses if the young soldier had a spouse or sweetheart who remembers him fondly. The verse ends with a visual cue of a yellowed photograph of McBride in a brown leather frame. The final verse takes a contemplative note on the futility of war. The singer observes the graves of the soldiers who died in the previous war in mute silence while emphasizing how the obliviousness and lack of empathy of humans towards their fellow beings caused such a massive loss of life. The song emphasizes how history is repeating itself with the perpetual nature of war, indicated by the lines "it was all done in vain/ For Willie McBride, it's all happened again/ And again, and again, and again, and again."
Line by Line Meaning
Well how do you do, Private William McBride
Greetings, Private William McBride
Do you mind if I sit here down by your grave side?
May I sit beside your grave for a while?
A rest for awhile in the warm summer sun
A break from walking in the warm sun
I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done
I've been walking all day and I'm tired
And I see by your gravestone that you were only 19
Your gravestone reveals that you were young
When you joined the glorious fallen in 1916
You joined those who fell in 1916
Well I hope you died quick and I hope you died clean
I hope your death was quick and painless
Or, William McBride, was it slow and obscene?
Or was your death prolonged and gruesome?
Did they beat the drum slowly?
Did they play a slow beat on the drum?
Did they sound the pipes lowly?
Were the bagpipes played softly?
Did the rifles fire o'er ye as they lowered you down?
Did the rifles fire as they buried you?
Did the bugle sing 'The Last Post' in chorus?
Did the bugle play 'The Last Post' along with others?
Did the pipes play 'The Flowers o' the Forest'?
Were the bagpipes played 'The Flowers o' the Forest'?
And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind?
Did you have a spouse or a loved one left behind?
In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined
Is your memory cherished in someone's heart?
And though you died back in 1916
Although you died in 1916
To that loyal heart are you always 19
You remain forever young in that loving heart
Or are you just a stranger without even a name
Are you an unknown stranger?
Forever enclosed behind some glass-pane
Forever preserved behind a glass panel
In an old photograph torn and tattered and stained
In an old photo that has been damaged and discolored
And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame?
And slowly fading to yellow in a brown frame
Well the sun it shines down on these green fields of France
The sun shines on these green fields in France
The warm wind blows gently and the red poppies dance
The wind gently blows and the red poppies move
The trenches are vanished now under the plough
The trenches are gone, erased by the plow
No gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now
No gas, no wires, no guns are being used
But here in this graveyard it is still No Man's Land
This graveyard still represents No Man's Land
And the countless white crosses in mute witness stand
There are numerous white crosses as a silent witness
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man
To humanity's indifference to one another
And a whole generation that was butchered and downed
And a generation that was slaughtered and defeated
And I can't help but wonder now Willie McBride
I can't help but wonder now Willie McBride
Do all those who lie here know why they died?
Do those who rest here know why they died?
Did you really believe them when they told you the cause?
Did you believe the cause you were told to fight for?
Did you really believe them that this war would end war?
Did you truly believe the war would prevent future wars?
But the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame -
But the pain, the grief, the honor, and the disgrace -
The killing, the dying - it was all done in vain
The killing, the dying - it was all pointless
For Willie McBride, it's all happened again
For Willie McBride, history has been repeated
And again, and again, and again, and again
Repeatedly, over and over again
Contributed by Kennedy Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alfred Tetzlaffo
Phenomenal, lyrics and music! The song became known in Germany in the 70s and 80s by the cover version of Hannes Wader. it is one of the most moving songs I know.
Here performed by some of the most famous singer-songwriters in the German language.
Reinhard Mey, Hannes Wader, Konstantin Wecker:
https://youtu.be/2YkNKh6XqhE
H
Eric Bogle wrote the two best anti-war songs ever imo, this and The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Shane Darcy
Agree. But many other great songs. An absolute legend. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Paul Amer
I agree.
Edeledel Edel
Don't forget "My youngest son came home today" was his bitterest anti-violence song
Shane Darcy
@S W By whom?
bruce collins
@Shane Darcy same man ..eric bogle..also bringing buddy home..... also...all the fine young men.....also.....the band played waltzing matilda.....and more.
Woesmevrou
The most haunting anthem and reminder of what we, today, owe to so many unknown young men who gave their lives. Thank you Eric Bogle.
Graham Rossiter
One of the most important songs ever written. I'm a descendent of a soldier that fought in The Somme and was forever damaged, waking night after night screaming to his comrades to "get under, lads" meaning to take shelter from an imminent gas attack in the trenches. For anyone to be so mentally mutilated for the rest of his life, by a country that sent him in as cannon fodder, is an obscenity beyond words. This song however comes pretty damn close.
Truth Seaker
The psychopaths who rule over us, Fleece us and slaughter us like sheep, causing untold misery and pain yet they never loose a moments sleep.
All wars are Bankers Wars, they loan money to both sides with cross guarantees all debts will be paid, enslaving future generations to pay of the debts.
We get our Sons and Fathers killed or broken and our Daughters raped, our children grandchildren and even great grandchildren get to pay off the bill for their entire lives.
They can only do this to us because we let them, we just can't believe they knew exactly what they were doing, when will we never learn, when will we ever learn.
its Me
And the mud and blood of Flanders.