The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Eric Bogle Lyrics

Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack
When I was young, I used to travel and wander around.

And I lived the free life of the rover
I was living life on my own terms without any burden.

From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback
I have travelled to various places from lush regions to places with dry soil.

Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over
I was carefree and moved around with nothing holding me down.

Then in 1915, my country said "son It's time you stopped rambling, there's work to be done"
In 1915, my country needed me to stop wandering and start serving them.

So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun
They gave me the tools to fight.

And they marched me away to the war
I was sent off to battle.

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
The band was playing the song Waltzing Matilda.

As the ship pulled away from the quay
As the ship left the shore.

And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears
As people were cheering, waving flags, and crying.

We sailed off for Gallipoli
We sailed off towards war in Gallipoli.

And how well I remember that terrible day
I vividly remember that horrible day.

How our blood stained the sand and the water
Our blood made a mark on the sand and the water where we fought.

And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay
It was a place where war was a living hell, and it was called Suvla Bay.

We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter
We were ruthlessly killed like innocent animals.

Johnny Turk, he was waiting, he'd primed himself well
The Turkish army was well prepared for our arrival.

He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shell
We were attacked with bullets and shells from all directions.

And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell
In only five minutes, we were all blown up to pieces.

Nearly blew us right back to Australia
The explosion was so powerful that it almost sent us back to Australia.

But the band played Waltzing Matilda
The band continued playing Waltzing Matilda.

When we stopped to bury our slain
We stopped to bury our dead comrades.

We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs
We buried our own soldiers, and the Turks buried their own.

Then we started all over again
We resumed fighting again.

And those that were left, well, we tried to survive
Those of us who were left fought to stay alive.

In that mad world of blood, death and fire
We were in a crazy world of bloodshed, death, and fire.

And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive
I managed to survive for ten exhausting weeks.

Though around me the corpses piled higher
Despite the many dead bodies around me.

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head
I was hit by a large Turkish shell and thrown over my head.

And when I woke up in me hospital bed
When I regained consciousness lying in a hospital bed.

And saw what it had done, well, I wished I was dead
When I saw the damage done to me, I wished for death.

Never knew there was worse things than dyin'
I never realized that there are conditions worse than death.

For I'll go no more waltzing Matilda
I can no longer move around carefree.

All around the green bush far and free
I can no longer wander freely in the greenery.

To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs
To carry tents and pegs, one needs both legs.

No more waltzing Matilda for me
I can no longer walk without any burden and responsibilities.

So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed
The disabled, injured, and handicapped were collected.

And they shipped us back home to Australia
We were sent back home to Australia.

The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane
The ones without limbs, arms, the blind, and insane.

Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
These injured soldiers that fought in the battle of Suvla were proud heroes.

And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay
When our ship arrived in Circular Quay.

I looked at the place where me legs used to be
I looked at the places of my missing legs.

And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me
I thanked God that nobody was there to receive me.

To grieve, to mourn, and to pity
No one was there to cry, feel sorry, or mourn for me.

As they carried us down the gangway
As they carried us down the ship's plank.

But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
No one was cheering, they were just standing and staring in silence.

Then they turned all their faces away
Then, they all looked away.

And so now every April, I sit on me porch
Every April, I sit on my porch.

And I watch the parades pass before me
I watch the parade before my eyes.

And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march
I see my old colleagues proudly marching in the parade.

Reviving old dreams of past glories
Reminding ourselves of past achievements.

And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore
Elderly men are marching slowly and with difficulty due to stiffening bones and sore muscles.

They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war
These old men are tired heroes from a war that has been forgotten.

And the young people ask, "what are they marching for?"
Young people might ask the question "why are they marching?"

And I ask myself the same question
Even I question the purpose of the march.

And the old men still answer the call
The elderly men are still present, responding to the call.

But as year follows year, more old men disappear
As years pass by, more old men die.

Someday no one will march there at all
There will come a day when no one will be there to march.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Waltzing Matilda is the song that is constantly referenced.

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Who will join me in walking around carefree?

And their ghosts may be heard
Their spirits may be heard.

As they march by that billabong
As they march near the creek.

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Who will join me in walking around carefree?