And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
John McDermott Lyrics

Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack
When I was young, I was a wanderer and I lived free.

And I lived the free life of the rover
I lived with no fixed address or ties to anyone or anything.

From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback
I roamed all over Australia.

Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over
I carried what I owned, wrapped in a blanket called Matilda.

Then in 1915, my country said 'son
When WWI began, my country drafted me.

It's time you stopped rambling, there's work to be done'
It was time for me to stop wandering and fight for my country.

So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun
They outfitted me with military gear.

And they marched me away to the war
They sent me to the front lines of battle.

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
The band played my national song as we departed.

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

And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears
As people expressed their emotions in different ways.

We sailed off for Gallipoli
We sailed to Gallipoli, Turkey - the location of the battle.

And how well I remember that terrible day
The memories of that day are vivid.

How our blood stained the sand and the water
The sand and water were stained with our blood.

And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay
Suvla Bay was a dreadful place.

We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter
We were killed in large numbers.

Johnny Turk, he was waiting, he'd primed himself well
The Turkish soldiers were prepared and waiting for us.

He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shell
The Turks attacked us relentlessly with gunfire and bombs.

And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell
In an incredibly short time, the Turkish soldiers killed us.

Nearly blew us right back to Australia
The attack was so intense that it could have sent us back to Australia in pieces.

But the band played Waltzing Matilda
The band played as we buried our dead.

When we stopped to bury our slain
We stopped fighting to bury those who had died in battle.

We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs
Both sides buried their own dead.

Then we started all over again
We resumed fighting after we finished burying our dead.

And those that were left, well we tried to survive
The remaining soldiers fought to stay alive.

In that mad world of blood, death and fire
The world of battle was full of chaos and destruction.

And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive
I barely survived for ten weeks.

Though around me the corpses piled higher
The dead bodies of soldiers piled up around me.

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head
A large bomb exploded and knocked me off my feet.

And when I woke up in me hospital bed
I later woke up in a hospital bed.

And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead
I saw the extent of my injuries and wished I had died.

Never knew there was worse things than dyin'
I never realized that there could be something worse than death.

For I'll go no more waltzing Matilda
Because of my injuries, I can no longer wander the land.

All around the green bush far and free
I can no longer roam the countryside as I used to.

To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs
In order to be a wanderer, you need your legs.

No more waltzing Matilda for me
I can no longer wrap up my belongings in Matilda and wander the countryside.

So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed
The military collected the soldiers who were hurt in battle.

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

The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane
Those who were injured that badly were sent back to Australia.

Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
Those who were injured at the battle of Suvla.

And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay
As we arrived at Circular Quay in Australia.

I looked at the place where me legs used to be
I looked at the spot where my legs used to be.

And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me
I was grateful that nobody was waiting to mourn my injuries.

To grieve, to mourn, and to pity
To feel sad and sorry for me.

But the band played Waltzing Matilda
The band played as we disembarked from the ship.

As they carried us down the gangway
As the soldiers were helped off of the ship.

But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
The people didn't cheer, they were somber.

Then they turned all their faces away
Then they stopped paying attention to us.

And so now every April, I sit on me porch
Every April, I sit on my porch to remember the battle.

And I watch the parades pass before me
I watch as parades march past my house.

And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march
I see my old friends march, still proud of their service.

Reviving old dreams of past glories
Remembering the good times from the past.

And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore
The old men march slowly because they are no longer young.

They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war
They may be older and tired, but they are still celebrated for their service.

And the young people ask, 'what are they marching for?'
Young people wonder why these old men still march.

And I ask myself the same question
I also wonder why they continue to march.

But the band plays Waltzing Matilda
Regardless of the reason, the band still plays as they march.

And the old men still answer the call
And the old men still march, showing their pride.

But as year follows year, more old men disappear
Over time, more of these men will pass away.

Someday no one will march there at all
Eventually, nobody will march in the parade.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Remind me of my past and my wanderings.

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Who will come on an adventure with me?

And their ghosts may be heard
Maybe their spirits still wander.

As they march by that billabong
As they wander by the banks of that waterhole.

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Who will come on an adventure with me?