In 1915, Australian and New Zealander soldiers formed part of an Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula, according to a plan by Winston Churchill to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The objective was to capture Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, which was an ally of Germany during the war. The ANZAC force landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Army commanded by Mustafa Kemal (later known as Atatürk). What had been planned as a bold strike to knock the Ottomans out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. The Allied casualties included 21,255 from the United Kingdom, an estimated 10,000 from France, 8,709 from Australia, 2,721 from New Zealand and 1,358 from British India. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.
Though the Gallipoli campaign failed to achieve its military objectives of capturing Constantinople and knocking the Ottoman Empire out of the war, the actions of the Australian and New Zealander troops during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an "Anzac legend" became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This has shaped the way their citizens have viewed both their past and their understanding of the present.
The song is often praised for its haunting imagery of the devastation at Gallipoli. The protagonist, a rover before the war, in the story loses his legs in the battle, and later notes the passing of other veterans with time, as younger generations become apathetic to the veterans and their cause. The song incorporates the melody and a few lines of lyrics of "Waltzing Matilda" at its conclusion.
In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time.
Jane Herivel from the Channel Islands had heard Bogle sing the song at the 1974 Australian National Folk Festival in Brisbane and requested Bogle to send her a recording. She sang it at a festival in the south of England where June Tabor heard it and later recorded it.
The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
June Tabor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I lived the free life of the rover.
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback,
Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over.
Then in 1915, my country said, "Son,
It's time you stop ramblin', there's work to be done."
So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun,
And they marched me away to the war.
And the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
As the ship pulled away from the quay,
And amidst all the cheers, the flag waving, and tears,
We sailed off for Gallipoli.
And how well I remember that terrible day,
How our blood stained the sand and the water;
And of how in that hell that they call Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
Johnny Turk, he was waitin', he primed himself well;
He showered us with bullets, and he rained us with shell --
And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell,
Nearly blew us right back to Australia.
But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
When we stopped to bury our slain,
Well, we buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs,
Then we started all over again.
And those that were left, well, we tried to survive
In that mad world of blood, death and fire.
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
Though around me the corpses piled higher.
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head,
And when I woke up in me hospital bed
And saw what it had done, well, I wished I was dead --
Never knew there was worse things than dying.
For I'll go no more "Waltzing Matilda,"
All around the green bush far and free --
To hump tents and pegs, a man needs both legs,
No more "Waltzing Matilda" for me.
So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed,
And they shipped us back home to Australia.
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane,
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla.
And as our ship sailed into Circular Quay,
I looked at the place where me legs used to be,
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me,
To grieve, to mourn and to pity.
But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
As they carried us down the gangway,
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,
Then they turned all their faces away.
And so now every April, I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me.
And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march,
Reviving old dreams of past glory,
And the old men march slowly, all bones stiff and sore,
They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask "What are they marching for?"
And I ask meself the same question.
But the band plays "Waltzing Matilda,"
And the old men still answer the call,
But as year follows year, more old men disappear
Someday, no one will march there at all.
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda.
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong,
Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?
The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is a poignant anti-war song that tells the story of a young man who goes to war filled with enthusiasm and patriotic fervor, only to be tragically disillusioned by the horrors he witnesses. The song, written by Eric Bogle in 1971, was inspired by the experiences of Australian soldiers during World War I, specifically the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign of 1915. Bogle's lyrics capture the emotional toll of war, from the initial excitement of joining up, to the carnage of battle, to the physical and emotional scars that last long after the fighting is over. The chorus, which references the Australian folk song Waltzing Matilda, provides a haunting refrain that underscores the senseless loss of life and the futility of war.
The song is filled with vivid imagery that brings to life the soldier's experiences, from his travels through the Australian bush with his pack, to the bloody horror of the battlefield, to the bitter aftermath of his return home. The first stanza sets the scene, with the young man recounting his travels before the war. The second stanza describes the departure for Gallipoli, as the soldiers are cheered on by the band playing Waltzing Matilda. The third stanza describes the brutal reality of battle, as the soldiers are mowed down by enemy fire. The fourth stanza describes the aftermath of the battle, with the wounded and dead buried side by side. The fifth stanza describes the physical and emotional toll of surviving the battle, culminating in the soldier's realization that he will never be able to dance again. The final stanza describes the soldier's return home, as he reflects on the loss of his comrades and the senselessness of war.
Line by Line Meaning
Now when I was a young man I carried me pack
When I was young, I wandered the countryside carrying my belongings
And I lived the free life of the rover.
I lived life without rules or responsibilities
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback,
I traveled far and wide across the Australian countryside
Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over.
I traveled with my belongings, which I called Matilda
Then in 1915, my country said, "Son,
In 1915, my country asked me
It's time you stop ramblin', there's work to be done."
It's time to stop wandering and start working
So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun,
They gave me a helmet and a gun
And they marched me away to the war.
I was sent to war
And the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
The band played my song
As the ship pulled away from the quay,
As the ship left the dock
And amidst all the cheers, the flag waving, and tears,
Despite the celebration and sadness
We sailed off for Gallipoli.
We sailed to Gallipoli to fight
And how well I remember that terrible day,
I remember that day vividly
How our blood stained the sand and the water;
Our blood spilled onto the sand and sea
And of how in that hell that they call Suvla Bay
It was a nightmare that they called Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
We were killed mercilessly
Johnny Turk, he was waitin', he primed himself well;
The Turkish soldiers were ready to fight
He showered us with bullets, and he rained us with shell --
He shot at us with guns and artillery
And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell,
In five minutes he killed us all
Nearly blew us right back to Australia.
We almost got blown back to Australia
But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
But the band continued to play
When we stopped to bury our slain,
When we paused to bury our dead
Well, we buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs,
We and the Turks both buried our respective dead
Then we started all over again.
Then we started fighting again
And those that were left, well, we tried to survive
Those of us who were still alive had to find a way to stay alive
In that mad world of blood, death and fire.
In that world of chaos and destruction
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
I struggled to stay alive for ten long weeks
Though around me the corpses piled higher.
Despite the increasing number of dead around me
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head,
I got hit by a large Turkish shell and was knocked over
And when I woke up in me hospital bed
When I regained consciousness in the hospital
And saw what it had done, well, I wished I was dead --
When I saw my injuries, I wished I had died
Never knew there was worse things than dying.
I didn't know that anything could be worse than dying
For I'll go no more "Waltzing Matilda,"
I can no longer wander freely
All around the green bush far and free --
In the open countryside
To hump tents and pegs, a man needs both legs,
To carry equipment, a man needs both legs
No more "Waltzing Matilda" for me.
I can no longer travel freely
So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed,
They collected the injured and disabled
And they shipped us back home to Australia.
And they sent us back to Australia
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane,
Those with missing limbs, blindness, and mental illness
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla.
The injured veterans of the Suvla Bay battle
And as our ship sailed into Circular Quay,
As our ship docked at Circular Quay
I looked at the place where me legs used to be,
I looked at where my legs used to be
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me,
I was relieved that no one was there to greet me
To grieve, to mourn and to pity.
To feel sorry for me
But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
But the band played my song
As they carried us down the gangway,
As they carried us off the ship
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,
But no one cheered, they just looked at us
Then they turned all their faces away.
Then they turned away from us
And so now every April, I sit on my porch
Every April, I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me.
And I watch the veterans' parade go by
And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march,
I see my old friends proudly marching
Reviving old dreams of past glory,
Reminiscing about old times
And the old men march slowly, all bones stiff and sore,
The veterans march slowly, with painful joints and old age
They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war
They are veterans of a war that has been largely forgotten
And the young people ask "What are they marching for?"
Young people wonder why they are marching
And I ask meself the same question.
And I wonder the same thing
But the band plays "Waltzing Matilda,"
But the band continues to play
And the old men still answer the call,
And the veterans still show up
But as year follows year, more old men disappear
But each year, more veterans pass away
Someday, no one will march there at all.
Eventually, there will be no more veterans to march
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda.
Traveling with your belongings
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Who will travel with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong,
The ghosts of the dead veterans may be heard by the river
Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?
Who will travel with me?
Contributed by Camden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Badrish Isdin
when I was a young man I carried my pack
And I lived the free life of a rover
From the Murrays green basin to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over
Then in nineteen fifteen my country said Son
It's time to stop rambling 'cause 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 we sailed away from the quay
And amidst all the tears and the shouts and the cheers
We sailed off to Gallipoli
How well I remember that terrible day
How the blood stained the sand and the water
And how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter
Johnny Turk he was ready, he primed himself well
He chased us with bullets, he rained us with shells
And in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia
But the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we stopped to bury our slain
We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then we started all over again
Now those that were left, well we tried to survive
In a mad world of blood, death and fire
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
But around me the corpses piled higher
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over tit
And when I woke up in my hospital bed
And saw what it had done, 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 hump tent and pegs, a man needs two legs
No more waltzing Matilda for me
So they collected the cripples, the wounded, the maimed
And they shipped us back home to Australia
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay
I looked at the place where my legs used to be
And thank Christ there was nobody waiting for me
To grieve and to mourn and to pity
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
Then turned all their faces away
And now every April I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me
And I watch my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reliving old dreams of past glory
And the old men march slowly, all bent, stiff and sore
The forgotten heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask, "What are they marching for?"
And I ask myself the same question
And the band plays Waltzing Matilda
And the old men answer to the call
But year after year their numbers get fewer
Some day no one will march there at all
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
And their ghosts may be heard as you pass the Billabong
Who'll come-a-waltzing Matilda with me?
J. Dana Clark
This is the single most beautiful and haunting rendition I've heard, it should be required listening around the world.
cocteaufan
yes it should
Yanni
Well said, J. Dana Clark.
N1755L
There is no better rendition of this song of history, and there likely never will be. Someone will need to tear their hearts right out of their chest to sing this with more accurate feeling for the topic it covers.
Dwayne’s bad chemicals
I was watching a Clancy Brothers version. It’s good. But this version feels so much more emotionally connected and complex.
Chris Carter
I first heard June sing this at a folk club in Cheltenham some time in 1976. It reduced me to tears. Now, forty years later it still does.
reenougle
This is so powerful. I am in love with this rendition. What a voice.
John
A powerful song and story. As she ended with a verse of Waltzing Matilda a tear came to my eye. This is in the best tradition of what a folk song can be.
Gregg Orsag
One evening 30 years ago I was half listening to WXPN in Philadelphia and this came on. Stopped me dead in in my tracks. Every once in a while music rises above itself and touches the divine.
Neil Pattison
I was very lucky to see June perform this in a small folk club in Leeds - she finished her set with it, because she couldn't speak after finishing it. I have always loved her voice.