And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda Lyrics - Singles - John Williamson

When I was a young man I carried a pack 

I lived the free life of a rover 

From the Murray's green basin till the dusty outback 

I waltzed my matilda right over 

Then in nineteen fifteen, the country said son 

There's no time for roamin' there's work to be done 

And 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 

And amidst all the cheers, the flag waving and tears 

We set off for Gallipoli 

How well I remember that terrible day 

When our 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 Turkey was waiting, he primed himself well 

Showered us with bullets and he rained us with shells 

And in five minutes flat, well he blew us to hell 

He 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 we started all over again 

So those who were left just tried to survive 

In a mad world of blood and fire 

And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive 

As the corpses around me piled higher 

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head 

And when I awoke in the hospital bed 

I saw what it had done and I wished I was dead 

Then I knew there were worse things than dying 

And I'll go no more Waltzing Matilda 

All through the green bush far and free 

Coz to hunt and tent peg 

A man needs both legs 

No more waltzing matilda for me 

They collected the crippled, the wounded, the maimed 

Shipped us all back to Australia 

The legless, the armless, the blind and insane 

The brave wounded heroes of Suvla Bay 

And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay 

I looked at the place where my legs used to be 

And I thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me 

To mourn and to grieve and to pity 

And the band played Waltzing Matilda 

As they carried us down the gangway 

Nobody cheered, they just stood and stared 

Then turned all their faces away 

And now every April I sit on the porch 

As I watch the parade pass before me 

I see my old comerades, how proudly they march 

Reviving old dreams and past glories 

But the old men march slowly, bones stiff and sore 

Tired old men from a tired old war 

And the young people ask 'what are they marching for' 

And I ask myself the same question 

And the band played Waltzing Matilda 

As the old men still answer the call 

Year after year more old men disappear 

Soon none of them will march there at all