And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda Lyrics [Verse 1]
When I was a young man, I carried my pack
And I lived the free life of a rover
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over
[Verse 2]
Then in 1915, 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
[Chorus 1]
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 for Gallipoli
[Verse 3]
How well I remember that terrible day
When 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
[Verse 4]
Johnny Turk, he was ready, he primed himself well
He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shells
And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia
[Chorus]
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we stopped to bury our slain
And we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then it started all over again
[Verse 5]
Now those who were living did their best to survive
In that mad world of death, blood, and fire
And for seven long weeks, I kept myself alive
While the corpses around me piled higher
[Verse 6]
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over tit
And when I awoke in my hospital bed
And saw what it had done, Christ, I wished I was dead
Never knew there were worse things than dying
[Chorus 3]
And no more I'll go waltzing Matilda
To the green bushes so far and near
For to hang tent and pegs , a man needs two legs
No more waltzing Matilda for me
[Verse 7]
So they collected the cripples, the wounded and maimed
And they shipped us back home to Australia
The legless, the armless, the blind and insane
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
[Verse 8]
And as our ship pulled 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 and to mourn and to pity
[Chorus 4]
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
And they turned their faces away
[Verse 9]
And now every April , I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me
I see my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reliving their dreams of past glory
[Verse 10]
I see the old men, all twisted and torn
The forgotten heroes of a forgotten war
And the young people ask me, "What are they marching for?"
And I ask myself the same question
[Chorus 5]
And the band plays Waltzing Matilda
And the old men still answer the call
But year after year, their numbers get fewer
Someday no one will march there at all
[Outro]
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll go a-waltzing Matilda with me?
