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

Now when I was a young man and I carried my pack 

And I lived the free life of the Rover 

From the Murray's green basin to the dusty out back 

I waltzed my Matilda all over 

Then in 1915 my country said, "Son 

It's time to stop rambling, 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 the ships pulled away from the quay 

And amid all the cheers, flag waving and tears 

We sailed off to Galipolli 

And how I remember that terrible day 

How our blood stained the sand and the water 

And how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay 

We were butchered like lambs to the slaughter 

Johnnie Turk was ready, oh, he primed himself well 

He rained us with bullets and he showered us with shell 

And in five minutes flat we were all blown to hell 

Nearly blew us all back home to Australia 

But the band played Waltzing Matilda 

As we stuck to bury our slain 

We burned ours and the Turks buried theirs 

And we started all over again 

Those who were living just tried to survive 

In a mad world of blood death and fire 

And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive 

While around me the corpses piled higher 

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me ares over head 

And when I awoke in my hospital bed 

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

Never knew there were worse things than dying 

For no more I'll go Waltzing Matilda 

All 'round the green bush far and near 

For to hump tent and pegs a man needs both legs 

No more Waltzing Matilda for me 

They collected 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 pulled in to Circular Key 

And I looked at the place where my legs used to be 

I thanked Christ there was no one there 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 there and stared 

And turned all their faces away 

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 

Renewing their dreams of past glory 

I see the old men all tired, stiff and sore 

The weary old heroes of a forgotten war 

And the young people ask, "What are they marching for?" 

And I ask myself the same question 

And the band played Waltzing Matilda 

And the old men still answer the call 

But year after year, the numbers get fewer 

Some day none 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?