Eric Bogle – And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda chords
Chords:
G C G Em When I was a young man I carried me packG D GAnd I lived the free life of a roverC G Em From the Murray's green basin to the dusty OutbackG D GI waltzed my Matilda all overD C GThen in 1915 me country said, SonD C GIt's time you stopped rambling there's work to be doneC G EmSo they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gunG D GAnd they marched me away to the warG C G And the band played Waltzing MatildaC D Dsus4 D When the ship pulled away from the quayC Am G Em And amidst all the tears, flag-waving and cheersG D G Gsus4 G We sailed off for GallipoliG C G EmAnd how well I remember that terrible dayG D GWhen our blood stained the sand and the waterC G EmAnd how in that hell that they call Suvla BayG D GWe were butchered like lambs at the slaughterD C GJohnny Turk he was ready, he'd primed himself wellD C GHe rained us with bullets, and he showered us with shellsC G EmAnd in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hellG D GNearly blew us back home to AustraliaG C G And the band played Waltzing MatildaC D Dsus4 D When we stopped to bury our slainC Am G Em We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirsG D G Gsus4 G Then we started all over againG C G Em And those that were left, well, we tried to surviveG D GIn that mad world of blood, death and fireC G Em And for ten weary weeks I kept myself aliveG D GWhile around me the corpses piled higherD C GThen a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over headD C GAnd when I awoke in me hospital bedC G EmAnd saw what it had done, well, I wished I was deadG D GNever knew there was worse things than dyingG C G So no more I'll go Waltzing MatildaC D Dsus4 D All around the green bush far and nearC Am G Em To hump tent and pegs a man needs both legsG D G Gsus4 G No more Waltzing Matilda for meG C G Em So they gathered the wounded, the crippled, the maimedG D GAnd they shipped us back home to AustraliaC G Em The armless, the legless, the blind, the insaneG D GThose proud wounded heroes of SuvlaD C GAnd when the ship pulled into Circular QuayD C GI looked at the place where me legs used to beC G EmAnd thanked Christ there was no one there waiting for meG D GTo grieve and to mourn and to pityG C G And the band played Waltzing MatildaC D Dsus4 D When they carried us down the gangwayC Am G Em But nobody cheered, they just stood there and staredG D G Gsus4 G Then they turned all their faces awayG C G Em So now every April I sit on my porchG D GAnd I watch the parade pass before meC G Em I see my old comrades how proudly they marchG D GRenewing old dreams of past gloryD C GAnd the old men march slowly, all bones stiff and soreD C GThey're tired old heroes from a forgotten warC G EmAnd the young people ask, "What are they marching for?"G D GAnd I ask myself the same questionG C G And the band plays Waltzing MatildaC D Dsus4 D And the old men still answer the callC Am G Em But year after year their numbers are fewerG D G Gsus4 G Someday no one will march there at allG CWaltzing Matilda, Waltzing MatildaG DWho'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?G D Em CAnd their ghosts may be heard as they march by the BillabongC G D7 GWho'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?