The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Dubliners

The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Eric Bogle

When I was a young man I carried me pack
And I lived the free life of the rover
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback
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
When the ship pulled away from the quay
And amid all the tears, flag waving and cheers
We sailed off for Gallipoli

It well I remember that terrible day
When our blood stained the sand and the water
And how in that hell they call Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter
Johnny Turk, he was ready, 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
He nearly blew us back home to Australia

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
When we stopped to bury our slain
Well we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then it started all over again

Oh those that were living just tried to survive
In that 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 arse over head
And when I awoke in me hospital bed
And saw what it had done, I wished I was dead
I never knew there was worse things than dying

Oh no more I'll go Waltzing Matilda
All around 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 wounded, the crippled, the maimed
And they shipped us back home to Australia
The armless, the legless, the blind and the insane
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
And when the ship pulled into Circular Quay
I looked at the place where me legs used to be
And thank Christ there was no one there waiting for me
To grieve and to mourn and to pity

And the Band played Waltzing Matilda
When they carried us down the gangway
Oh nobody cheered, they just stood there and stared
Then they turned all their faces away

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
Renewing their dreams of past glories
I see the old men all tired, stiff and worn
Those 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 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

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong
So who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?


  Purchase "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda"   Purchase Entire Album   Email Video to Friends   Play Youtube "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" Video   Play Spotify "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" Song   View Wikipedia "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" Entry   Receive Emails for Future Dubliners Lyrics

Email:

  Link to "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda"   Share on Facebook, Twitter, and more
  See Recommended Lyrics For You

Loading...

Lyrics by Dubliners

  A Bunch Of Red Roses   Air Fa La La La   All For Me Grog   Anna Liffey   Avondale   Bantry Girl's Lament   Black Velvet Band   Boots Of Spanish Leather   Carrickfergus   Cavan Girl   Cod Liver Oil   Dainty Davey   Dancing At Whitsun   Deportees   Dicey Riley   Dirty Old Town   Donegal Danny   Down By The Glenside   Dublin In The Rare Old Times   Easy And Slow   Farewell To Carlingford   Fields Of Athenry   Finnigan's Wake   Four Green Fields   Fuck You I'm Drunk   Gypsy Rover   Hey Johnny Mcgorry   Hot Asphalt   Humpty Dumpty   I Knew Danny Farrell   I Loved The Ground She Walked Upon   I'll Tell Me Ma   I'll Tell Me Ma   I'm A Free Born Man   Jar Of Porter   Joe Hill   Join The British Army   Killieburne Brae   Leaving Nancy   Lord Of The Dance   Maid Of The Sweet Brown Knowe   Maloney Wants A Drink   Master Mcgrath   Mcalpine's Fusiliers   Mccafferty   Molly Bawn   Molly Malone   Monto   Paddy's Sick Note   Peggy Gordon   Preab San Ol   Prefad San Ol   Pub With No Beer   Raglan Road   Rare Old Mountain Dew   Rocky Road To Dublin   Sam Hall   Seven Drunken Nights   Song For Ireland   South Australia   Spancil Hill   Spanish Lady   The Auld Triangle   The Black Velvet Band   The Comical Genius   The Crack Was Ninety In The Isle Of Man   The Dundee Weaver   The Ferryman   The Foggy Dew   The Gartan Mother's Lullaby   The Gentleman Soldier   The Glendalough Saint   The Holy Ground   The Inniskillen Dragoons   The Irish Navy   The Kerry Recruit   The Lark In The Morning   The Leaving Of Liverpool   The Louse House At Kilkenny   The Lowlands Of Holland   The Molly Maguires   The Monto   The Night Visiting Song   The Old Orange Flute   The Partin' Glass   The Rebel   The Rising Of The Moon   The Rocky Road To Dublin   The Rose   The Sick Note   The Town I Loved So Well   The Unquiet Grave   The Wests Awake   The Wild Rover   Three Score And Ten   Tibby Dunbar   Whack Fol De Diddle   Whiskey In The Jar   Whisky In The Jar   Wild Rover   Will You Come To The Bower   Wiskey In The Jar   Working Man

Related Songs

  And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - Joan Baez  And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda...  And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - Pogues  The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - Liam Clancy  The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - Eric Bogle  After the Party - John Schumann  100 Years On - Redgum  AND THE BAND PLAYED WALTZING MATILDA - Eric Bogle  Waltzing Matilda - Dan Zanes  Waltzing Matilda - Roy Orbison  Waltzing Matilda - Debbie Harry  Waltzing Matilda - Burl Ives  Waltzing Matilda (Queensland Version) [Audition Ta...  Waltzing Matilda (Queensland Version) [Audition Ta...  Matilda - Parov Stelar  Waltzing Matilda - Andre Rieu  Waltzing Matilda - The Seekers  Waltzing Matilda - The Seekers  Waltzing Matilda - Seekers  Waltzing Matilda - Carl Riseley  Waltzing Mathilda - Tom Waits  Tom Traubert's Blues - Rod Stewart  TOM TRAUBERT'S BLUES(Waltzing Matilda)...  Tom Traubert's Blues (Waltzing Matilda)...  Waltzing Matilda - Rolf Harris  Watzing Matilda - Rolf Harris  Waltzing Matilda - Jimmie Rodgers  Waltzing Matilda - John Williamson  I Still Call Australia Home - Olivia Newton-John  Waltzing Matilda - Frank Ifield  The Waltzing Matilda Waltz - Eric Bogle  WALTZING MATILDA WALTZ - ERIC BOGLE  Waltzing Maria - BZN   I’ll Bet You A Kangaroo - Olivia Newton-John  I'll Bet You A Kangaroo - Olivia Newton-John  Spirit Of The Bush - Lee Kernaghan  WALTZING MATILDA - Bon Jovi  Mattress Mambo - Anvil  I'm Sorry - King Missile  Waltzing Matilda [Instrumental]...  Waltzing Matilda [Instrumental]...  Dancing Your Memory Away (1982) - Charly Mcclain  I Coulda Been A Contender - The Gaslight Anthem  Goodbye, Good Night - Jars of Clay  Goodbye, Goodnight - Jars Of Clay  The Marching Saints - Harry Belafonte  Matilda - Tony Scott  Matilda! - Harry Belafonte  Matilda, Matilda - Harry Belafonte  Matilda - Harry Belafonte  Matilda, Matilda - Harry Belafonte  Waltzing On Top Of The World - Jim Reeves  Matilda, Matilda [Live] - Harry Belafonte  Matilda - Alt-J  I Confess - John Fogerty  Matilda - Marty Robbins  Waltzing Matilda/Anthem [Instrumental]...  Street Hassle: Waltzing Matilda - Lou Reed  Matilda - Peggy Sue  Matilda Smith-Williams Home for the Aged...  Love Me - The Free Design  Like to Love - The Free Design  Like to Love [Live][*] - The Free Design  Matilda, Matilda - Dave Pike   Waltzings For Dreamers - Emily Smith  Matilda - Tacks, The Boy Disaster  Solitaire - Skeleton Key  Are You Mad? - The Island of Misfit Toys  Play Something We Can Dance To - Billy Dean  The Band Played the Boogie - CCS  Band Played the Boogie - CCS  And The Band Played - Bruce Springsteen  AND THE BAND PLAYED - Springsteen Bruce  And The Band Played - The Jackie Boyz  Virginia Waltz - The Johnson Mountain Boys  Matilda - Cookie And The Cupcakes  I'm Here - Matilda London Cast  Sing Australia - John Denver  Waltzing In Blue - Mark Lanegan  The Waltzing Fool - Guy Clark  Ballad of NGB - Stateless  The Waltzing Fool - Lyle Lovett  Tom Traubert\'s Blues - Tom Waits  Tom Traubert's Blues - Waits Tom  Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In C...  Tom Traubert's Blues - Tom Waits  Tom Traubert’s Blues - Tom Waits  Larry Bird - Duke Tumatoe  Dance Time In Texas - George Strait  Waltzing In the Clouds - Deanna Durbin  Street Hassle - Simple Minds  The Band Played On [From Lillian Russell]...  Waltzing In The Clouds - Nana Mouskouri  Engage Catch Phrase - Anterrabae  Really Waltzing - Mike Sammes Singers  Really Waltzing - Cliff Richard  Julius Played the Trumpet - Ray Stevens  Norman Family Tree - Horrible Histories  And The Band Played On - The Black Crowes  And The Band Played On - Simple Minds  Matilda - Double Love Band  You Came Waltzing In - Lonestar  Their Hearts Are Dancing - The Forester Sisters  Roof Garden - Al Jarreau  Waltzing with Him - Christine Lavin  Superchunk - Wesley Willis  The New Partner Waltz - Linda Ronstadt  New Partner Waltz - Osborne Brothers  One For The Mocking-Bird - Cutting Crew  One for the Mockingbird - Cutting Crew  One For The Mockingbirds - Cutting Crew  Alexander's Ragtime Band - Louis Armstrong  New Bomb Turks - Wesley Willis  I'd Do It Again - Gordon Lightfoot  I'd Do It Again - Gordon Lightfoot  Bon Jovi - Wesley Willis  11-6-64 - Steven Curtis Chapman  11-6-64 - Steven Curtis Chapman  High and Unhinged - Les Savy Fav  Shonen Knife - Wesley Willis  Tonight - Wilshire  Started a Band - Bobby Pinson  Street Hassle - Lou Reed  Tennessee Waltz - Smokey River Boys  Alexander's Ragtime Band - Ray Charles  The Rolling Stones - Wesley Willis  Bonaparte's Retreat - Billy Grammer  The Nugent Family Band - Alecia Nugent  KMFDM - Wesley Willis  Marilyn Manson - Wesley Willis  Waltzing Past The Grave - Jay Clifford  Extraordinary Thing - K.D. Lang  Hootie & the Blowfish - Wesley Willis  The Drinking Song - Moxy Früvous  The Drinking Song - Moxy Früvous  The Drinking Song**** - Moxy Früvous  Smells Like… - Alien Sex Fiend  0Smells Like… - Alien Sex Fiend  Delta Queen Waltz - John Hartford  The Love Me Or Die - CW Stoneking  Nostradamus - Kill Matilda  Irish Waltz - Charlie Landsborough  Alexander's Ragtime Band - Bing Crosby  Alexander's Ragtime Band - Bing Crosby  Pop Goes The World - Barcelona  Secondary Waltz - Mark Knopfler  Alexander's Ragtime Band - Ella Fitzgerald  PLEASING THE CROWD - Roger Miller  Be Good - Tokyo Police Club  Waltzing In A Dream - Bing Crosby  Pop Goes The World - Men Without Hats  Ziggy Stardust [Original Demo][#][*] - David Bowie  Ziggy Stardust [Live] - David Bowie  Ziggy Stardust - The Moog Cookbook  Ziggy Stardust - The Gourds  Ziggy Stardust - The Exploding Boy  Ziggy Stardust [*] - The Ominous Seapods  Ziggy Stardust - Stun Gun  Ziggy Stardust - Spiders from Mars  Ziggy Stardust [Demo Version] - David Bowie  Ziggy Stardust (Live Acoustic) - Def Leppard  Ziggy Starsdust - DAVID BOWIE  Ziggy Stardust - Def Leppard  Ziggy Stardust (Encore) - Bauhaus  Ziggy Stardust - Andrew Jackson Jihad  Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie  Ziggy Stardust - Bauhaus  Ziggy Stardust (david Bowie) - Bauhaus  Ziggy Stardust - Dogooder  Ziggy Stardust (2012 - Remaster) - David Bowie  Bleib Am Ball - Boy  Get a Guitar - Jeff Carson  Matilda - Polly Paulusma  Matilda - Lord Devonshire & the Hummingbirds  Matilda - Lame Ducks  The Poppies - Wesley Willis  Cajun Moon - Ricky Skaggs  Dancin' 'Round The Kitchen - Fables  Did You Have A Nice Life Without Me?...  Daddy Frank - Merle Haggard  Alexander's Ragtime Band - Bessie Smith  Pop Goes the World [Video Track][Multimedia Track]...  Ludlow - Aaron  Ludlow L. - AaRON  Ludlow L. (Live) - Aaron  Waltzing by the Ohio - George Morgan  Tennessee Waltz - Eddy Arnold  Tennessee Waltz - Kitty Wells  Tennessee Waltz - Faron Young  Slow Marching Band - Jethro Tull  Tennessee Waltz - Ferlin Husky  Stupid Band - Fuck  The Story Of A Rock & Roll Band - Randy Newman  Breathless - U.S. Royalty  The Damage Done - Sisters Of Mercy  Johnny - Slapstick  Luther Played the Boogie [*] - Johnny Cash  Luther's Boogie - Johnny Cash  Waltzing - The Cranberries  White Weeled Limousine - Bruce Hornsby