and I lived the free life of a rover
From the Murrays green basin to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over
From the Murrays green basin to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over
Then in nineteen fifteen 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
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 to Gallipoli
as we sailed away from the quay
And amidst all the tears and the shouts and the cheers
we sailed off to Gallipoli
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
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
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
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
as we stopped to bury our slain
And we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
and it started all over again
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
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
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
For 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
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
So they collected the cripples, the wounded and maimed
and they shipped us back home to Australia
The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane
those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
and they shipped us back home to Australia
The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane
those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
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
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
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
as they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
then turned their faces away
And now every April I sit on my porch
and I watch the parade pass before me
And I watch my old comrades, how proudly they march
reliving their dreams of past glory
and I watch the parade pass before me
And I watch my old comrades, how proudly they march
reliving their dreams of past glory
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
And the band plays Waltzing Matilda
and the old men still answer the call
But year after year
their numbers get fewer
Some day no one will march there at all
Some day no one will march there at all
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll go a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Who'll go a-waltzing Matilda with me?
