I Was Only Nineteen-Aussie Bush Band

[ti:I Was Only Nineteen] [ar:Aussie Bush Band] [al:Great Australian Songs] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]I Was Only Nineteen - Aussie Bush Band [00:12.00]Mum and Dad and Danny [00:13.56]Saw the passing out parade at Puckapunyal [00:18.00] [00:20.36]It was a long march from cadets [00:21.86] [00:24.01]The sixth battalion was the next to tour [00:26.84]And it was me who drew the card [00:28.92] [00:29.51]We did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left [00:32.88] [00:35.54]And Townsville lined the footpaths [00:38.07]As we marched down to the quay [00:40.31] [00:41.18]This clipping from the paper shows us young [00:44.21]And strong and clean [00:45.74] [00:46.82]And there's me in me slouch hat [00:49.31]With me SLR and greens [00:52.06]God help me I was only nineteen [00:59.26] [01:03.85]From Vung Tau riding Chinooks to the dust at Nui Dat [01:08.38] [01:09.16]I'd been in and out of choppers now for months [01:12.79] [01:14.87]And we made our tents a home V B [01:17.71]And pinups on the lockers [01:19.95] [01:20.47]And an agent orange sunset through the scrub [01:24.06] [01:26.09]And can you tell me doctor [01:28.31]Why I still can't get to sleep [01:30.63] [01:31.86]And night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M 16 [01:36.75] [01:37.68]And what's this rash that comes and goes [01:40.00]Can you tell me what it means [01:42.89]God help me I was only nineteen [01:50.00] [01:54.69]A four week operation [01:56.54]When each step can mean your last one on two legs [02:00.61] [02:01.35]It was a war within yourself [02:03.41] [02:05.62]But you wouldn't let your mates down [02:07.62]'Til they had you dusted off [02:10.34] [02:11.12]So you closed your eyes [02:12.53]And thought about somethin' else [02:14.82] [02:16.62]And then someone yelled out Contact [02:19.14] [02:19.65]And the bloke behind me swore [02:22.00] [02:22.52]We hooked in there for hours then a God almighty roar [02:27.48] [02:28.05]And Frankie kicked a mine the day [02:30.89]That mankind kicked the moon [02:33.78]God help me he was goin' home in June [02:40.85] [02:56.82]And I can still see Frankie drinkin' tinnies in the Grand Hotel [03:02.51]On a thirty six hour rec leave in Vung Tau [03:06.43] [03:08.09]And I can still hear Frankie lying screaming in the jungle [03:13.12]'Til the M******e came and killed the bloody row [03:17.77] [03:19.06]And the Anzac legends didn't mention mud [03:22.66]And blood and tears [03:24.55]And the stories [03:25.60]That my father told me never seemed quite real [03:30.06]I caught some pieces in my back [03:33.23]That I didn't even feel [03:35.85]God help me I was only nineteen [03:44.44]And can you tell me doctor [03:46.64]Why I still can't get to sleep tonight [03:49.25] [03:50.25]And why the Channel Seven chopper chills me to my feet [03:54.84] [03:56.00]And what's this rash that comes and goes [03:58.41]Can you tell me what it means [04:01.27]God help me I was only nineteen