Mum and Dad and Denny saw the
passing out parade at Puckapunyal
(It was long march from cadets).
The sixth battalion was the next to tour and it was me who drew
the card.
We did Canungra, Shoalwater before we left.
And Townsville lined the footpath as we marched down to the quay.
This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean.
And there's me in my slouch hat with my SLR and greens.
God help me, I was only nineteen.
From Vung Tau, riding Chinooks, to the dust at Nui Dat,
I'd been in and out of choppers now for months.
But we made our tents a home, V.B. and pinups on the lockers,
and an Asian orange sunset through the scrub.
And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?
And night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M16?
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what
it means?
God help me, I was only nineteen.
A four week operation, when each step can mean your last one
on two legs, it was a war within yourself.
But you wouldn't let your mates down 'till they had you dusted
off,
so you closed your eyes and thought about something else.
Then someone yelled out "Contact"', and the bloke behind
me swore.
We hooked in there for hours, then a God almighty roar.
Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon.
God help me, he was going home in June.
1 can still see Frankie, drinking tinnies in the Grand Hotel
On a thirty-six hour rec. leave in Vung Tau.
And I can still hear Frankie, lying screaming in the jungle.
'Till the morphine came and killed the bloody row
And the Anzac legends didn't mention mud and blood and tears.
And stories that my father told me never seemed quite real
I caught some pieces in my back that I didn't even feel.
God help me, I was only nineteen.
And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?
And why the Channel Seven chopper chills me to my feet?
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what
it means?
God help me, I was only nineteen.
The song was written in the 70's, by a John Schumann and performed by him in the band called "Redgum".
It became a national hit and especially among Vietnam Veterans almost immediately.
It is still performed today whenever Veterans get together for a concert.
Just a few things that may help you understand the lyrics better.
Puckapunyal was a recruit-training centre and Canungra is a Jungle Warfare training centre.
Shoalwater was a place that the Army used for Military exercises.
The SLR was the personal weapon mostly used in Vietnam.
Vung Tau & Nui Dat were Aussie bases in Vietnam.
V.B. is Victorian Bitter a very popular Aussie beer.
Anzac is the acronym for the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps
