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And the band played Waltzing Mathilda

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Uploaded by on Oct 29, 2006

http://www.atheturk.com

In memoriam of thoses, anzacs, turks, frenchs who lost their lives in Gallipoli. The song "Waltzing Mathilda" is performed by the Pogues.

When I was a young man I carried my pack
And I lived the free life of a rover
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

How well I remember that terrible day
How 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 chased us with bullets, he rained us with shells
And in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia
But the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we stopped to bury our slain
We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then we started all over again

Now those that were left, well we tried to survive
In a mad world of blood, death and fire
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
But around me the corpses piled higher
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over tit
And when I woke up in my hospital bed
And saw what it had done, I wished I was dead
Never knew there were worse things than dying
For no more I'll go waltzing Matilda
All around the green bush far and near
For to hump tent and pegs, a man needs two legs
No more waltzing Matilda for me

So they collected the cripples, the wounded, the maimed
And they shipped us back home to Australia
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay
I looked at the place where my legs used to be
And thank 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 all 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 old dreams of past glory
And the old men march slowly, all bent, stiff and sore
The forgotten heroes from 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 answer to the call
But year after year their numbers get fewer
Some day 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 you pass the Billabong
Who'll come-a-waltzing Matilda with me?

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  • No one knows what happened in this war.Only you can project.Many heroes fought in this war.Do not disrespect them.Whatever the country, with love from Turkey.

  • i cry every time i watch this

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  • I would love to hear this played on the TV as part of the Remembrance Sunday programmes, just as the war poets are featured. So very moving.

  • Very nice tribute

  • Makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time I hear this song, so sad and true. Thank you for posting

  • I thought the song was about the bravery of the Anzacs and the stupidity of war. I do know that Irish ships left to help and may Irish men fought at Gallipoli.

    I also know from books that Turkish Soldiers where crying at the slaughter

    It was such a slaughter because the Turks had the high ground and could easily pick of the Soldiers trying to advance. The monument (built buy the Turks) at what is now called Anzacs cove.

    If you have nothing nice to say in their memory just say Thank you!

  • @SugerRaySaunderz Look below, that was me hunterreptilerooms. I feel the same sadness as the indigenous. And to have people comment on things they know nothing about, is a bigger hit, & makes me more against those that claim this song, just because one of them sang it.. Come here live our life in the bush, rather than pretend.Or abuse nothing you have no knowledge about. And war is definately a thing that is not worth glorifying.. Cheers Mik.

  • Sorry I cannot reply as two comments on an android ph. is the limit. Yes true, But they stole the country back then, theintroduced feral animals that have wiped out our natives, I am constantly killing rabbits,dogs,cats and fox, where natives should thrive. The canetoad was another absolutley thickheaded idea that has killed millions of our natives. I cannot blame the UK as hopefully your generation is wise enough to learn by its lesson. But when I hang with my Aboriginal bros, I can see sadness

  • @HunterReptileRooms fair enough, but dont hate for what happend a long time ago, as every single brit today does not have the power to change the past

  • For all you guys out there that dont know. Its Australia Day today. Or as I & the indigenous like to call it invasion day. This is when the Brits came and claimed our country as Terra Nullius. Bullshit! The black fella was here & the Brits slaughtered them like flies. I choose to celebrate and am heading to a bbq in 2 seonds. But our car will not fly the union jack. It flys the aboriginal flag with pride.

  • This is the only song i ever cry at.

  • @Knightstruth. If you speak the truth. It makes sense, i understand fully. Why couldnt someone just say that to me in 1STplace when i asked? The abuse and swearing at me, especially im aussie and this song belongs to us just wasnt necessary. Guess its the internet, and everyone thinks their a hero. Or lack of politeness dosnt exist online anymore..you do realise SOPA. Will stop all this soon when they win.

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