Cold Chisel - Khe Sanh

lyrics below. couldnt find the studio version. some great live versions out there tho! . this song is a particular anthem in our country. it is on nearly every juke box in every australian drinking place. it is always a crowd pleaser. and it has a message. it speaks of the Vietnam war. lead singer Jimmy Barnes is still going strong to this day, he is an Australian living legend. this song is part of the Australian psyche... you must know the lyrics to this song to be accepted in Australian life... haha. :)
at this point i recommend the book - McKenzie's Boots by Michael Noonan

brilliant mentions go to-

live, original, (video is cut off at the end) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKl0hEw-INQ&feature=related

then the reunion of the band version -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfDI2ZjXwK8&feature=related


I left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh
And my soul was sold with my cigarettes to the blackmarket man
I've had the Vietnam cold turkey
From the ocean to the Silver City
And it's only other vets could understand

About the long forgotten dockside guarantees
How there were no V-dayheroes in 1973
How we sailed into Sydney Harbour
Saw an old friend but couldn't kiss her
She was lined, and I was home to the lucky land

And she was like so many more from that time on
Their lives were all so empty, till they found their chosen one
And their legs were often open
But their minds were always closed
And their hearts were held in fast suburban chains
And the legal pads were yellow, hours long, paypacket lean
And the telex writers clattered where the gunships once had been
But the car parks made me jumpy
And I never stopped the dreams
Or the growing need for speed and novacaine

So I worked across the country end to end
Tried to find a place to settle down, where my mixed up life could mend
Held a job on an oil-rig
Flying choppers when I could
But the nightlife nearly drove me round the bend

And I've travelled round the world from year to year
And each one found me aimless, one more year the more for wear
And I've been back to South East Asia
But the answer sure ain't there
But I'm drifting north, to check things out again

You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
Only seven flying hours, and I'll be landing in Hong Kong
There ain't nothing like the kisses
From a jaded Chinese princess
I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
Yeah the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
And it's really got me worried
I'm goin' nowhere and I'm in a hurry
And the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

Category:

Music

Tags:

• cold
• chisel
• jimmy
• barnes
• khe
• sahn
• sanh
• lyrics

[alienkilla22]

i love being australian we have such great songs

[DanDanNissanMan]

@alienkilla22 im a kiwi and i love it! And Jimmy barnes

[WilliamSamuelFilice4]

I always thought the Aussies never got the credit for their R & R musical contributions. Aussie Crawl, AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Divinyls, The Angels, INXS, The Saints,and Radio Birdman were all early influences every bit as much as NYC and London bands were.

[furphyman]

"One more year the worse for wear"

[Cariboofly1]

Brought on flashbacks for an old man, today.

Semper Fi

[METALLICA19961000]

reminds me of open road cruising with the window down on my way to the river murry :)

[DRpokeme]

what a time we had..

[Cursed8Blessed]

anyone got a spare fag i down to my last one just smoking it on the wall and dont get it twisted dont mean no batty boy shit fag, no 13 taxi just went past i born under a bad sign if it wasnt for bad luck i have no luck at all dont think it same for illegal govt i feel the strong arm of the law not you feds i mean haile selaisse dark side guarantee wats that taxi to the dark side movie oh well even king solomon had dark side

[Rt1334]

Like this if u LOVE being an Australian!

[misshippychick]

crazy mthrfck

[chocolateparts]

@redwood10ful gud is also spelt Good* songz i spelt songs and wnt is spelt want mate :)

[redwood10ful]

debate!dum kiwi cant spell lol



[redwood10ful]

alot of gud kiwi songz too!but we wnt start that depate...will we

[TahliaIsTheBomb]

ahh no aussies in khe sahn get it??

[appking100]

awesome aussie rock

[AussieMark888]

pure gold

[uffreal]

great aussie rock ,aussie spirit and values

[1teigan]

This song is amazing. Nothing better than some cold chisel. Good australian rock to get you going.

[XXcowboypkerXX]

top work my brother makes you feel proud to be australian