Eric Bogle - The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

****Note added 25 April 2010:

When I was asked to create this presentation for a Remembrance Day assembly, I didn't know how I would show an "anti-war" song at an event that is supposed to honour our veterans. At the same time, war and military conflict was such a distant concept for our students, I wanted to some how make history relevant to them, let alone an "Australian" song that most of the our middle school students have never heard.

The more I listened to Bogle's words, the more I realized that this song was about more than a moment in history. It's about how history repeats itself and the great sacrifices that are made during war and how futile it all is if we fail to learn from our mistakes.

Making the transition from B/W to full colour to coincide with Bogle's words "We started all over again," I wanted to show how war is part of our past, present and (unfortunately) future.

Great sacrifices have been made because of war. Bogle asks "What are they marching for?" I say they are marching to honour those sacrifices. If any veteran is offended by this video, I truly do apologize.

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April 25 - ANZAC Day
November 11 - Remembrance Day

"Waltzing Matilda" is a very famous Australian folk song and a "Matilda" was the name given to the pack that Australian farm workers carried on their backs.

To "Waltz Matilda" meant to carry your pack of belongings through the bush.

The song "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" by Eric Bogle is about Australian soldiers who fought against Turkish troops and died in the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I.

Mixed with pictures from Gallipoli are pictures of past and present Canadian troops because this song and slideshow was played during a Remembrance Day assembly at a Canadian public school.

Information about this song was taken from this web page (which is NOT mine) that talks about Eric Bogle's performance of this song:

http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/par...

Judging by a lot of people's comments, I should have used another source for info and double-checked the data. I hope that Bogle's message reaches beyond just numbers--because all sacrifices big or small are significant.

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[Peter Oliver]

As an Australian I will never foget what these brave boys did but I also remember the Turkish soldiers that also died in this conflict, these soldiers were not only brave but honorable as well.

[bookeater]

Hey, can everybody keep the politics out of these comments? Whatever the reasons these young men died for, they did it because believed in something greater than themselves. ANZAC day is about simply remembering the fallen,to go on some sort of rant about why is more about you putting forward your personal bugbear. Just put it aside for the moment and give the dead their due.

[Carl Joseph]

Have you ever visited the peninsula there? Once you do, you will realise that the landing site is quite a stretch and it all looks the same, especially at night. There was a "preferred" landing spot along the stretch but the landing party mistook another spot for it instead. Not sure it's fair to blame the British for this. The whole campaign was a disaster from all sides.

[burnttoast2012]

Well done on a great edit. If only we can learn from the past, as history has a bad habit of repeating itself... maybe things will change in your lifetime... we can only hope...

[Larne Nelson]

Many countries invovled in the landing at various points.. Yet the landing at lone pine and now ANZAC Cove was a mistake by british generals... Once ANZAC took over there troops alone we had better results and did loose a life during the removal of all troops from ANZAC cove.. Lest We Forget .... thanks diggers from boer war , ww1 (anzac cove, lone pine, france etc,)ww2 kokoda, borneo, malaya coral sea.. now middle east .... Kepp the working going diggers ... ANZAC...

[kmluhrs2]

Hey Geekman, Australia had the population of one tiny suburb in London. So it actually was devastating to Australia. Also about Canada, I have found out recently other countries are included in ANZAC now. British, Canadians, etc.

[warren olofsson]

ANZAC day is to remember our dead and the tragedy of war and its terrible cost to Australians and New Zealanders.

[warren olofsson]

No it isnt. so Poland wanted what Germany had??? many wars are in self protection to.

[Tony Williams]

Man this bloody song brings me undone every time I hear it. It's a true classic.

[sandsybabes]

the things it's talking about are specific to any one war

[Ellen Campbell]

why are the pictures of Canada? I'm not disrespecting their army i think they are extremely brave but this is an Australian song. And therefore it should stay Australian.

[Amber V]

This song had made me cry since I was a child. I hadn't heard it in many years. Listening to it again still brings tears to my eyes.