War doesn't determine who's rite...it determines who's left

Soldier of Love · January 2006

So, i've gotten into the series - 'Over There' big time - having a brother in the army and who's currently serving in Iraq, i thought maybe we could gather together some songs about the terrible price of war.

Here's the lyrics to 'Over There'
- Chris Gerolmo

The day is comin,
The drums are drummin,
If you know one, say a prayer.

There's mother's crying,
And father's sighing -
War is in the air

The trains are filling up with boys,
They've left behind their favorite toys

They're going over there, over there
Where someone has to die

Over there, over there
Where ours is not to reason why...

haffajappa · January 2006

i fought in a war
and i left my friends behind me
to go looking for the enemy,
and it wasnt very long

before i would stand,
with another boy infront of me,
and a corpse that just fell into me
with the bullets flying 'round

i reminded myself of the words you said
when we were getting on
and i bet you're making shells back home
for a steady boy to wear

'round his neck
well it wont hurt to think of you
as if your waiting for
this letter to arrive
because i'll be here quite a while

i fought in a war
and i left my friends behind me
to go looking for the enemy
and it wasnt very long

before i found out
that the sickness there ahead of me
went beyond the battered infamy
of the decade gone before

i reminded myself of the words you said
when we were getting on
and i bet you're making shells back home
for a steady man to wear

'round his neck
well it wont hurt to think of you
as if your waiting for
this letter to arrive
because i'll be here quite a while

i fought in a war
i didn't know where it would end
stretched before me infanitely
i couldn't really think

of the day beyond now
keep your head down pal theres trouble plenty
in this hour, this day
i can see hope i can see light

whew, didnt realise the song was that long.

Soldier of Love · January 2006

I Was Only Nineteen
- Red Gum

Mum and Dad and Danny saw the Passing Out parade at Puckapunyal
(it was a long march from Cadets)
The 6th 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 footpaths 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 S.L.R. and Greens
God help me, I was only nineteen

From Vang Tau riding Chinooks, to the dust at Nui Dat
I'd been in and out of choppers now for months
And we made our tents a home, V.B and pin ups 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 the 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 any step could mean your last one on two legs
It was a war within yourself
But you wouldn't let your mates down til 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

I can still see Frankie drinking Tinnies, in the Grand Hotel
On a 36 hour Rec leave in Vang Tau
And i can still hear Frankie, lying screaming in the jungle
Til the morphine came and killed the bloody row

And the A.N.Z.A.C. legend didn't mention mud and blood and tears
And the stories that my father told me, never seemed quited 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 7 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.

Scubascott · January 2006

I was just about to post that one.

One of the best war songs ever written.

haffajappa · January 2006

Scubascott wrote:

I was just about to post that one.

One of the best war songs ever written.

yah i just listened to to that for the first time...

Soldier of Love · January 2006

Scubascott wrote:

I was just about to post that one.

One of the best war songs ever written.

Without a doubt!

War doesn't determine who's rite...it determines who's left

Comments