"In 1965 Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war
but it wasn't
It was different in many ways, as so were those that did the fighting
In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 26
In Vietnam he was 19
In inininininin Vietnam he was 19
In inininininin Vietnam he was 19
In inininininin Vietnam he was 19
n n n n nineteen "
It was dance, with spoken word samples for the lyrics...very catchy
However.... another song about the same topic was released in Australia in March 1983 and was number 1 there for 2 weeks...It was by a band called Redgum. You may have heard of them, or maybe not. They never hit it big here, unlike other australian acts like Midnight Oil etc... It was written by the singer, John Schuman.
I prefer Redgums view of things....
"I Was Only Nineteen (A Walk In The Light Green) - John Schumann
Mum and Dad and Denny saw the passing-out parade
at Puckapunyal
It was a 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 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 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, VB 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 could 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.
I 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 the 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.
Redgum are no more now, but I still remember listening to them then, and being lucky to see them on a rare visit to the UK. Their songs inspired me, gave me strength and filled my heart with hope at times when I needed it most.
a little time browsing the interweb and I find it....
The sound is Redgum's live version of the song, with the video from a cover of the song by another australian band 'The Herd'
http://www.youtube.com/wat
The orginal Redgum video, with the studio version of the song.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
and now The Herd's version....an interesting lot, hip hop, using traditional instruments as well as the usual beats...
http://www.youtube.com/wat
thats enough for now, I think :D
