TAB by Song : 302767
Tab List Area
1 Pages 1 Results
And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by John Williamson
And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Tuning:E A D G B E
Capo:no capo
[Intro]
A A/E x6
[Verse 1]
A D A
When I was a young man I carried a pack
A E A
I lived the free life of the rover.
A D A
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback,
A E A
I waltzed my Matilda all over.
[Pre-chorus 1]
E B D A
Then in 1915, my country said, "Son,
E B D A
there's no time for roamin', there's work to be done."
A D A F#m
And they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun,
A E A
And they sent me away to the war.
[Chorus 1]
A D A
And the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
A D E
As the ship pulled away from the quay.
D A F#m
And amidst all the cheers, the flag waving, and tears,
A E A
We set off for Gallipoli.
[Verse 2]
A D A
How well I remember that terrible day,
A E A
When our blood stained the sand and the water;
A D A
And how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay
A E A
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
[Pre-chorus 2]
E B D A
Johnny Turk, he was waitin', he primed himself well;
E B D A
He showered us with bullets, and he rained us with shells –
A D A F#m
And in five minutes flat, well he blew us to hell,
A E A
He nearly blew us right back to Australia.
[Chorus 2]
A D A
And the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
A D E
As we stopped to bury our slain.
D A F#m
We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs,
A E A
Then we started all over again.
[Verse 3]
A D A
So those who were left, just tried to survive
A E A
In a mad world of blood, death and fire.
A D A
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive,
A E A
As the corpses around me piled higher.
[Pre-chorus 3]
E B D A
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head,
E B D A
And when I awoke in my hospital bed
A D A F#m
I saw what it had done, and I wished I was dead –
A E A
Then I knew there were worse things than dying.
[Chorus 3]
A D A
And I'll go no more "Waltzing Matilda,"
A D E
All through the green bush far and free –
D A F#m
Cause to hunt and tent peg, a man needs both legs,
A E A
No more "Waltzing Matilda" for me.
[Verse 4]
A D A
They collected the crippled, the wounded, the maimed,
A E A
Shipped us all back to Australia.
A D A
The legless, the armless, the blind and insane,
A E A
The brave wounded heroes of Suvla.
[Pre-chorus 4]
E B D A
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay,
E B D A
I looked at the place where my legs used to be,
A D A F#m
And I thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me,
A E A
To mourn and to grieve and to pity.
[Chorus 4]
A D A
And the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
A D E
As they carried us down the gangway.
D A F#m
Nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,
A E A
Then turned all their faces away.
[Verse 5]
A D A
And now every April, I sit on my porch
A E A
As I watch the parade pass before me.
A D A
I see my old comrades, how proudly they march,
A E A
Reviving old dreams and past glories.
[Pre-chorus 5]
E B D A
But the old men march slowly, bones stiff and sore
E B D A
Tired old men from a tired old war.
A D A F#m
And the young people ask "What are they marching for?"
A E A
And I ask myself the same question.
[Chorus 5]
A D A
And the band plays "Waltzing Matilda,"
A D E
As the old men still answer the call.
D A F#m
And year after year, more old men disappear
A E A
Soon none of them will march there at all.
------------------
version 2
Capo:no capo
[Verse]
A D A
Now when I was a young man I carried me pack
E A
And I lived the free life of the rover.
A D A
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback,
E A
Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over.
B A
Then in 1915, my country said, "Son,
B A
It's time you stop ramblin', there's work to be done."
D A
So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun,
E A
And they marched me away to the war.
D A
And the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
D E
As the ship pulled away from the quay,
D A
And amidst all the cheers, the flag waving, and tears,
E A
We sailed off for Gallipoli.
D A
And how well I remember that terrible day,
E A
How our blood stained the sand and the water;
D A
And of how in that hell that they call Suvla Bay
E A
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
B A
Johnny Turk, he was waitin', he primed himself well;
B A
He showered us with bullets, and he rained us with shell ?
D A
And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell,
E A
Nearly blew us right back to Australia.
D A
But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
D E
When we stopped to bury our slain,
D A
Well, we buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs,
E A
Then we started all over again.
D A
And those that were left, well, we tried to survive
E A
In that mad world of blood, death and fire.
D A
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
E A
Though around me the corpses piled higher.
B A
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head,
B A
And when I woke up in me hospital bed
D A
And saw what it had done, well, I wished I was dead ?
E A
Never knew there was worse things than dying.
D A
For I'll go no more "Waltzing Matilda,"
D E
All around the green bush far and free ?
D A
To hump tents and pegs, a man needs both legs,
E A
No more "Waltzing Matilda" for me.
D A
So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed,
E A
And they shipped us back home to Australia.
D A
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane,
E A
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla.
B A
And as our ship sailed into Circular Quay,
B A
I looked at the place where me legs used to be,
D A
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me,
E A
To grieve, to mourn and to pity.
A D A
But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
D E
As they carried us down the gangway,
D A
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,
E A
Then they turned all their faces away.
D A
And so now every April, I sit on my porch
E A
And I watch the parade pass before me.
D A
And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march,
E A
Reviving old dreams of past glory,
B A
And the old men march slowly, all bones stiff and sore,
B A
They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war
D A
And the young people ask "What are they marching for?"
E A
And I ask meself the same question.
D A
But the band plays "Waltzing Matilda,"
D E
And the old men still answer the call,
D A
But as year follows year, more old men disappear
E A
Someday, no one will march there at all.
A D
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda.
A D A E
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
A E A D
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong,
A D E A
Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?
------------