And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda lyrics and chords

Folk lyrics and guitar chords by Eric Bogle. The 5 string banjo chords are included in A Major which is the way The Pogues play the song. The youtube video is of The Pogues, also recorded by John McDermot, The Clancys and Tommy Makem [ song lyrics ], one of the finest folk songs ever written. Shane MacGowan's version differs slightly than Liam Clancy's version, just a slight lyrics change.

[A]When I was a[D] young man I [A]carried my[F#m] pack  
And [A]lived the free[E7] life of the[A] rover 
From the Murray's Green[D] Basin to the[A] dusty out[F#m]back 
I[A] waltzed my Ma[E7]tilda all[A] over
Then in[E] 1915 my[D] country said[A] "Son, 
It's[E] time to stop rambling, there's[D] work to be[A] done." 
So they gave me a[F#m] tin hat and they[A] gave me a [F#m]gun 
And they[A] sent me a[E7]way to the[A] war 

And[A] the band played[D] Waltzing[A] Matilda 
As the ship pulled a[D]way from the[E7] quay 
A[D]midst all the cheers, flag[A] waving and[D] tears 
We[A] sailed off for[E7] Gallipo[A]li

It's well I remember that terrible day 
Our blood stained the sands and the waters 
And how in that hell that they called Souvla Bay 
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter 
Johnny Turkey' was ready, he'd primed himself well 
He rained us with bullets and he showered us with shell 
And in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hell 
Nearly blew us right back to Australia

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we stopped to bury our slain 
We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs 
Then it started all over again

Those who were living did their best to survive 
In that mad world of death, blood and fire 
For ten weary weeks I kept myself alive 
While around me the corpses piled higher 
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse-over-head 
And when I awoke in my hospital bed 
And saw what it had done, Christ, I wished I was dead 
Never knew there were worse things than dying 

For no more I'll go waltzing Matilda 
All around the green bush far and near 
For to hang tents and pegs a man needs two legs 
No more waltzing Matilda for me 

They collected the wounded, the crippled and maimed 
And shipped us back home to Australia 
The armless, the legless, the blind and insane 
The proud, wounded heroes of Souvla 
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay 
I looked at the place where my legs used to be 
And thanked Christ there was no one there waiting for me 
To mourn and to grieve and to pity 

And the band played Waltzing Matilda [ tune ]
As they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood there and stared 
Then they turned all their faces away 

So now every April I sit on my porch 
And watch the parade pass before me 
I see my old comrades, how proudly they march 
Reliving their days of past glory 
I see the old men all twisted and torn 
The tired old heroes of a forgotten war 
And the young people ask me "What are they marching for?" 
And I ask myself the same question

And the band plays Waltzing Matilda 
And the old men still answer the call 
Year after year, their numbers get fewer 
Some day no one will march there at all 

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda 
Who'll go a'waltzing Matilda with me?

Here are the pogues version of the guitar chords

[E]When I was a[A] young man I [E]carried my[A] pack  
And lived the free[D] life of the[A] rover 
From the [E]Murray's Green Basin to the[D] dusty out[A]back 
I[A] waltzed my Ma[D]tilda all[A] over
Then in[E] 1915 my[A] country said[A] "Son, 
It's[E] time to stop [E]rambling, there's[D] work to be[E] done." 
So they gave me a[A] tin hat and they[E] gave me a [A]gun 
And they[A] sent me a[D]way to the[A] war 

And[E] the band played[D] Waltzing[A] Matilda 
As the [E]sailed a[A]way from the[E] quay 
A[D]midst all the cheers, flag[A] shouts and tears 
We[E] sailed off for[A] Gallipoli

The chord shapes below are for the 5 string banjo in the key of A Major.

Singer Eric Bogle