I Was Only 19

Mum, dad and Denny were some amongst many Who turned up to see the passing-out parade at Puckapunyal Seemed every man and his mongrel watched cadets stumble On the long March to the Viet' Jungle 'Oh Christ' I mumbled as I drew that card And my mates came to slap me on the back with due regard We were the six battalion and the next to tour We did Canungra, Shoalwater before we left, rest assured Seemed half of Townsville turned out to see us leave And they lined the footpath as we marched to the quay The papers wrote it up like you wouldn't believe But we were looked into the future for a fast reprieve The Newspaper clippings show us young, strong and clean Rock a slouch hat, slung SLR's and Greens God help me, I was only 19 From Vung Tau the black helicopters The chinook pilots seemed relieved At Nui Dat where they dropped us Seemed like months running on and off landing pads Letters to dad, 'cause its like man he's sad But he can't see the tents that we call home Cans of VB and pins ups on the lockers of chicks off TV The noise, mosquito and the heat surprising Like the first time you see an agent orange arising So please can ya' tell me doctor why I still can't get to sleep The scars left with me And night times just a jungle, dark and a barking M16 And keep saying rest in peace What the hells this rash that comes and goes Don't 'spose you can tell me what that means? God help me, I was only 19 Sent off on a four week long operation Where every single step could be your last one On Two legs, It was sore to live You had fallen with the shells, war within yourself But you wouldn't let your mates down Till they had you dusted off So you closed your eyes And thought of something else Someone yelled contact, another bloke swore We hooked in for hours then a God Almighty roar Then Frankie kicked a mine the day That mankind kicked the moon God help me, he was going home in June And I can't still see Frank with a can in his hand 36 hour leave in the bar at the grand I can still hear frank, a screaming mess A bleeding flesh, couldn't retrieve his legs The Anzac legend neglected to mention The mud, the fear, the blood, the tears, the tension Dads recollection beyond comprehension Didn't seem quite real until he was sent in The chaos and confusion, the fire of steel Oh shrapnel in my back I didn't even feel God help me, I was only 19 So Please can ya' tell me doctor Why I can't get to sleep, I can't hardly eat And the sound of the channel seven chopper Stills chills me to my feet, stills fuels my grief And whats this rash that comes And goes like the dreams Can you tell me what that means? God help me, I was only 19 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 So please can ya' tell me doctor Why I can't get to sleep, I can't hardly eat And the sound of the channel seven chopper Stills chills me to my feet, stills fuels my grief And whats this rash that comes And goes like the dreams Can you tell me what that means? God help me, I was only 19