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I Was Only 19
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[Intro]
A C G D
A G A A
A C G D
A G A A
[Verse 1]
AMum, Dad and Denny, were Csome amongst many
who Gcame to watch the passing out Dparade at Puckapunyal
ASeemed every man and his Gmongrel came to watch cadets Astumble
on the long march to the Viet jungle.
"AOh Christ", I mumbled as I Cdrew that card
and my Gmates came to slap me on the Dback with due regard
AWe were the sixth battalion, yet next to tour
we Gdid Canungra and Shoalwater beAfore we left, rest assured
ESeemed half of Townsville turned out to see us leave
they Dlined the footpaths as we Amarched to the quay
And the Epapers wrote it up like you wouldn't believe
but we were Donly looking to the future for Afast reprieve
And F#mthere's all of us looking Eyoung stong and clean
rockin' Dslouch hats slung SLARs and greens
God Ehelp me, I was only nineDteen
[Verse 2]
From AVung Tau the black heliCcopters
the chinhook pilGots seemed relieved at Nui DDat when he dropped us
ASeems like months running Gon and off landing pads
Aletters to Dad it's like, man, he's sad
But he Acan't see the tents that we Ccall home
cans of GVB, pin-ups of Dchicks off TV
The Aheat, the mosquitos, and the Gnoise suprising
like the Afirst time you see an agent orange horizon
[Chorus]
So Eplease can you tell me doctor why I can't Dget to sleep, the scar's Aleft with me
and night Etime's just a jungle dark and a barking DM16, we keep Asaying "rest in peace"
And F#mwhat's this rash that Ecomes and goes? Don't supDpose you can tell me Awhat that means?
God Ehelp me, I was only nineDteen
[Verse 3]
ASent off on a four-week Clong operation where Gevery single step Dcould be your last one
AOn two legs were Gsorta living hell Afallen with the shells, war within yourself
EBut you couldn't let your mates down 'til they had you Ddusted off
so you closed your Aeyes and thought of something else
ESomeone yelled "contact!" another bloke swore
we Dhooked in for hours then a Agod almighty roar
Then F#mFrankie kicked a Emine the day that Dmankind kicked the Amoon
God Ehelp me, he was F#mgoing home in JuneD
[Instrumental]
A C G D
A G A A
[Verse 4]
And I can Astill see Frank with a Ccan in his hand thirty-Gsix hour leave in the Dbar at the Grand
And I can Astill hear Frank a Gscreaming mess of Ableeding flesh couldn't retrieve his legs
You see the EANZAC legend neglected to mention the Dmud, the fear, the blood, the Atears, the tension
EDad's recollection beyond comprehension Ddidn't seem quite real unAtil we was sent in
F#mChaos and confusion the Efire and steel hot Dshrapnel in my back I didn't Aeven feel
God Ehelp me, I was only nineDteen
[Chorus]
So Eplease can you tell me doctor why I can't Dget to sleep, I can't Ahardly eat
And the Esound of the Channel Seven chopper still chills me Dto my feet, it still Afuels my grief
And F#mwhat's this rash that Ecomes and goes like the Ddreams, can you tell me Awhat that means?
God Ehelp me, I was only nineDteen
[Verse 5]
AMum, Dad and CDenny saw the Gpassing out paDrade at PuckaApunyal
It was a Glong march from ACadets
The Asixth battalion was the Cnext to tour, it was Gme who drew the Dcard
We did CanAungra and ShoalGwater before we Aleft
And ETownsville lined the footpaths as we Dmarched down to the Aquay
This Eclipping from the papers showed us Dyoung and strong and Aclean
F#mThere's me in me Eslouch hat me DSLR and Agreens
God Ehelp me, I was only nineDteen
[Outro]
So Eplease can you tell me doctor why I can't Dget to sleep, I can't Ahardly eat
And the Esound of the Channel Seven chopper still chills me Dto my feet, it still Afuels my grief
And F#mwhat's this rash that Ecomes and goes like the Ddreams, can you tell me Awhat that means?
God Ehelp me, I was only nineDteen
All chords in this song (6)
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I Was Only 19
by The Herd
Chords in this song · guitar
A
C
G
D
E
F#m
[Intro]
A C G D
A G A A
A C G D
A G A A
[Verse 1]
A C
Mum, Dad and Denny, were some amongst many
G D
who came to watch the passing out parade at Puckapunyal
A G A
Seemed every man and his mongrel came to watch cadets stumble
on the long march to the Viet jungle.
A C
"Oh Christ", I mumbled as I drew that card
G D
and my mates came to slap me on the back with due regard
A
We were the sixth battalion, yet next to tour
G A
we did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left, rest assured
E
Seemed half of Townsville turned out to see us leave
D A
they lined the footpaths as we marched to the quay
E
And the papers wrote it up like you wouldn't believe
D A
but we were only looking to the future for fast reprieve
F#m E
And there's all of us looking young stong and clean
D A
rockin' slouch hats slung SLRs and greens
E D
God help me, I was only nineteen
[Verse 2]
A C
From Vung Tau the black helicopters
G D
the chinhook pilots seemed relieved at Nui Dat when he dropped us
A G
Seems like months running on and off landing pads
A
letters to Dad it's like, man, he's sad
A C
But he can't see the tents that we call home
G D
cans of VB, pin-ups of chicks off TV
A G
The heat, the mosquitos, and the noise suprising
A
like the first time you see an agent orange horizon
[Chorus]
E D A
So please can you tell me doctor why I can't get to sleep, the scar's left with me
E D A
and night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M16, we keep saying "rest in peace"
F#m E D A
And what's this rash that comes and goes? Don't suppose you can tell me what that means?
E D
God help me, I was only nineteen
[Verse 3]
A C G D
Sent off on a four-week long operation where every single step could be your last one
A G A
On two legs were sorta living hell fallen with the shells, war within yourself
E D
But you couldn't let your mates down 'til they had you dusted off
A
so you closed your eyes and thought of something else
E
Someone yelled "contact!" another bloke swore
D A
we hooked in for hours then a god almighty roar
F#m E D A
Then Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon
E F#m D
God help me, he was going home in June
[Instrumental]
A C G D
A G A A
[Verse 4]
A C G D
And I can still see Frank with a can in his hand thirty-six hour leave in the bar at the Grand
A G A
And I can still hear Frank a screaming mess of bleeding flesh couldn't retrieve his legs
E D A
You see the ANZAC legend neglected to mention the mud, the fear, the blood, the tears, the tension
E D A
Dad's recollection beyond comprehension didn't seem quite real until we was sent in
F#m E D A
Chaos and confusion the fire and steel hot shrapnel in my back I didn't even feel
E D
God help me, I was only nineteen
[Chorus]
E D A
So please can you tell me doctor why I can't get to sleep, I can't hardly eat
E D A
And the sound of the Channel Seven chopper still chills me to my feet, it still fuels my grief
F#m E D A
And what's this rash that comes and goes like the dreams, can you tell me what that means?
E D
God help me, I was only nineteen
[Verse 5]
A C G D A
Mum, Dad and Denny saw the passing out parade at Puckapunyal
G A
It was a long march from Cadets
A C G D
The sixth battalion was the next to tour, it was me who drew the card
A G A
We did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left
E D A
And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the quay
E D A
This clipping from the papers showed us young and strong and clean
F#m E D A
There's me in me slouch hat me SLR and greens
E D
God help me, I was only nineteen
[Outro]
E D A
So please can you tell me doctor why I can't get to sleep, I can't hardly eat
E D A
And the sound of the Channel Seven chopper still chills me to my feet, it still fuels my grief
F#m E D A
And what's this rash that comes and goes like the dreams, can you tell me what that means?
E D
God help me, I was only nineteen
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About I Was Only 19 Chords by The Herd
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