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And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

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90BPM

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1/21

Tempo 80 BPMVol

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Position

Step 1 / 21Position: 3

1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO openSpace = play/pause

[Intro]
       G>   >                       >   >                   (> = accent note)
e|-----3---3---|-------------|-----3---3---|-------------|
B|-------------|-----3---3---|-------------|-----3---3---|
G|---4---4---4-|-----4---4---|---4---4---4-|-----4---4---|
D|-5-----------|---5---------|-5-----------|---5-------5-|
A|-------------|-5-----------|-------------|-5-----------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
[Verse]
Now when GI was a Cyoung man I Gcarried me Empack
And I Glived the free Dlife on the Grover
From the Murray's green Cbasin to the Gdusty outEmback
Well, I Gwaltzed my MatDilda all Gover
Then in D1915 me Ccountry said, GSon
It's Dtime you stopped rambling, there's Cwork to be Gdone
So they gave me a Ctin hat, and they Ggave me a Emgun
And they Gmarched me awDay to the Gwar
[Chorus]
     GAnd the band played CWaltzing MatGilda
     As the ship pulled awCay from the DquayDsus4  D  
     And amCidst all the Amcheers, the flag-Gwaving and Emtears
     We Gsailed off for DGallipoGliGsus4  G  
[Verse]
And how Gwell I reCmember that Gterrible Emday
How our Gblood stained the Dsand and the Gwater
And of how in that Chell that they Gcall Suvla EmBay
We were Gbutchered like Dlambs at the Gslaughter
Johnny DTurk he was waiting, he'd Cprimed himself Gwell
He Dshowered us with bullets, and he Crained us with Gshell
And in five minutes Cflat he'd Gblown us all to Emhell
Nearly Gblew us right Dback to AustrGalia
[Chorus]
     GBut the band played CWaltzing MatGilda
     When we stopped to Cbury our DslaiDsus4nD  
     CWe buried Amours, and the GTurks buried Emtheirs
     Then we Gstarted all Dover agGainGsus4  G  
[Verse]
And tGhose that were Cleft, well, we Gtried to surEmvive
In that Gmad world of Dblood, death and Gfire
And for ten weary Cweeks I kept Gmyself alEmive
While arGound me the Dcorpses piled Ghigher
Then a Dbig Turkish shell knocked me Carse over Ghead
And Dwhen I woke up in me Chospital Gbed
And saw what it had Cdone, well, I Gwished I was Emdead
Never Gknew there was Dworse things than Gdying
[Chorus]
     GFor I'll go no more CWaltzing MatGilda
     All around the green Cbush far and DfreeDsus4  D  
     To Chump tent and Ampegs a mGan needs both lEmegs
     No more GWaltzing MatDilda for GmeGsus4  G  
[Verse]
So they Ggathered the Ccrippled, the Gwounded, the Emmaimed
And they Gshipped us back Dhome to AustrGalia
The legless, the Carmless, the Gblind, the inEmsane
Those Gproud wounded Dheroes of GSuvla
And Das our ship pulled into CCircular GQuay
I Dlooked at the place where me Clegs used to Gbe
And thanked Christ there was Cnobody Gwaiting for Emme
To Ggrieve, to Dmourn, and to Gpity
[Chorus]
     GBut the band played CWaltzing MatGilda
     As they carried us Cdown the gangDwayDsus4  D  
     But Cnobody Amcheered, they just Gstood and Emstared
     Then they Gturned all their Dfaces aGwayGsus4  G  
[Verse]
And so Gnow every CApril I Gsit on my Emporch
And I Gwatch the parDade pass beGfore me
And I see my old Ccomrades how Gproudly they Emmarch
ReGviving old Ddreams of past Gglory
And the Dold men march slowly, all Cbones stiff and Gsore
They're Dtired old heroes from a Cforgotten Gwar
And the young people Cask, "What are tGhey marching fEmor?"
And GI ask meDself the same Gquestion
[Chorus]
     GBut the band plays CWaltzing MatGilda
     And the old men still Canswer the DcallDsus4  D  
     But as Cyear follows Amyear, more old Gmen disapEmpear
     Someday Gno one will Dmarch there at GallGsus4  G  
[Verse]
GWaltzing Matilda, CWaltzing Matilda
GWho'll come a-EmWaltzing MaAmtilda with Dme?
And their Gghosts may be Dheard as they Emmarch by that Cbillabong
GWho'll come a-Waltzing MaD7tilda with Gme?

All chords in this song (8)

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32OOO3

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G major

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And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

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And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

by Eric Bogle

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Dsus4

Gsus4

[Intro]

> > > > (> = accent note)

e|-----3---3---|-------------|-----3---3---|-------------|

B|-------------|-----3---3---|-------------|-----3---3---|

G|---4---4---4-|-----4---4---|---4---4---4-|-----4---4---|

D|-5-----------|---5---------|-5-----------|---5-------5-|

A|-------------|-5-----------|-------------|-5-----------|

E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|

[Verse]

G C G Em

Now when I was a young man I carried me pack

G D G

And I lived the free life on the rover

C G Em

From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback

G D G

Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over

D C G

Then in 1915 me country said, Son

D C G

It's time you stopped rambling, there's work to be done

C G Em

So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun

G D G

And they marched me away to the war

[Chorus]

G C G

And the band played Waltzing Matilda

C D Dsus4 D

As the ship pulled away from the quay

C Am G Em

And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears

G D G Gsus4 G

We sailed off for Gallipoli

[Verse]

G C G Em

And how well I remember that terrible day

G D G

How our blood stained the sand and the water

C G Em

And of how in that hell that they call Suvla Bay

G D G

We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter

D C G

Johnny Turk he was waiting, he'd primed himself well

D C G

He showered us with bullets, and he rained us with shell

C G Em

And in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hell

G D G

Nearly blew us right back to Australia

[Chorus]

G C G

But the band played Waltzing Matilda

C D Dsus4 D

When we stopped to bury our slain

C Am G Em

We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs

G D G Gsus4 G

Then we started all over again

[Verse]

G C G Em

And those that were left, well, we tried to survive

G D G

In that mad world of blood, death and fire

C G Em

And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive

G D G

While around me the corpses piled higher

D C G

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head

D C G

And when I woke up in me hospital bed

C G Em

And saw what it had done, well, I wished I was dead

G D G

Never knew there was worse things than dying

[Chorus]

G C G

For I'll go no more Waltzing Matilda

C D Dsus4 D

All around the green bush far and free

C Am G Em

To hump tent and pegs a man needs both legs

G D G Gsus4 G

No more Waltzing Matilda for me

[Verse]

G C G Em

So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed

G D G

And they shipped us back home to Australia

C G Em

The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane

G D G

Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla

D C G

And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay

D C G

I looked at the place where me legs used to be

C G Em

And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me

G D G

To grieve, to mourn, and to pity

[Chorus]

G C G

But the band played Waltzing Matilda

C D Dsus4 D

As they carried us down the gangway

C Am G Em

But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared

G D G Gsus4 G

Then they turned all their faces away

[Verse]

G C G Em

And so now every April I sit on my porch

G D G

And I watch the parade pass before me

C G Em

And I see my old comrades how proudly they march

G D G

Reviving old dreams of past glory

D C G

And the old men march slowly, all bones stiff and sore

D C G

They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war

C G Em

And the young people ask, "What are they marching for?"

G D G

And I ask meself the same question

[Chorus]

G C G

But the band plays Waltzing Matilda

C D Dsus4 D

And the old men still answer the call

C Am G Em

But as year follows year, more old men disappear

G D G Gsus4 G

Someday no one will march there at all

[Verse]

G C

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda

G Em Am D

Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?

G D Em C

And their ghosts may be heard as they march by that billabong

G D7 G

Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?

About And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda Chords by Eric Bogle

Learn how to play And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by Eric Bogle with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda chords”, “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda guitar chords”, or “Eric Bogle And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda chords and for experienced players who want accurate And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, B, D, A, E, C.

FAQ — And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by Eric Bogle

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