Intro: A C G D A G A A  

A                       C 
Mum, Dad and Denny were some amongst many 
G                              D 
who came to watch the passing out parade at Puckapunyal 
A                       G 
Seemed every man and his mongrel cam watched cadets stumble 
A                         A 
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                    G 
We were the sixth battalion, yep next to tour 
         A                         A 
we did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left, rest assured 
E                                E 
Seemed half of Townsville turned out to see us leave 
      D                          A 
they lined the footpaths as we marched to the quay 
         E                            E 
And the papers wrote it up like you wouldn't believe 
                  D                          A 
but we were only looking to the future for a fast reprieve 
     F#m                       E  
And there's all of us looking young 
                         D                  A 
strong and clean rockin' slouch hats slung SLRs and greens 
      E    E       F#m     D 
God help me, I was only nineteen 

      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                         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 mosquitoes, and the noise suprising 
           A                         A 
like the first time you see an agent orange horizon 

    E                      E                  D                       A 
So please can you tell me doctor why I can't get to sleep the scar's left in me?  
    E                      E                  D                       A 
Night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M16 that keeps 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    E       F#m     D 
God help me, I was only nineteen 

A                      C                     G                       D 
Sent off on a four-week long operation where every single step could be your last one 
A                   G                A                       A 
On two legs were sorta living hell falling with the shells, war within yourself 
E                         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                         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      E       F#m     D 
God help me, he was going home in June 

solo 
A / C / G / D 
A / G / A / A 

          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                       A 
And I can still hear Frank a screaming mess of bleeding flesh couldn't retrieve his legs 
             E                  E                    D                         A 
You see the ANZAC legend neglected to mention the mud, the fear,the blood,the tears,the tension 
E                   E                    D                      A 
Dad's recollection beyond comprehension didn't seem quite real until we were 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      E       F#m     D 
God help me, I was only 19 

   E                      E                  D                       A 
So please can you tell me doctor why I can't get to sleep I can't hardly eat?  
         E                          E                      D                A 
And the sound of the Channel Seven chopper still chills me to my feet still fuels my grief? 
     F#m                    E                      D                  A 
And what's this rash that comes and goes like the dreams can tell me what that means? 
      E    E       F#m     D 
God help me, I was only nineteen 

A             C             G             D 
Mum, Dad and Denny saw the passing out parade at  
A           G         A                A 
Puckapunyal 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         A  
we did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left 
     E                  E                D                  A 
And Townsville lined he footpaths as we marched down to the quay 
      E                E                D                     A 
This clipping from the papers showed us young and strong and clean 
F#m             E            D        A 
There me in me slouch hat me SLR and greens 
      E    E       F#m     D 
God help me, I was only nineteen 

  E                      E                  D                       A 
So please can you tell me doctor why I can't get to sleep I can't hardly eat?  
         E                          E                      D                A 
And the sound of the Channel Seven chopper still chills me to my feet still fuels my grief? 
     F#m                    E                      D                  A 
And what's this rash that comes and goes like the dreams can tell me what that means? 
      E    E       F#m     D 
God help me, I was only nineteen