Chords for The Herd - I Was Only 19

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
Mom, Dad [C] and Denny were some amongst [G] many who came to watch us [D] pass in our parade at Park [Am] Opunnel.
Seemed every [G] man and his mongrel came to [A] watch the deaths stumble on the long march to the Viet [Am] Jungle.
Oh, Christ, [C] we mumbled as I drew that [G] card.
And my mates came and [D] slapped me on the back with due [Am] regard.
We were the 6th Battalion, yep, next to [G] tour.
We did kangaroo and [A] shoal water before we left, rest assured.
[E] Seemed half of Townsville turned out to see [D] us leave.
They lined the [A] footpaths as we marched to the [E] quay.
And the papers wrote it up like you wouldn't believe.
[D] But we were only looking [A] to the future, to fast for [F#m] free.
And there's all of [E] us, looking young, strong and [D] clean.
Rockets slouched at us, [A] slung SLRs and [E] greens.
God help me, _ _ _ I was only [D] 19. _ _ _ _ _ _
[Am] From Fungtown and [C] black helicopters, the [G] channel pilot seemed [D] relieved and knew we'd got when
he [Am] dropped us.
Seemed like [G] mums running on and off [A] landing pads.
Letters to Dad, it's like, man he's [Am] sad, but he can't see the [C] tense that we call home.
[G] Cans of BB, [D] pinups of chicks off [Am] TV.
The heat, the [G] mosquitoes and the noise, [A] surprising like the first time you see an aged orange [E] horizon.
So please, can you tell me doctor, [D] why I can't [A] get to sleep?
Scars left in [E] me, and night time's just a jungle dark.
In a [D] barking M16, [A] we keep saying rest [F#m] in peace.
What's this [E] crash that comes and [D] goes?
Don't suppose you could [A] tell me what that [E] means.
God help me, _ _ _ I was only [D] 19. _ _ _ _ _
_ [Am] Sent off on a [C] four week long [G] operation where every single [Dm] step could be your [Am] last one.
On two [G] legs it was sort of [A] living hell, falling with the shells, wall within [E] yourself.
But you couldn't let your mates down [D] till they had you dusted off.
[A] So you closed your eyes and thought of [E] something else.
Someone yelled, contact!
Another blood [D] swallow.
We hooked in for [A] hours, then a god almighty [F#] rolling prank.
He [B] kicked the mine, the [A] day that mankind kicked the moon.
[E] God help me.
He _ was going home in [D] June. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ [C] _ _ [G] _ _ [D] _
_ [A] _ _ [G] _ _ [A] _ _ _
And I can still see [C] Frank with a can in his [G] hand.
36 hour leave in the [Am] bar of the Grand.
And I can still hear [G] Frank, a screaming [A] mess.
A bleeding flesh, couldn't retrieve his [E] legs to see the Anzac legend.
Neglected to [D] mention, what the fear, [A] the blood, the tears, the [E] tension.
Dad's recollection, beyond comprehension.
Didn't seem quite [A] real until we were [F#m] sent in.
Chaos and [E] confusion, the fire and steel.
[A] Heart travel in my back, I didn't even feel.
[E] God help me.
_ _ _ [C] Dad and Denny [G] saw the passing out [D] parade.
[A] The Puckapunyal [G] was a long march [A] from Cadets.
_ And the 6th [C] Battalion was the next to [Em] tour.
It was me who drew [D] the card.
[A] We did Kumandra, [G]
Shoalwater, [A] before we left.
_ [E] The Townsville lined the footpaths as [D] we marched out [A] to the quay.
[E] This clipping from the paper [D] shows us young and strong [A] and clean.
_ [F#m] There's me, [E] in me spout-hat.
[D] PSLR [A] and greens.
[E] God help me. _
_ _ I was only [A] 19. _ _
_ [E] Please can't you tell me, Doctor, why [D] I can't get to sleep?
[A] I can't hardly eat.
[E] And the sound of the Channel 7 chopper still [D] kills me.
To my feet, [A] still kills my grief.
[F#m] What's this [E] rash that comes and goes [D] like the greens?
Can you [A] tell me what that means?
[E] God help me.
_ _ _ I was [D] only 19. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _