Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack And I lived the free life of the rover From the Murray’s green basin to the dusty outback Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over Then in 1915, my country said “son It’s time you stopped rambling, there’s work to be done” So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun And they marched me away to the war
And the band played Waltzing Matilda As the ship pulled away from the quay And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears We sailed off for Gallipoli
And how well I remember that terrible day How our blood stained the sand and the water And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter Johnny Turk, he was waiting, he’d primed himself well He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shell And in five minutes flat, he’d blown us all to hell Nearly blew us right back to Australia
But the band played Waltzing Matilda When we stopped to bury our slain We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs Then we started all over again
And those that were left, well we tried to survive In that mad world of blood, death and fire And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive Though around me the corpses piled higher Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head And when I woke up in me hospital bed And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead Never knew there was worse things than dyin’
For I’ll go no more waltzing Matilda All around the green bush far and free To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs No more waltzing Matilda for me
So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed And they shipped us back home to Australia The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay I looked at the place where me legs used to be And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me To grieve, to mourn, and to pity
But the band played Waltzing Matilda As they carried us down the gangway But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared Then they turned all their faces away
And so now every April, I sit on me porch And I watch the parades pass before me And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march Reviving old dreams of past glories And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore They’re tired old heroes from a forgotten war And the young people ask, “what are they marching for?” And I ask myself the same question
But the band plays Waltzing Matilda And the old men still answer the call But as year follows year, more old men disappear Someday no one will march there at all
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me? And their ghosts may be heard As they march by that billabong Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Mandatory Credit: Photo by EDMOND SADAKA EDMOND/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock (8799004g)
Dolores O’Riordan
The Cranberries in concert, Olympia. Paris, France – 04 May 2017
Lyrics
If you, if you could return Don’t let it burn Don’t let it fade I’m sure I’m not being rude But it’s just your attitude It’s tearing me apart It’s ruining every day
I swore, I swore I would be true And honey so did you So why were you holding her hand? Is that the way we stand? Were you lying all the time? Was it just a game to you?
But I’m in so deep You know I’m such a fool for you You got me wrapped around your finger Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?
Oh, I thought the world of you I thought nothing could go wrong But I was wrong, I was wrong
If you, if you could get by Trying not to lie Things wouldn’t be so confused And I wouldn’t feel so used But you always really knew I just want to be with you
And I’m in so deep You know I’m such a fool for you You got me wrapped around your finger Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?
And I’m in so deep You know I’m such a fool for you You got me wrapped around your finger Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?
You know I’m such a fool for you You got me wrapped around your finger Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?
In this proud land we grew up strong We were wanted all along I was taught to fight, taught to win I never thought I could fail
No fight left or so it seems I am a man whose dreams have all deserted I’ve changed my face, I’ve changed my name But no one wants you when you lose
Don’t give up ‘Cause you have friends Don’t give up You’re not beaten yet Don’t give up I know you can make it good
Though I saw it all around Never thought I could be affected Thought that we’d be last to go It is so strange the way things turn
Drove the night toward my home The place that I was born, on the lakeside As daylight broke, I saw the earth The trees had burned down to the ground
Don’t give up You still have us Don’t give up We don’t need much of anything Don’t give up ‘Cause somewhere there’s a place Where we belong
Rest your head You worry too much It’s going to be alright When times get rough You can fall back on us Don’t give up Please don’t give up
Got to walk out of here I can’t take anymore Gonna stand on that bridge Keep my eyes down below Whatever may come And whatever may go That river’s flowing That river’s flowing
Moved on to another town Tried hard to settle down For every job, so many men So many men no-one needs
Don’t give up ‘Cause you have friends Don’t give up You’re not the only one Don’t give up No reason to be ashamed Don’t give up You still have us Don’t give up now We’re proud of who you are Don’t give up You know it’s never been easy Don’t give up ‘Cause I believe there’s a place There’s a place where we belong
Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack And I lived the free life of the rover From the Murray’s green basin to the dusty outback Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over Then in 1915, my country said “son It’s time you stopped rambling, there’s work to be done” So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun And they marched me away to the war
And the band played Waltzing Matilda As the ship pulled away from the quay And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears We sailed off for Gallipoli
And how well I remember that terrible day How our blood stained the sand and the water And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter Johnny Turk, he was waiting, he’d primed himself well He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shell And in five minutes flat, he’d blown us all to hell Nearly blew us right back to Australia
But the band played Waltzing Matilda When we stopped to bury our slain We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs Then we started all over again
And those that were left, well we tried to survive In that mad world of blood, death and fire And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive Though around me the corpses piled higher Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head And when I woke up in me hospital bed And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead Never knew there was worse things than dyin’
For I’ll go no more waltzing Matilda All around the green bush far and free To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs No more waltzing Matilda for me
So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed And they shipped us back home to Australia The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay I looked at the place where me legs used to be And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me To grieve, to mourn, and to pity
But the band played Waltzing Matilda As they carried us down the gangway But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared Then they turned all their faces away
And so now every April, I sit on me porch And I watch the parades pass before me And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march Reviving old dreams of past glories And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore They’re tired old heroes from a forgotten war And the young people ask, “what are they marching for?” And I ask myself the same question
But the band plays Waltzing Matilda And the old men still answer the call But as year follows year, more old men disappear Someday no one will march there at all
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me? And their ghosts may be heard As they march by that billabong Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack And I lived the free life of the rover From the Murray’s green basin to the dusty outback Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over Then in 1915, my country said “son It’s time you stopped rambling, there’s work to be done” So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun And they marched me away to the war
And the band played Waltzing Matilda As the ship pulled away from the quay And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears We sailed off for Gallipoli
And how well I remember that terrible day How our blood stained the sand and the water And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter Johnny Turk, he was waiting, he’d primed himself well He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shell And in five minutes flat, he’d blown us all to hell Nearly blew us right back to Australia
But the band played Waltzing Matilda When we stopped to bury our slain We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs Then we started all over again
And those that were left, well we tried to survive In that mad world of blood, death and fire And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive Though around me the corpses piled higher Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head And when I woke up in me hospital bed And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead Never knew there was worse things than dyin’
For I’ll go no more waltzing Matilda All around the green bush far and free To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs No more waltzing Matilda for me
So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed And they shipped us back home to Australia The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay I looked at the place where me legs used to be And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me To grieve, to mourn, and to pity
But the band played Waltzing Matilda As they carried us down the gangway But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared Then they turned all their faces away
And so now every April, I sit on me porch And I watch the parades pass before me And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march Reviving old dreams of past glories And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore They’re tired old heroes from a forgotten war And the young people ask, “what are they marching for?” And I ask myself the same question
But the band plays Waltzing Matilda And the old men still answer the call But as year follows year, more old men disappear Someday no one will march there at all
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me? And their ghosts may be heard As they march by that billabong Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack And I lived the free life of the rover From the Murray’s green basin to the dusty outback Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over Then in 1915, my country said “son It’s time you stopped rambling, there’s work to be done” So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun And they marched me away to the war
And the band played Waltzing Matilda As the ship pulled away from the quay And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears We sailed off for Gallipoli
And how well I remember that terrible day How our blood stained the sand and the water And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter Johnny Turk, he was waiting, he’d primed himself well He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shell And in five minutes flat, he’d blown us all to hell Nearly blew us right back to Australia
But the band played Waltzing Matilda When we stopped to bury our slain We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs Then we started all over again
And those that were left, well we tried to survive In that mad world of blood, death and fire And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive Though around me the corpses piled higher Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head And when I woke up in me hospital bed And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead Never knew there was worse things than dyin’
For I’ll go no more waltzing Matilda All around the green bush far and free To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs No more waltzing Matilda for me
So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed And they shipped us back home to Australia The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay I looked at the place where me legs used to be And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me To grieve, to mourn, and to pity
But the band played Waltzing Matilda As they carried us down the gangway But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared Then they turned all their faces away
And so now every April, I sit on me porch And I watch the parades pass before me And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march Reviving old dreams of past glories And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore They’re tired old heroes from a forgotten war And the young people ask, “what are they marching for?” And I ask myself the same question
But the band plays Waltzing Matilda And the old men still answer the call But as year follows year, more old men disappear Someday no one will march there at all
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me? And their ghosts may be heard As they march by that billabong Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack And I lived the free life of the rover From the Murray’s green basin to the dusty outback Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over Then in 1915, my country said “son It’s time you stopped rambling, there’s work to be done” So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun And they marched me away to the war
And the band played Waltzing Matilda As the ship pulled away from the quay And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears We sailed off for Gallipoli
And how well I remember that terrible day How our blood stained the sand and the water And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter Johnny Turk, he was waiting, he’d primed himself well He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shell And in five minutes flat, he’d blown us all to hell Nearly blew us right back to Australia
But the band played Waltzing Matilda When we stopped to bury our slain We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs Then we started all over again
And those that were left, well we tried to survive In that mad world of blood, death and fire And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive Though around me the corpses piled higher Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head And when I woke up in me hospital bed And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead Never knew there was worse things than dyin’
For I’ll go no more waltzing Matilda All around the green bush far and free To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs No more waltzing Matilda for me
So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed And they shipped us back home to Australia The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay I looked at the place where me legs used to be And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me To grieve, to mourn, and to pity
But the band played Waltzing Matilda As they carried us down the gangway But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared Then they turned all their faces away
And so now every April, I sit on me porch And I watch the parades pass before me And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march Reviving old dreams of past glories And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore They’re tired old heroes from a forgotten war And the young people ask, “what are they marching for?” And I ask myself the same question
But the band plays Waltzing Matilda And the old men still answer the call But as year follows year, more old men disappear Someday no one will march there at all
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me? And their ghosts may be heard As they march by that billabong Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Whoaaa! Another day (adabadee, nigga) I take your pain away
Some people talk about ya like they know all about ya When you get down they doubt ya And when you tip it on the scene, yeah they talkin’ bout it Cause they can’t tip on the scene They just talk about it, t-t-t-talk bout it When you get elevated They love it or they hate it You dance up on them haters Keep getting funky on the scene While they jumpin’ round ya They trying to take all of your dreams But you can’t allow it Cause baby whether you’re high or low Whether you’re high or low You gotta tip on the tightrope (tip, tip on it) T-t-t-tip on the tightrope (tip, tip on it) Baby, baby, baby, whether you’re high or low (high or low) Baby whether you’re high or low (high or low) You got to tip on the tightrope (tip, tip on it) Now let me see you do the tightrope (tip, tip on it) And I’m still tippin’ on it
See I’m not walkin’ on it Or tryin to run around it This ain’t no acrobatics You either follow or you lead, yeah I’m talkin’ bout ya Keep on blaming the machine, yeah I’m talkin’ bout it T-t-t-talkin’ bout it I can’t complain about it I gotta keep my balance And just keep dancin on it We gettin funky on the scene Yeah you know about it Like a star on the screen Watch me tip all on it
Then baby whether I’m high or low (high or low) Baby whether you’re high or low (high or low) You gotta tip on the tightrope (tip, tip on it) Yeah, tip on the tightrope (tip, tip on it) Baby, baby, baby Whether you’re high or low (high or low) Baby whether you’re high or low (high or low) Tip on the tightrope (tip, tip on it) Baby let me see you tight rope (tip, tip on it) And I’m still tippin’ on it
You gotta keep your balance Or you fall into the gap It’s a challenge but I manage Cause I’m cautious with the strap Do damage to your cabbage that A doctor cannot patch Why you don’t want no friction Like the back of a matchbook Daddy Fat Sax will fold you And your MacBook Close shows, shut you down Before we go-go backwards Act up, and whether we high or low We gonna get back-up Like the Dow Jones and NASDAQ Sorta like a thong in an ass crack Come on
I tip on alligators and little rattlesnakers But I’m another flavor Something like a terminator Ain’t no equivocating I fight for what I believe Why you talkin’ ’bout it J-j-just talkin’ ’bout it Some callin’ me a sinner Some callin’ me a winner I’m callin’ you to dinner And you know exactly what I mean Yeah I’m talkin bout you You can rock or you can leave Watch me tip without you
N-n-now whether I’m high or low (High or low) Whether I’m high or low (High or low) I’m gonna tip on the tightrope (Tip, tip on it) Mmm (Tip, tip on it)
Baby, baby, baby Whether I’m high or low (High or low) High or low (High or low) I got to tip on the tightrope (Tip, tip on it) Now baby tip on the tightrope
You can’t get too high (You can’t get too high) I said you can’t get too low (We can’t get too low) Cause you get too high (You can’t get too high) No, you’ll surely be low (No, you’ll surely be low) 1, 2, 3, ho!
Yeah, yeah Now shut up, yeah Yeah, now put some voodoo on it Ladies and gentlemen, the funkiest horn section in Metropolis Yeah, oh We call that classy brass
Ohh ohh Oh!Do you mind? If I play the ukulele Just like a little lady Do you mind? If I play the ukulele Just like a little lady