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Only 19 Lyrics by John Williamson

Home Among the Gum Trees

0

Mum and Dad and Danny saw the passing out parade at Puckapunyal
It was a long march from cadets
The sixth battalion was next to tour, it was me who drew the card
We did Canungra, Shoalwater, before we left

And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the quay
This clipping from the paper shows a youngon', strong and clean
And there's me with me slouch hat, my SLR and greens
God help me - I was only nineteen

From Vung Tau riding Chinooks to the dust at Nui Dat
I'd been in and out of choppers now for months
We made our tents a home, V.B. and pinups on the lockers
And an Asian orange sunset through the scrub

And can you tell me, doctor, why I can't get to sleep?
And night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M.16?
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
God help me - I was only nineteen

A four week operation, any step could be your last one on two legs
It was a war within yourself
But you wouldn't let your mates down 'til they had you dusted off
So you closed your eyes and you thought about somethin' else

Then someone yelled out "Contact", and the bloke behind me swore
We hooked in there for hours, then a God almighty roar
Frankie kicked the mine the day that mankind kicked the moon
God help me - he was goin' home in June

I can still see Frankie, drinkin' tinnies in the Grand Hotel
On a thirty-six hour rec. leave in Vung Tau
And I can still hear Frankie, lyin' screamin' in the jungle
'Til the morphine came and killed the bloody row

And the Anzac legends didn't mention mud and blood and tears
And the stories that my father told me never seemed quite real
And I caught some pieces in my back that I'd
Credits
John Williamson

John Williamson

About “Only 19” by John Williamson

Read the complete lyrics to "Only 19" by John Williamson from the album "Home Among the Gum Trees". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Only 19" is performed by John Williamson. from the album "Home Among the Gum Trees" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Only 19", explore more songs by John Williamson using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for John Williamson · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Only 19" is credited to John Williamson. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Only 19" appears on "Home Among the Gum Trees".

Visit the John Williamson artist page at /artist/john-williamson for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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