Such a brilliant, truthful, heart wrenching song. Along with Eric Bogle's 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda,' a great portrayal of the effect of war on young men in their prime, and still makes me want to cry. I used both these amazing songs when I was teaching poetry to high school students some years back. Great fodder for discussing the futility of war.
Not good. I'm sure your wife would not approve. I know the feeling, but knowing it one should look away. Try a week (maybe two) of detox and come back to it.
The Australian troops lost as many Killed in action. As the USA I had my 19th birthday in 1968. Phu-thi Vietnam. This is a great song about Vietnam and All those how served in the Vietnam war Welcome home brothers.
I've been deployed. This song makes me cry every time I hear it. I will never go to the va. But my god. Greatest song ever. Crying right now!! Thank you my friend
A great statement for the vets. But, hey ... as I found difficult to understand it at the time (I was an involuntary conscript and became a draft resister) why the young men volunteered for such a stupid, obscene, unnecessary war. I later spent time overseas where I was involved in 'conflict zones'. I discovered the circumstances where armed struggle might be justified. But volunteering for Vietnam ... uh huh... Years later, and close contact with comrades in armed struggle in other countries I came back to Australia. A friend who had risen high in the ranks of government told me he was dealing with the claims of ex-Vietnam veterans. I remember saying to him "but these guys were lied to". I understood the effects of trauma on combatants better than he could imagine. I probably would not have said that or felt that in my anti-war student days that we had shared. For me the focus of this song is about the obscenity of war ; but it should be more about the fracturing of innocence. I have drunk with ex vets, have empathised knowing the stresses of working in a 'conflict' war zone. Schumann disappoints me in this interview. He focuses on the effects of the injustice, rather than the injustice itself. Perhaps, he has created one of the most beautiful anti-war songs in spite of himself. (PS. I am so disappointed that Redgum broke up and no longer create the songs that inspired so many of us who who have worked for genuine social change). Love the song, hate the interview. Disappointment?
John this is an absolutely heart wrenching song, which more than any other typifies the realities of war, and God Bless ALL those good folks who fought in this terrible war, a war which most were conscripted, to every single one who fought they all deserve our total respect and admiration and I suspect there won't be that many left now.
The conservative Australian government of the day introduced conscription to convince the US that we were 'all the way with LBJ'. It was a ridiculous commitment. The conscription issue was toned down (Australia had no conscription since WWI) by the caveat that only volunteers would be sent to Vietnam. I have drunk with the survivors, and the survivors have drunk with me. They all tell me 'thank Gough (the Prime Minister who pulled the troops out) for getting us out of there! At least being warriors has not made them stupid.
I honor all veterans weather they are Australian or US My Father was in Vietnam with A company 159th Aviation Support Battalion 101st Airborne Division he was there from November 1970 to February 1972 and absolutely understand the meaning of this song and I served 12yrs in the Army myself
I am a US veteran of two wars. That song so speaks to me like nothing else I have ever hear.
Whoever gave this a thumbs down is un Australian
True
Such a brilliant, truthful, heart wrenching song. Along with Eric Bogle's 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda,' a great portrayal of the effect of war on young men in their prime, and still makes me want to cry. I used both these amazing songs when I was teaching poetry to high school students some years back. Great fodder for discussing the futility of war.
Absolutely. PTSD is huge. I have 4 kids and I thank God I'm good to them. But at midnight. I drink and turn into a soldier. Every night
Not good. I'm sure your wife would not approve. I know the feeling, but knowing it one should look away. Try a week (maybe two) of detox and come back to it.
The Australian troops lost as many Killed in action. As the USA I had my 19th birthday in 1968. Phu-thi Vietnam. This is a great song about Vietnam and All those how served in the Vietnam war Welcome home brothers.
I've been deployed. This song makes me cry every time I hear it. I will never go to the va. But my god. Greatest song ever. Crying right now!! Thank you my friend
At the first played instrument I cry. I cried the whole song
Mostly i agree. But its always a matter of conscience to fight foreign wars. The nuremberg trials told us, just following orders is not a defence
A great statement for the vets. But, hey ... as I found difficult to understand it at the time (I was an involuntary conscript and became a draft resister) why the young men volunteered for such a stupid, obscene, unnecessary war. I later spent time overseas where I was involved in 'conflict zones'. I discovered the circumstances where armed struggle might be justified. But volunteering for Vietnam ... uh huh... Years later, and close contact with comrades in armed struggle in other countries I came back to Australia. A friend who had risen high in the ranks of government told me he was dealing with the claims of ex-Vietnam veterans. I remember saying to him "but these guys were lied to". I understood the effects of trauma on combatants better than he could imagine. I probably would not have said that or felt that in my anti-war student days that we had shared.
For me the focus of this song is about the obscenity of war ; but it should be more about the fracturing of innocence. I have drunk with ex vets, have empathised knowing the stresses of working in a 'conflict' war zone. Schumann disappoints me in this interview. He focuses on the effects of the injustice, rather than the injustice itself. Perhaps, he has created one of the most beautiful anti-war songs in spite of himself. (PS. I am so disappointed that Redgum broke up and no longer create the songs that inspired so many of us who who have worked for genuine social change). Love the song, hate the interview. Disappointment?
My uncle was lt peter hines , we had a memorial for him last weekend
Well Spoken.Amen.
What an utterly decent & articulate fellow … thanks John ~ Oh … & yes … great song ☝️
❤
John this is an absolutely heart wrenching song, which more than any other typifies the realities of war, and God Bless ALL those good folks who fought in this terrible war, a war which most were conscripted, to every single one who fought they all deserve our total respect and admiration and I suspect there won't be that many left now.
The conservative Australian government of the day introduced conscription to convince the US that we were 'all the way with LBJ'. It was a ridiculous commitment. The conscription issue was toned down (Australia had no conscription since WWI) by the caveat that only volunteers would be sent to Vietnam. I have drunk with the survivors, and the survivors have drunk with me. They all tell me 'thank Gough (the Prime Minister who pulled the troops out) for getting us out of there! At least being warriors has not made them stupid.
Respect and salute from a fellow soldier to comrades in arms.
I honor all veterans weather they are Australian or US My Father was in Vietnam with A company 159th Aviation Support Battalion 101st Airborne Division he was there from November 1970 to February 1972 and absolutely understand the meaning of this song and I served 12yrs in the Army myself
Great song and a great story, a real insightful interview!
This songwriter is a genius
Who disliked? Why did they do that?
I dont now shame on them
@@triciarossiter6292 yes
Probably more interested in Harry “STUPID” Potter.
It resonates with me as a n Angolan war veteran. Thanks John❤