I Was Only Nineteen chords by Redgum

Chords with lyrics

Tuning: Standard

Difficulty: Novice

Redgum-I Was Only Nineteen
Intro: A, C, G, D, A, G, A.
A augmentedA		   C majorC		  G+G		   D MajorD		     A augmentedA
Mum and Dad and Denny saw the passing out parade at Puckapunyal
	G+G		    A augmentedA
(1t was long march from cadets).
A augmentedA			  C majorC			  G+G		    D MajorD
The sixth battalion was the next to tour and It was me who drew the card.
	A augmentedA		    G+G			A augmentedA
We did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left.

Chorus I:
E MajorE					 D MajorD		     A augmentedA
And Townsville lined the footpath as we marched down to the quay.
    E MajorE				     D MajorD                A augmentedA
This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean.
F# minorF#m		     E MajorE			 D MajorD      A augmentedA
And there's me in my slouch hat with my SLR and greens.
E MajorE			    D MajorD
God help me, I was only nineteen.

A augmentedA		     C majorC		G+G       D MajorD
From Vung Tau riding Chinooks to the dust at Nui Dat,
A augmentedA		     G+G			A augmentedA
I'd been in and out of choppers now for months.
A augmentedA			 C majorC		 G+G		D MajorD
But we made our tents a home. V.B. and pinups on the lockers,
	A augmentedA	     G+G			A augmentedA
And an Asian orange sunset through the scrub.


Chorus 2:
E MajorE				   D MajorD          A augmentedA
And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?
E MajorE					D MajorD	   A augmentedA
And night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M.16?
F# minorF#m			 E MajorE			   D MajorD         A augmentedA
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
E MajorE			    D MajorD
God help me, I was only nineteen.

A augmentedA		 C majorC		   G+G 	 		D MajorD
A augmentedA four week operation, when each step can mean your last one
	A augmentedA	    G+G           A augmentedA
On two legs: it was a war within yourself.
A augmentedA			 C majorC		     G+G           D MajorD
But you wouldn't let your mates down 'til they had you dusted off,
	A augmentedA		     G+G			     A augmentedA
So you closed your eyes and thought about something else.

Chorus 3:
E MajorE					    D MajorD            A augmentedA
Then someone yelled out "Contact"', and the bloke behind me swore.
E MajorE				     D MajorD         A augmentedA
We hooked in there for hours, then a God almighty roar.
F# minorF#m		  E MajorE 		   D MajorD 			A augmentedA
Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon.
E MajorE				    D MajorD
God help me, he was going home in June.

A augmentedA	     C majorC            G+G         D MajorD
1 can still see Frankie, drinking tinnies in the Grand Hotel
    A augmentedA		   G+G             A augmentedA
On a thirty-six hour rec. leave in Vung Tau.
A augmentedA		   C majorC 		 G+G           D MajorD
And I can still hear Frankie, lying screaming in the jungle.
A augmentedA                    G+G            A augmentedA
'Till the morphine came and killed the bloody row


Chorus 4:
E MajorE				     D MajorD      A augmentedA
And the Anzac 🏷Legends didn't mention mud and blood and tears.
E MajorE				  D MajorD              A augmentedA
And stories that my father told me never seemed quite real
F# minorF#m		    E MajorE             D MajorD       A augmentedA
I caught some pieces In my back that I didn't even feel.
E MajorE			    D MajorD
God help me, I was only nineteen.

Other versions of I Was Only Nineteen

Alternative guitar chords and tabs for I was only nineteen by Redgum