A Walk in the Light Green
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A Walk in the Light Green is the most widely recognised song produced by Australian folk group Redgum. The song was released in 1983 on the live album Caught in the Act (Warner Bros label), which hit the number one in Australia, and the album then stayed in the top forty for four months. John Schumann wrote the song based on experiences he heard from veterans.
The song is sung as a first person account of a typical Australian infantry soldier's experience in the Vietnam War, from training in Australia to first hand exposure to military operations and combat, and ultimately his return home disillusioned, psychologically scarred and possibly suffering from the effects of agent orange.
As the title does not feature in the lyrics the song is much better known as I was only Nineteen, or I was only Nineteen (A Walk in the Light Green).
[edit] Lyrics
The lyrics include words, terms and placenames particular to Australia and Vietnam.
- ANZAC: The World War I-era Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.
- Canungra: Jungle warfare training barracks.
- Channel Seven: Australian television network.
- Chinook: Military helicopter.
- Dusted off: Aeromedical evacuation by helicopter.
- Light green: parts on a map which indicated supposedly safer areas for soldiers to patrol as there was less dense foliage and cover. However this was an area which was more likely to be mined.
- Nui Dat: Village in Bà Rịa province in Southern Vietnam.
- Puckapunyal: Training barracks in Australia.
- Shoalwater: Military exercise area in Australia.
- Sixth Battalion: (aka 6RAR) Australian army battalion, whose D Company was involved in the Battle of Long Tan.
- Slouch hat: Parade head-dress for the Australian army.
- SLR: standard 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle issued to Australian infantrymen during the Vietnam War.
- Townsville: city in Queensland.
- VB: Victoria Bitter beer.
- Vũng Tàu: City in Southern Vietnam.
Pedants may have issues with the line Townsville lined the footpath as we marched down to the quay. The Australian Army flew to Vietnam, although this could be paying homage to Eric Bogle's And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda. Also the lyrics Frankie kicked a mine the day mankind kicked the moon, God help me, he was going home in June is anachronistic, as Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in July.
[edit] Covers
When the song was first released Rick Melbourne, a breakfast radio announcer, produced a parody version of the song, with the lyrics God help me, she told me she was sixteen.
Australian country singer John Williamson recorded a live version of the song ('Only 19') and released it on his 1984 album, 'The Smell Of Gumleaves' (rereleased in 1996 under the title 'Home Among The Gum Trees').
In 2005 a hip hop version of the song (called I was only Nineteen) was produced by The Herd, voted in at #18 in the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100 playlist.
This song also plays a symbolic role in the 2006 book World War Z by Max Brooks.
