| "I Was Only Nineteen" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Redgum | ||||
| from the album Caught in the Act | ||||
| A-side | "I Was Only Nineteen" | |||
| B-side | "Yarralumla Wine" | |||
| Released | March 1983 | |||
| Recorded | February 1983 | |||
| Genre | Australian folk | |||
| Length | 4:19 | |||
| Label | Epic, CBS | |||
| Writer(s) | John Schumann | |||
| Producer | Trevor Lucas | |||
| Redgum singles chronology | ||||
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"Only Nineteen", "I Was Only Nineteen" or "A Walk in the Light Green" is the most widely recognised song by Australian folk group Redgum.[1] The song was released in March 1983 as a single, which hit number one on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart for two weeks.[2] It was also recorded for Redgum's live album Caught in the Act (Epic Records) released in June,[3] which stayed in the top forty of the Kent Music Report Albums Chart for four months.[2] Royalties for the song go to the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia.[4] It is in the Australasian Performing Right Association's Top 30 Australian Songs of all time.[5][6]
The song is a first-person account of a typical Australian infantry regular 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 the chemical defoliant Agent Orange.[7][8] (In actuality, conscripts or 'Nashos' were not sent to Vietnam unless they were aged at least twenty.)
Redgum's lead vocalist-guitarist, John Schumann, wrote the song based on experiences he heard from veterans — particularly Mick Storen (his brother in-law) and Frankie Hunt:[1][4] "The power derives from the detail, provided by my mate and brother-in-law, Mick Storen, who was brave and trusting enough to share his story with me." — John Schumann[9][10]
For the live version, Schumann explained the title, "A Walk in the Light Green", as referring to operational patrols in areas marked light green on topographical maps, where dark green indicated thick jungle, plenty of cover and few land mines and light green indicated thinly wooded areas, little cover and a high likelihood of land mines.
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The Australian Vietnam Veterans' "Welcome Home Parade" was held in Sydney on 3 October 1987[11] and was followed by a concert in The Domain where Redgum's Schumann performed his song with veteran Frank Hunt on stage.[12] From this parade, a desire for a War Memorial to commemorate Vietnam Veterans grew into fruition with the Memorial's dedication in October 1992.[12] Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial was constructed in ANZAC Parade, Canberra in 1992 and includes a "Wall of Words": "Stele B, the northern or right-hand stele, is adorned with a series of 33 quotations fixed in stainless steel lettering."[13] Amongst the quotations is:
| “ | Then someone called out "contact" and the bloke behind me swore, and we hooked in there for hours, then a god-almighty roar. Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon. God help me, he was going home in June.[14] | ” |
A "normal language" explanation of each quote has been included, courtesy of the late Brigadier Alf Garland:
| “ | This is a quotation from the song 'I was only 19' by the Australian singing group "Red Gum" [sic]. It relates to a fire fight that had lasted for some hours when an explosion occurred. "Frankie", one of the soldiers had kicked (tripped) a landmine. In the song he did this on the same day that the US put a man on the moon for the first time. Frankie was supposed to be returning to Australia on completion of his tour of duty in June of that year.[14][15][16] | ” |
At the 40th-year commemoration of the Battle of Long Tần, 18 August 2006, veterans were accompanied by Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddle at the Long Tan Cross; following the commemoration a concert was held at Vũng Tàu where Schumann (and The Vagabond Crew) sang "I Was Only Nineteen." He also introduced Long Tần veteran Storen as the source for the song.[17] For an SBS TV special Vietnam Nurses (2005), director Polly Watkins chose "Redgum and John Schumann's song 'Only Nineteen' during the Welcome Home Parade in 1987 because it is integral to one of the nurses' stories."[18] Frank Hunt provides an account of his Vietnam experiences, titled "I Was Only Nineteen", in Gina Lennox' book Forged by War (August 2006).[19]
After Schumann had received letters of request from active soldiers in Afghanistan and East Timor he sought permission to visit the troops but obtained no answer.[20] A reporter published an article on the situation, authorities gave permission for Schumann to tour East Timor in December 2009 and entertain serving Australian troops.[21]
The lyrics include words, terms and place names particular to Australia and Vietnam:
When the song was first released Rick Melbourne, a breakfast radio announcer, produced a parody version of the song, including the lyrics "God help me, she told me she was sixteen". Australian country singer John Williamson recorded a live version as "Only 19" and released it on his 1984 vinyl LP, The Smell of Gumleaves (rereleased in 1996 as a CD under the title Home Among the Gum Trees).[22]
The song's and album's producer, Trevor Lucas, performed his version as a member of his United Kingdom-based group Fairport Convention at the 1985 Cropredy Festival.[23] On the show Fast Forward, Gina Riley, in character as Eleanor LaGore, performed a swing version of the song.
In 2005 a hip hop version of the song (called "I was Only 19") was produced by The Herd, voted in at #18 in the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100 playlist. "I was Only 19 (The Herd version)" is credited to Schumman, Cheung, Fellows, Harrison and Kennedy.[1] A video by Broken Yellow was directed by Brendan Doyle and produced by Navid Bahadori included actors in roles as Australian soldiers, some actual Vietnam vets, including Frankie Hunt, are also shown. The video clip can be seen at http://www.brokenyellow.com/. An audio mp3 download by Triple J's Hack has reporter Ali Benton discussing the video, interviewing Doyle, Schumann and Hunt.[24]
This song also plays a symbolic role in the 2006 book World War Z by Max Brooks.
Single version "I Was Only Nineteen" (March 1983) – 4:19
Only Schumann and McDonald of Redgum played on this track:[26]
Caught in the Act live version, "I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)" (1983) – 5:57
Schumann introduces the song and explains the phrase 'A Walk in the Light Green' which he gives as its title. Recorded at The Rose, Shamrock and Thistle Hotel (aka Three Weeds Hotel)[27] in Rozelle, New South Wales:[23]
| Preceded by "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson |
Australian Kent Music Report number-one single 16 May 1983 – 23 May 1983 |
Succeeded by "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler |