My uncle returned to Oz after the Vietnam War and had pigs blood thrown on him by the protesters. In Australia it was conscription, he didn't have a choice. The struggle the vets go through is a living nightmare. Your reaction was sensitive and respectful. And of course Jimmy is a legend.
One of the best lines ever was when Chisel first reunited and got together to rehearse, Jimmy Barnes said: "After five minutes together we were like: "Why did we ever break up?' Then an hour later, we remembered..."
As a 1RAR Aussie Vet (Modern not Nam) this track hits deep. If I listen to this after a few frothies I feel the old eyes well up everytime. Respect to all my Vietnam Veteran brothers. You Men set the example that my generation strived to live up to. On return from my 1st Deployment, 1RAR Vets from Nam pinned our Medals on us in a formal ceremony. I've never felt so proud & deeply moved in my entire life. Both us & the Vietnam vets were in tears while it happened. To have made those men proud of us was the greatest thing thats ever happened to me. You blokes were & are our role models & idols. If it wasn't for U the ANZAC spirit may have died, but instead U added to the reputation & legend of the ANZAC's and all I could have wished for was the approval of my Vietnam Veteran Hero's. Thankyou Gentleman, You did our country and military proud!
One thing often overlooked is that many, ifnot most of the troops sent to Vietnam were conscripts, rather than more experienced regular soldiers. The war was seen by many as USA's war, and Australian participation was widely questioned as a show of loyalty to USA. So you had reluctant soldiers returning from an unpopular war to a cool reception, and a government which was unwilling or unable to put in place medical and psychological assistance to help them readjust to civilian life. I could write a thesis. You worked the song out really well. Good work!
It is a perpetual & perpetuated myth that most of the Australian troops who were sent to Vietnam were conscripts. This is inaccurate. The ratio of conscripts (Nashos), to Regs, (Regulars), was about 60% to 40 %, varying either way. In fact, the first Infantry battalion to fight in the war was 1RAR, in 1965. They are proud of the fact that they were all Regulars. The Australian Federal Government re-introduced conscription toward the end of 1965. I did two full tours (12 month posting), of South Vietnam as an Infantry soldier, in 3RAR: 1967-1968;1971. To say that the overwhelming majority of my fellow Diggers were Nashos would be a gross exaggeration. Furthermore, the name & theme of this song is a bit of an exaggeration, because there were no Diggers (Australian soldiers) at Khe Sanh, in 1968, the TET Offensive. Aklso, the line about "the Channel 7 chopper" is inaccurate, as the only helicopters in the Vietnam war were our own. Neither the North Vietnamese nor the Viet Cong had any air power. This is a good song, yes, but it is a case inaccuracy & exaggeration getting in the way of truth. Dennis Moore.
I think you need to read what I wrote, not what you assumed I was going to write. And please don't pontificate as if you were the sole witness and authority. Some of us were personally involved too.
@@garthjunor3027 I was not pontificating, as you put it. I was trying to correct an inaccuracy. Nor have I ever assumed that I was the sole witness or authority. What were my mate doing there? Dennis.
This song means a lot more to me since I started living in the US. My mum died in 2011 leaving me the last of my family at just 37, and time was really tough for me in the months afterwards. I took some advice from friends and flew to the UK early the next year, leaving Australia for the first time to visit some long-term internet friends. I enjoyed my time away and eventually found myself on a flight to San Francisco to meet another friend I'd known online for 10 years. We clicked immediately, fell in love and eventually got married. I've been away from Australia for almost 10 years now but it will always be my home.
The song is basically the story of a returning helicopter pilot from Vietnam after the battle of Khe Sanh. He is suffering from PTSD and the song is a stark visualization of his suffering and how he deals with it. For instance "car parks make me jumpy" is a reference to the place that body bags were laid when the helicopters picked them up for transfer out of Vietnam. His PTSD makes him unrelatable to the so called Australian dream of having a family and home in the suburbs - as indicated in the line "their hearts were held by fast suburban chains." It goes through his substance abuse and sex addiction and was extremely controversial more recently because the original lyrics were "there aint nothing like the kisses of a teenage Chinese princess" and it was changed to "jaded Chinese princess" to avoid the stigma of the paedophilia for the veteran Australian (and other) troops who served in SE Asia at that time. It gives an amazing insight into their trauma and the youth of the time adopted the song as a protest anthem that actually supported the poor souls who were sent into that living hell. It is now quite rightly adopted as the national song - mainly because the actual anthem sucks...
Thank you for giving this song justice. As an Australian that understands the treatment that these vets got when they returned because of my great-grandfather, your breakdown is so insightful
Khe Sanh was an American battle that Australia was not part of. Australian battles were elsewhere in Vietnam. However there were Australian pilots who were seconded to American units, and the song is about one such Australian helicopter pilot. Pilot of a gunship according to the song. The song is about the devastation afterwards, drug addiction, and a pointless search for meaning. It has to be the best Vietnam War song. Full of meaning, but also a fantastic dance song. The Bourbon band at The Bourbon in Kings Cross would do a version of this song that was about 20 minutes long. I have many fond memories on the dance floor at the Bourbon with virtually everyone in the bar singing “The last plane out of Sydney’s almost gone.”
You summed up this song so much. Cold Chisel is iconic in Australia. How they never made it overseas I’ll never know. Rumour has it that this is the reason they ended up parting. They are. All true talents in their own right. Look up Ian Moss. Incredible singer songwriter.
Your interpretation of the song for a person of your age was very good. As already mentioned before the song Khe Sanh is an anthem to those who fought in the Vietnam War. Just like John Farnham's song - You're The Voice is the anthem for Australians. The Vietnam War was America's war, as you highlighted to, as that was all you knew from what you were taught at school. Australia were involved as they are allies of the US and were positioned close to Vietnam. The US used Australia as a base for their military forces and for Americans to have R&R. Australia has only over the past few decades began recognizing and acknowledging the sacrifice and the damage that those Aussies who fought in the Vietnam war suffered and continue to suffer to this day. A lot of those who served were not regular army but were conscripted via the National Service Lottery which began in 1964 by the then Prime Minister Robert Menzies, for those who were 18 or about to turn 18yrs of age. It was a 2 year term if you were conscripted. The lottery was ceased in 1972 by the Labor Party who were elected into government with their leader and newly elected Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. My name was to be in the next National Service Lottery draw had the lottery continued. Ozz
It's basically about the stuff they went through but were basically snubbed by the rest of society because the Vietnam war was unpopular and the returning soldiers were basically forgotten about.
I'm Australian and know this song very well as we all do but I must say while watching your reaction I never really analyzed the songs lyrics in depth and actually feel somewhat bad for it since my uncle is a Vietnam vet and had suffered from PTSD directly because of his involvement of the war but during your reaction I had this thought as you gave your opinion on the songs meaning and as the songs lyrics progressed and just kept thinking and trying to imagine how does a person find purpose after surviving a war especially if you gave yourself no chance of surviving then to wonder why you had, during this song I realized all the travelling entailed in the lyrics first around Australia then the world to realize the only place to find purpose or some kind of peace of mind is to go back to the very same place you had fought the war or where you felt your life should have ended or to grasp some kind of reality check on yourself to find a way to move forward with life, I really have a new found respect for this song thanks to your reaction so thanks for that.
Aussies are amazed at how little americans and british know o there involvement in veitnam....50 thousand seved over a ten year period...and lost 505 seving troops ...in fact australia were the first advisors to south veitnam having gone there in 1962 with the australian task force...more than half were conscipst national sevicemen... and fought just as well as regular army....it is said that veitnam era troops were the best trained of any of the many conflicts involving australian troops
With most reaction videos, it sucks when people pause and talk, but having watched the few reactions to this song on YT, thankyou for getting it and relating.
Don Walker wrote this along with many other cold chisel songs and other bands. He is probably one of the best prolific song writers to come out of Australia. I don't think he was interested in writing love songs. Thank god, love songs make me sick. Broken hearts are for assholes. He also has a degree in physics. One talented human being.
Although some people here in Australia say that Jimmy Barnes is treated like a God, this is untrue. Jimmy Barnes is God and John Farnham, although older, is JC.
"... there were no V-Day heroes in 1973 ..." A reference to VE Day 1945. When the veterans returned and were welcomed as heroes, victory parades & parties etc. Which wasn't the case when the vets returned from Vietnam.
Great assessment of this song, I was young when it was a huge hit here in Australia, singing along with it without really knowing what it was about. True we didn't have the lyrics and as a kid it was more about the energy. Flame Trees would be a good song of theirs to react to.
We used to sing it in parking lots, streets, anywhere more than three drunk men were together, if someone started, everyone would huddle, heads together, and reel off the whole thing. Not even kidding.
@@jeremykothe2847 not just men - my girlfriends and I belted this song out on a bus ride at age 15 and everyone joined in. Such a wonderful memory of mine.
Written by Don Walker, one of the greatest songwriters of our time. This is the unofficial international Aussie anthem. In that any Australians abroad will sing this song very loudly.
Thanks for doing this reaction, I really enjoyed it. If you are into heavy rock would love to see you do a reaction to some ACDC, another great aussie band of 70s and 80s. Upto you no pressure, again thanks.
Written by the great Don Walker, Cold Chisel's keyboard player, chief song writer and Australia's finest modern song writer. Jimmy Barnes (originally Swan) was born in Scotland. Cold Chisel are Australia's greatest rock band (much more variety in lyric subject matter and musical style than AC/DC) with all five members ( including drummer Steve Prestwich (born in Liverpool) and bassist Phil Small) writing songs at some point in the band's career (on and off from 1973 to the present). Guitarist Ian Moss (born in Alice Springs) is the lead vocalist on a number of songs and others feature a combination of Barnes and Moss. Check out "You've Got Nothing I Want" (a swipe at record company executives), "Flame Trees" (life in a small country town) and "Bow River" (the pressures of the big city vs the lure of the outback). Live, Chisel are full on, take no prisoners, as they cut their teeth playing in pubs in Adelaide. I first saw them in 1975. You wont regret looking further into the band's work, which includes Moss' vocals and great guitar work on Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia On My Mind" (a live particular crowd favourite).
I only just found your channel and I love your review of this song, I am from Australia and so I have a great emotional attachment to this song..............I loved your reaction and I will subscribe to you
Great analysis of the song yes a very meaningful and heartfelt acknowledgment to the soldiers that returned from ‘nam to Sydney. The lyricist is Don Walker who is the guitarist of Cold Chisel. He’s shown a poetic and poignant insight into life after the war and the psychological disturbance felt by many ex soldiers in this song. I understand that Don wrote this after he had conversations with an uncle who had fought in Vietnam. With its fantastic rhythm multiple instruments and hard hitting singing from Scottish born Jimmy Barnes, this song has stood the test of time. Even today, teens seem to like the song due to the rhythm albeit not necessarily aware of the lyrics and meaning, At any outdoor sunday barbecue across Australia, this song is still played and loved by all. Long Live Khe Sanh and more importantly give thanks to those who served and spare a thought for the experience of what these soldiers encountered during that war and all wars. Hope disputes can be resolved through peaceful means in future. Another song about Vietnam war veterans which is also beautifully written and sung with emotional music is by Billy Joel entitled Goodnight Saigon
We studied the lyrics to this song in yr 9 history. The Aus curriculum was brave that year, between the drugs and prostitution. This is such a great reaction 👍👍
A really good exploration of that song. Cold Chisel often wrote songs that reflected real issues. Perhaps try "Standing on the Outside", "Four Walls", or "When the War is Over" to help continue with this band.
Please react to more of Cold Chisel/Jimmy Barnes and there a lot of other great songs from Australian artists, I am enjoying your site, love from Australia and stay safe
TY Debow for your reactions, I have just stummbled onto your channel and appreciate your love for our music talent here in Australia. As you have now caught on to Cold Chisel who by the way are an institution here in Australia I must recommend you check out "FLAME TREES" by them as it is almost a National Anthem here and I am sure you will love it as much as we do Keep Safe Keep Strong and Happy 2021 to you and your loved ones, may the year bring us all a chance to hug kiss and breathe safely
What it's reminded me of, is the freedom of expression and rawness of the 70s. These days the marketing execs would take the red pen to lyrics like these.
If you like Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, and meaningful songs, definitely check out When the War is Over. Make sure you watch the live version on RU-vid, it has much more emotion than the recorded version. The best bit is, you can watch Cold Chisel do it, and then watch John Farnham do the same song, and one where Barnsey and Farnsey do it together!
The issues of ptsd suffered by any war veterans are covered in this song but particularly for Vietnam vets who were actually very badly treated, vilified even when they returned. You are right the topic is serious but the song is great to hear
Got to remember, and I think the Vets from all over the world found the same thing, those that returned home found it no longer feeling like home. Those that they had left behind had moved on. Most were treated poorly, abused, shunned and deliberately forgotten and forced into isolation. They became drifter moving around trying to find somewhere to settle. Some managed it, but many more never did :'( People over look that the Vietnamese asked for help and received it. But their enemy the Kong that enslaved them fought so hard and the media inadvertently fell under their sway and painted those that came to the Vietnamese people's aide as the aggressor and ones that invaded. I am not going to included the lack of professionalism amongst many soldiers that came from the allied nations. Just that those that returned were forever hurt and slapped in the face due to the propaganda which swayed the viewpoint of the civilian population.
@@jeremykothe2847 I would like to see real soldiers reacting to this song and to see what they think. Maybe soldiers from other countries coz Australian soldiers would know this song.
A lot of people thought the name of the song was "The last plane out Sydney's almost gone". It is one of those rare songs where the title of the song isn't part of the chorus. Khe Sanh is only mentioned once. There is also a song released by The Carpenters called "Superstar". The title of the song doesn't appear in the songs lyrics at all.
The song is trying to do with the massive animosity felt towards the vets of this unpopular unlike other wars. There was no welcome home parade till 11 years after it had finished.
It took Red Gum to kick that off. I was 13 when the war ended, I had watched Vietnam on telly my whole life. I was 21 when "He was only 19" released, Australia was still yet to celebrate Vietnam in memorial ceremonies. Vietnam Vets returned to Australia incognito. That song started a long road to public recognition for this mainly conscripted expeditionary force. It was a shameful time in Australia
The thing about this song is that its what we are, no matter the bullshit we go through, all we want to do is work, get drunk, stoned and root. Or not. It helps us remember our Fathers.
This song was originally banned from radio for the explicit lyric * her legs were often open* but all that did was make a massive hit that stayed in the chartss for months,
This was the 70s . The Vietnam war was extremely fresh for many returning vets and our nation treated them like shit. In my opinion it was one of the most shameful periods of our nation's history. As an Australian 70s baby I would like to say sorry to those brave vets. I'm sorry you weren't shown the gratitude you so very much deserved. Please accept my thanks for your sacrifice.and efforts.
This song was banned from radio in Australia because the reference to the Vietnam war. Barnsey said they did them a favour because you had to go buy the record to hear it because of the ban. Lots of blokes were conscripted to go to Vietnam and they were treated so badly on their return to Australia. The Returned Services Club would not accept them into their fold until much later.
@@noelanderson8915 I remember the ban well and the response by family members who were vets of Vietnam. These people were treated badly by the community, without question but there is no need to perpetuate myths.
@@Macmumoz I felt and still feel utterly disgusted at the way they were treated. They should NEVER have been sent there. I did my Nasho in the final intake of 1959 (3 months in Wacol (Brisbane) then it was abolished for a number of years. I have lost two golfing friends, one from a continuing cancer battle (Agent Orange) and the other suffered from trauma. One day when playing golf a helicopter flew over the course and he threw himself in the greenside bunker. I was so shocked, but I remember the words from "I was only 19" "and why the Channel 7 chopper chills me to my feet" and there it was. TERRIBLE.
@@noelanderson8915 I know a man who STILL refuses to sleep in the same room as his wife because he wakes up screaming.... I wasn't there and I will never understand the horror they went through but I see how it has changed them.
Those returning from the Vietnam War were treated horribly by the general public, what was worse was the way the RSL(Returned Services League) and it's members. It took many years, probably not until the late 80's, that they received an apology from the Australian Government and the people of Australia; and were publicly recognized for the contribution and service. The service personnel who served in the Middle East were treated better, when they returned. I served in the Royal Australian Navy 1970 to 1979. It was a bittersweet moment in our service to the nation.
You pretty well nail it. Some things to consider. Sapper - Aussie army engineer Vietnam cold turkey from the ocean to the Silver city. Many Vets were brought home and just dumped on the street. The silver city is Broken Hill NSW a town on the edge of the desert and miles from the ocean so basically all across Australia. No V day heros refers to the shit way anti war protesters and society treated vets on returning Vs. the parades for returning WWII soldiers. Also many WWII vet thought the war in Vietnam wasnt a real war Their legs were often open and their minds were always closed- he could get a root anywhere but nobody wanted to hear of his issues. Car parks make me jumpy and I never stop the dreams - PTSD.
Two more songs about war and what it does to people. 1. “I was only 19” is a song by Redgum, a folk/rock/bush band famous for its issues-based songs. It deals with the experiences of conscripts, many of whom were too young to vote, but considered old enough to die fighting in Vietnam. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mGDhzVi1bqU.html 2. “And the band played Waltzing Matilda”- an anti-war song if ever there was. Written and performed by Eric Bogle, it deals with the thousands killed or wounded in a pointless exercise at Gallipoli in World War 1. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WG48Ftsr3OI.html
After WW2, many US soldiers returned and found it hard to go back to their previous lives, so many bought motor bikes and just drifted around. They started forming groups, and that is how Bikie hangs started.
Worked across the country from end to end - Many vets after the war were restless and were aimless never fitting back into society. Working on an oil rig and the night life nearly drove me around the bend - he was alone, with just his thoughts and no distractions and he couldnt deal with it. Ive been back to South East Asia- I know lots of Vietnam vets and every single one of them has gone back, but who knows what they were looking to find. 7 fly hours and I'll be landing in Hong kong... Its simply about sex tourism. Its a pretty brutal song to be honest. It came on at a party one night and people were dancing, my vet Uncle looked at me and said it dosent mean to them what it does to me.
Very ANZAC thing is, that after almost every war our Diggers form some type of relationship with veterans from other side, there is a Mutual Respect, few took longer than others, some like Turkish was not long after.
If you want to know more about Australia through music, you should watch Australia's first international group The Seekers; if you listen carefully to the lyrics of "I Am Australian", you will get a brief history lesson about the people and the land. The best performance is from the Special Farewell concert; or alternately, check it out with the lyrics.
It was fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union, China and North Korea, while South Vietnam was supported by the United States, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Funny I think every Aussie knows the words to this song and even though we all know them the meaning behind it kind of seems to be lost. To me this song brings back memories of drunken bars and lots of happy people all singing every single word and most people putting yeh yeh after every time he sings the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
A lot of the lyrics have very emotional hooks probably only Australians would connect with: 'sappers' were soldiers used with creating fortifications, at Khe Sanh but also at Gallipoli, so providing a hook to the Australian soldiers of the first world war. Khe Sanh itself was a battle little known outside Australia but was widely reported in the media at the time for the bravery of the men, provoking pride even in anti-war protesters. From the 'ocean to the silver city' references from the ocean to Broken Hill, almost a shorthand way of saying from the sea to the outback ie the whole of the country. 'Dockside guarantees' references politicians speeches when the soldiers left Australia for Vietnam, more or less saying they would come back heroes when the reception they received was the opposite of that. The sailing into Sydney Harbour was almost a trauma in itself for the lack of honour afforded the returning soldiers. Essentially it is a very sad song as Australians on the whole are very proud of their military and there is a general feeling Vietnam Vets were never really honoured for the bravery they had shown.
You are right.. a sapper is an engineer. Not only used to build but also to disarm and clear booby traps. Not a nice job. Sappers are loved for their courage.
There is little more shamefull in Australias recent history then how those diggers were treated when they returned from a green hell. Take a walk in the light green ( "I was only 19" By Redgum) gave many Aussies an understanding of what those boys went through physicly there. This song drove home how totaly fucking pointless their sacrifices felt like to many of them when they came home. After seeing their mates die with their blood and guts in the mud, being sprayed with toxic shit, and sent back into the grinder, then to come home and be reviled & despised by their own countrymen and swept aside by their govt. Speed, smack and hookers were the only things that felt normal to many.. None of them deserved that. My uncle passed a few months back from his cancers he picked up there. We shared many things , but i couldnt share what you went through. RIP Mate . Lest We Forget.
Did you know? According to a survey by the Veterans Administration, some 500,000 of the 3 million troops who served in Vietnam suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and rates of divorce, suicide, alcoholism and drug addiction were markedly higher among veterans.
I’d love if you could react to Choir Girl by Cold Chisel. It’s my favourite Cold Chisel song, and it’s closely followed by Flame Trees and Bow River. Though if you do Flame Trees, try to find the original version with the music video, there’s a later one that Jimmy did, kind of unplugged, and it’s a lot slower.
