We are now in the seventh Memorial Day of the Iraq War and the eighth of the Afghanistan War. This Priscilla Herdman version of Eric Bogle's "And the Band Played Waltzing Mathilda" appeared here last Memorial Day. Then, we were deeply dismayed by our government's actions. We remain so today. So here it is again, and for the same reasons:
On behalf of all the Reveres, Memorial Day 2009
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So far, 5,462 US service members have died from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Since the Reveres don't have their own blog anymore, I'll post what they've posted for Memorial Day in years past:
This is Priscilla Herdman's version of Eric Bogle's "And the Band Played Waltzing Mathilda."
The fifth Memorial Day of the Iraq War. I have no words. I'll give you this instead:
Priscilla Herdman is singing this 1971 song by Eric Bogle.
I feel like weeping.
For the Reveres. Memorial Day, 2008.
A year ago we posted this on November 11. We can't think of another way to say the same thing, so we'll just say it again the same way we did last year.
Alas:
Today is called Veterans Day in the United States, but everywhere else it is Remembrance Day. When we were young it celebrated the end of…
Today is called Veterans Day in the United States, but everywhere else it is Remembrance Day. When we were young it celebrated the end of shooting and was still Armistice Day. Now it celebrates the melancholy fact that young people have again picked up guns, not that they were at last able to put…
This video is a very poignant reminder for this day. As we all should be doing: "And I ask myself the same question....."
Good post, but, extremely painful.
The name of the song is "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda". The song "Waltzing Matilda" is quoted at the end.
Jack: Thanks. Correction made.
Thanks for posting that (although it doesn't feel right to hear that song in a woman's voice).
I have to ask why an Australian song was chosen: does the US not have a similar song? Or does the US never question the futility of war?
(Yes, I am assuming most writers and readers of this blog are from the Americas, but I'm new to this blog and may have the wrong impression from a small sample of posts.)
Tim: We've had many posts on this subject over the years. I have used American songs (Pete Seeger's Where have all the flowers gone and Dylan's Blowing in the Wind) and here (for the second time) a song written by an Australian. Our reasons in this case are several fold. First, this is a moving and profound song about the futility of war and its costs. Given the kinds of injuries created by this war, it seemed especially appropriate. Second, Australia has sent its own soldiers to these wars, as have other countries like Canada. Third, the horrors of war aren't national in nature. The "enemy" in this song (the Turks) are now our allies and what happened to Australians in World War I is happening to Iraqis, Americans, Afghanis and everyone else in the combat zone (and with the usual collateral damage to families on the home front).
Glad to have you as a new reader. Hope you stick around.
I've been reading this blog for years because of my interest in public health issues and such things as disease outbreaks and pandemics...but I am also veteran several times over and an officer in the Army Reserves. I spent a fair part of 2008 in Afghanistan...and trust me, the song and the tributes speaks to any soldier. There is a universal language between those of uis that serve. I had the priveledge to serve along side Aussie's and Kiwi's that were in Afghanistan. Finding this piece here, was a surprise and it went straight to the heart of things. It is a tribute and an honorable one. On behalf of my brothers and sisters in arms, thank you for remembering and in a small way, acknowledging the cost.
Living with a spouse for 20 years who served in Vietnam, including the battle at Khe Sanh, this song pretty much sums it up. Thanks from a long time regular reader.