And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by Eric Bogle

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda is a poignant ballad written in 1971 by Scottish-born Australian singer-songwriter Eric Bogle.

The song follows the journey of a young Australian soldier who is sent to fight in the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I, only to return home permanently maimed. Through vivid imagery and haunting lyrics, Bogle captures the brutality and futility of war, while also lamenting the fading memory of those who served, as younger generations grow indifferent to their sacrifices.

Watch Eric Bogle sing...

The song stands as a powerful critique of the glorification of war and a tribute to its forgotten victims.

 In this lesson I show a nice fingerpicking pattern that suits this powerful ballad. Towards the end I add a simple strum pattern if fingerpicking is new for you.

Here is a chord sheet for the song.

Watch the full lesson here...