Khe Sanh by Cold Chisel

Khe Sanh was released in 1978 as Cold Chisel’s debut single, and has become one of Australia’s most loved songs.

Written by piano player Don Walker at the Sweethearts Cafe in Kings Cross, Khe Sanh tells the bleak story of a mans’ return from the Vietnam war. It explores the isolation he feels from a community he used to belong to, his struggles with ptsd, addiction, getting solid work, and trying to find a place to settle down, where my mixed-up life could mend. 

The meaning behind the song has been much debated over the decades, with some believing it to be an anti-war protest song, and others believing it to be a scathing review of how men were treated by the public upon returning from Vietnam. Walker has said the song was influenced by a man he knew back home in Adelaide, whose life was destroyed by the war, and also by the restless youth of his generation who craved more than a 9-5 in the city.

Cold Chisel, legends of the Australian pub rock scene in the 70's

The song was banned by many radio stations, who cited inappropriate sexual and drug references, although Walker believes this reaction had more to do with the nation's inability to deal with the brutality and failure of the Vietnam war.

Although the shining star of the song is the piano, it has become an iconic sing-along song on guitar, and is relatively easy to play. The key is perfecting the rhythm before you move on to the chord changes. We’ll start with plucking the bass note, then strumming down, down up down up. It is good to get to know the bass notes of each chord so you can practise hitting the right one.

We can also learn the piano run that begins the song. This consists of just four notes played over two beats, and leads into a four bar intro.

Here is a chord sheet for the song…

Watch the full lesson here…