Behind the Lines

John Schumann, born in Adelaide, South Australia (18 May 1953), released this album which focused on war, containing First and Second World War songs, as well as some other well-known Vietnam tracks, including Schumann's famous composition " I Was Only 19 ", which he performed as a member of the group Redgum (1983). The album featured a cover of "Khe Sanh", originally by Cold Chisel. However, it was renamed "Long Tan Version", as the reference to Khe Sanh was historically inaccurate - Australian forces were not involved in that battle. Thus Schumann changed it to Long Tan, the site of the famous battle involving Australian and New Zealand forces on 18 August 1966. The composer of the song, Don Walker, said that: "he rang me up one day a long time ago and asked if I minded if he did that... I said not only was it absolutely okay with me but good on you". Also on the album were covers of "Mothers, Daughters, Wives" by Judy Small, "Band Played Waltzing Matilda" by Eric Bogle, and " Rachel " by Russell Morris. Other members of the Vagabond Crew are Hugh McDonald, Dave Folley, Kat Kraus, & Mark Kraus. The front cover featured a photo of an Australian First World War era soldier. Note that Schumann also released the Vietnam War song " Safe Behind the Wire " (1988) as a solo artist. While discussing this album, Schumann said that: We don't leave people behind. Dead or alive or injured, when it's home time, everybody gets on the chopper....We had 50,000 men and women who served in Vietnam and we had six MIAs. The Americans had thousands - what does that tell you?"