Khe Sanh

Annotation

Cold Chisel formed in September 1973, in Elizabeth, South Australia, featuring the members Don Walker (keyboards), Jimmy Barnes (vocals, guitar), Ian Moss (guitar, vocals), Steve Prestwich (drums, 1973-2011), and Phil Small (bass, 1975-present). The group released the song "Khe Sanh" (Atlantic #600038-1), one of the most well-known Australian Vietnam War songs, named after the 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh between US Marines and the North Vietnamese Army.1 Some Australian forces were directly involved, mainly through air cover. It reached # 41 in the Australian charts.The song looked at a disillusioned Australian veteran, referencing several themes often found in post-war songs. It started with a soldier noting that they were not welcomed home, like the World War Two generation: "long forgotten dockside... there were no V-day heroes in 1973". The vet struggled to find a job: "hours long, pay packets lean... held a job on an oil-rig, flying choppers when I could". It noted drug addiction: "growing need for speed and novocaine". The vet also suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - often connected in songs to stress, shell shock, flashbacks, nostalgia, and feelings and dreams related to an event: "car parks make me jumpy, and I never stopped the dreams". Sources1Wikipedia: Battle of Khe Sanh↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs

Cold Chisel formed in September 1973, in Elizabeth, South Australia, featuring the members Don Walker (keyboards), Jimmy Barnes (vocals, guitar), Ian Moss (guitar, vocals), Steve Prestwich (drums, 1973-2011), and Phil Small (bass, 1975-present). The group released the song "Khe Sanh" (Atlantic #600038-1), one of the most well-known Australian Vietnam War songs, named after the 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh between US Marines and the North Vietnamese Army.1 Some Australian forces were directly involved, mainly through air cover. It reached # 41 in the Australian charts. The song looked at a disillusioned Australian veteran, referencing several themes often found in post-war songs. It started with a soldier noting that they were not welcomed home, like the World War Two generation: "long forgotten dockside... there were no V-day heroes in 1973". The vet struggled to find a job: "hours long, pay packets lean... held a job on an oil-rig, flying choppers when I could". It noted drug addiction: "growing need for speed and novocaine". The vet also suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - often connected in songs to stress, shell shock, flashbacks, nostalgia, and feelings and dreams related to an event: "car parks make me jumpy, and I never stopped the dreams". Sources1Wikipedia: Battle of Khe Sanh↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh / And the soul was sold with my cigarettes to the black market man / I've had the Vietnam cold turkey / From the ocean to the Silver City / And it's only other vets could understand / About the long forgotten dockside guarantees / How there were no V-day heroes in 1973 / How we sailed into Sydney Harbour / Saw an old friend but I couldn't kiss her / She was lined, and I was home to the lucky land / And she was like so many more from that time on / Their lives were all so empty / Till they found their chosen one / And their legs were often open / But their minds were always closed / And their hearts were held in fast suburban chains / And the legal pads were yellow Hours long, pay packets lean / And the telex writers clattered where the gunships once had been / Car parks make me jumpy / And I never stopped the dreams / Or the growing need for speed and novocaine / So I worked across the country from end to end / Tried to find a place to settle down, where my mixed up life could mend / Held a job on an oil-rig / Flying choppers when I could / Oh but the nightlife nearly drove me round the bend / And I've travelled round the world from year to year / And each one found me aimless, one more year the worse for wear / And I've been back to South East Asia / But the answer sure ain't there / But I'm drifting north, to check things out again, yes I am / Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone / And only seven flying…

About the artist

Australian rock band formed 1973 in Adelaide, Australia ('Khe Sanh'). [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

ANZUS

In collections

Australian & New Zealand Songs