I Was Only Nineteen - Redgum Chords
Chords: Am, C, G, D, E, A, F#m
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Genre: pop, rock, australian
Capo on 3rd in some live versions
First I'll preface by saying that A and Am in this song sound extremely
similar, and you can play either in
the verses. Personally I play Am as it has a more solemn feel but when they
play live, they play a regular A.
The picking pattern for the song is easy once you get your head around it. It
alternates between the bass note
and the D string, with the exception of the D chord where it plays the A
string. With the strings numbered 1
through 6, with 1 being the high E, and "bass" being the bass note, the
picking pattern goes like this:
bass 1 3 2 4 1 3 2 bass 1 3 2 4 1 3 2
I believe the chorus is the same, but I'm not sure. I usually strum the
chorus anyway. Now to the actual song.
[Intro]
Am C G D
Am G Am
[Verse 1]
Am C G D Am
Mum and Dad and Denny saw the passing-out parade at Puckapunyal
G Am
It was a long march from cadets.
Am C G D
The sixth battalion was the next to tour, and it was me who drew the card.
Am G Am
We did Canungra, Shoalwater before we left.
E D A
And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the quay
E D A
This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean.
F#m E D A
And there's me in my slouch hat with my SLR and greens.
E D
God help me, I was only nineteen.
Am C G D
From Vung Tau, riding Chinooks, to the dust at Nui Dat
Am G Am
I'd been in and out of choppers now for months.
Am C G D
But we made our tents a home, VB and pinups on the lockers
Am G Am
And an Asian orange sunset through the scrub.
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