Lyr Req: War Correspondent (Eric Bogle)

Subject: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Amergin
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 04:13 PM

In this thread: Santa Bloody Claus there was a request for the song The War Correspondent...and I know some one aoround here as the words... ;)

thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 07:36 PM

I've got the album but I haven't got the words down on paper (or rather, computer screen). It'll take me a few days (she said, hoping someone would beat her to it :-)

Subject: Lyr Add: WAR CORRESPONDENT (Eric Bogle)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Oct 03 - 10:05 AM

The entire song can be downloaded from a site called The Australian Involvement in Vietnam. I've transcribed it, with a few holes where I stumbled because I'm not familiar with Aussie or cricket jargon.

WAR CORRESPONDENT
(Eric Bogle)

Good evening. I'm ... with the news from the ABC.
A record profit's been announced by the board of BHP,
And the second cricket test ...
While the drought in western New South Wales means dearer cuts of meat,
And our special correspondent in Saigon
Says three Australian soldiers have died in Vietnam.

And the special correspondent sat in the Saigon bar.
With the help of Johnny Walker, he pushed away the war.
And questions with no answers that have rattled round his head
Have lost their urgent clarity, and are faded round the edge.
Though tomorrow they'd again be sharp and clear,
Tonight they have been lost amongst the ... and the beer.

Ask a silly question, like why the hell you're here,
Learning how to live with death, suffering, and fear
For war's a game for soldiers. It's not for men like you.
Is it something that you have to find, something you must prove?
Or are you hooked upon the adrenaline
That living on the edge of dying brings?

But here you are in Vietnam. You're a long way from home,
Doing what you're paid to do the best way that you can.
Objectively you watch the war, never taking sides.
What you feel, what you really feel, is hidden deep inside,
For you're not being paid to moralize,
And anyway a man can lose his reason asking why.

And if you ever get back home, you'll never be the same.
The man that was before Vietnam can never be again.
And in ten years when you look back to weigh and count the cost,
Perhaps you'll see that Vietnam gave you back more than you lost.
And from it, if you learn nothing else,
Perhaps you may get to know yourself.

Roll up, roll up, and see the show. TV soldiers in a row.
Hear them laugh and hear them cry. Watch them run and see them die.
It's not in colour, but that's all right. War's better viewed in black and white.
White for us, and black for them, with no grey shadows in between.

[Recorded by Eric Bogle on "Now I'm Easy" Larrikin CD CDRF-041 (originally issued as an LP 1980).]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Oct 03 - 08:11 PM

Refresh. Can anyone fill in the words I missed? They're indicated by an ellipsis (...) in the lyrics above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 28 Oct 03 - 09:58 PM

G'day Jim,

The link you provided is to a download, so I can't access it from my work machine. I'll 'trace' this thread and pick up the missing words at home. I have four different Eric Bogle song books ... and this is in one ... possible the (~ 1980) first one.

Anyway, I'm fairly sure the name missing from the first line is Ross Symon(d)s (give or take spelling error!) I guess I should also post a MIDItext of the tune ... ?

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Rapparee
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 10:53 AM

" Tonight they have been lost amongst the ... and the beer."

The missing word is "bargirls."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Amergin
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 07:47 PM

Well thanks...Jim bob, and rapaire...there is still a missing line that like Jim I can't quite get...

I clicked on that link to the site Jim posted...and found a song called I was Only 19 by Redgum...that shook the tears from my eyes....very powerful song...think I'll have to look more into Redgum...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 07:40 AM

G'day Amergin,

I'm actually at home (back from the shanty session on the 1880s square-rigger James Craig).

I've got the first Eric Bogle Song Book (OK - this is the Irish rip-off copy the songs of eric bogle, but it's mostly a direct facsimile). Here's a corrected copy:

WAR CORRESPONDENT
(Eric Bogle)

Good evening. I'm Ross Symons with the news from the ABC.
A record profit's been announced by the board of BHP,
In the the second cricket test in Perth, the Aussies face defeat
Whilst the drought in western New South Wales means dearer cuts of meat,
And our special correspondent in Saigon
Says three Australian soldiers have died in Vietnam.

And the special correspondent sat in a Saigon bar.
With the help of Johnny Walker, he'd pushed away the war.
And questions with no answers that had rattled round his head
Have lost their urgent clarity, and were faded round the edge.
Though tomorrow they'd again be sharp and clear,
Tonight they had been lost amongst the bar girls and the beer.

Ask a silly question, like why the hell you're here,
Learning how to live with death, suffering, and fear
For war's a game for soldiers, it's not for men like you.
Is it something that you have to find, something you must prove?
Or are you hooked upon the adrenalin
That living on the edge of dying brings?

But here you are in Vietnam. You're a long way from home,
Doing what you're paid to do, the best way that you can.
Objectively you watch the war, never taking sides.
What you feel, what you really feel, is hidden deep inside,
For you're not being paid to moralise,
And anyway a man can lose his reason asking "Why".

And if you ever get back home, you'll never be the same.
The man that was before Vietnam can never be again.
And in ten years when you look back to weigh and count the cost,
Perhaps you'll see that Vietnam gave you back more than you lost.
And from it, if you learn nothing else,
Perhaps you may get to know yourself.

Roll up, roll up, and see the show.
TV soldiers in a row.
Hear them laugh, hear them cry.
Watch them run, see them die.
It's not in colour, but that's all right.
War's better viewed in black and white.
White for us, and black for them,
with no grey shadows in between.

(I think I picked up most of the corrections!)

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Amergin
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 02:05 PM

ah, Thanks, Bob! and thanks everyone else too!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 07:09 PM

Bar girl! Ha! I thought it sounded like "bargle". I almost asked, what the heck is a bargle? I thought maybe "bargle" was a name for some strange snack food that they serve in Aussie bars.

Anyway, it's a good song. Funny, I'd never heard it before, although during the Vietnam War I was sort of a peacenik and was familiar with many American antiwar songs. I guess I wasn't aware there was any antiwar sentiment in Australia in those days. Heck, I was barely aware there were any Australians in Vietnam.

Sorry, I guess it's just a reflection of how self-centered the US news media are. Maybe I'll educate myself someday.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent-Eric Bogle
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 11:38 PM

At the beginning, I've always thought it was "Good evening, I'm on asignment"...

And thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Correspondent (Eric Bogle)
From: GUEST,LIzzy
Date: 26 Jun 23 - 02:55 PM

I know this thread is from a long time ago, but it still comes up in the first page of Google results - thank goodness! (Mudcat to the rescue, yet again!) I downloaded the lyrics pdfs from Mr. Bogle's site, but I could hear a couple of syllables in the line about the cricket that I couldn't get - 'in Perth.' Thanks, Bob, for posting the lyrics from your book! (I may not have allowed for Mr. Bogle's accent...lol)

I've known this song for a long time, but recently I was struck by a set of lines that has only felt so significant in very recent years (especially since late 2020 into 2021, and now again since February 2022, and I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone what events I'm referring to!):

-------
Objectively you watch the war, never taking sides.
What you feel, what you really feel, is hidden deep inside,
For you're not being paid to moralise,
-------

Too many 'reporters' and 'journalists' have forgotten that THIS is their mandate - to report the FACTS, and not their opinions. Yes, explaining the facts is sometimes needed - I recently saw a news segment where the reporter began by relating the history that had led up to the latest development, but interpreting them through their own potentially distorted lens is not appropriate, and TRUTH above all, thank you very much, reporters and journalists! The truth, the WHOLE truth, and NOTHING but the truth.

And I either came up with a good rule of thumb or found it somewhere and have forgotten - if you know what side the reporters or journalists are on most of the time (not their guests, though), then probably best to change the channel/buy a different newspaper. (Of course, there are exceptions - a certain war is being disapproved of by the vast majority of reporters and journalists, and with good reason.)

So, slightly more philosophical/political turn this thread gained, but I just found it interesting and good that what is needed from the media is immortalised in this song.