Album: Caught In The Act (1980)

License This Song 

• Mum and Dad and Denny saw the passing out parade at Puckapunyal
  It was a long march from cadets
  The sixth battalion was the next to tour and it was me who drew the card
  We did Canungra and Shoalwater before we left
  
  And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the quay
  This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean
  And there's me in me slouch hat with me SLR and greens
  God help me - I was only nineteen
  
  From Vung Tau riding Chinooks to the dust at Nui Dat
  I'd been in and out of choppers now for months
  And we made our tents a home, V.B. and pinups on the lockers
  And an Asian orange sunset through the scrub
  
  And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?
  And night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M.16?
  And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
  God help me - I was only nineteen
  
  A four week operation, when each step can mean your last one on two legs
  It was a war within yourself
  But you wouldn't let your mates down 'til they had you dusted off
  So you closed your eyes and thought about somethin' else
  
  And then someone yelled out "Contact", and the bloke behind me swore
  We hooked in there for hours, then a God almighty roar
  And Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon
  God help me - he was goin' home in June
  
  I can still see Frankie, drinkin' tinnies in the Grand Hotel
  On a thirty-six hour rec. leave in Vung Tau
  And I can still see Frankie, lying screaming in the jungle
  'Til the morphine came and killed the bloody row
  
  And the Anzac legends didn't mention mud and blood and tears
  And the stories that my father told me never seemed quite real-
  I caught some pieces in my back, that I didn't even feel
  God help me - I was only 19
  And can you tell me doctor why I still can't get to sleep
  And the Channel 7 chopper chills me to my feet
  And what's this rash that comes and goes can you tell me what it means
  God help me - I was only nineteen
  
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 28

• Gene Floyd from Chattahoochee, Florida, UsThis last is what I was trying to figure out when I found this page. Why are they talking about him going home 11 months from now? Was June just the only word they found that rhymes with moon? Could they have used soon?
• Jeanne from BrisbaneI have two friends who were in Vietnam
  Thank you for your bravery
• Ran Veteran from AustraliaWe owe all Vietnam Vets a debt of gratitude and thanks for completing their service. People forget service people join up to sere their country and only go where the politicians send them. Its politicians who should cop the flack not our dedicated service people!
• Lao Ti from 'namVung Tau is a pretty town
• Dave from Perth,waThanks to "A Vietnam Vets Army Brat" I listened to the podcast and was really interesting. It certainly answered some questions I had about the lyrics. "What's this rash that comes and goes" isn't about the effects of Agent Orange, it's about PTSD and how it causes rashes that come and go. I also heard elsewhere this was one of the lines that got veterans angry because their Doctors couldn't give an explanation, they also thought they were the only ones that suffered.
  And the mine that Frankie kicked was actually the day of the moon landing and as others have mentioned the "moon and June" line it was just poetic license.
  I was hoping to nail down the Asian Orange sunset line but it wasn't mentioned. Every lyric I have seen written and John Schuman definitely says Asian Orange.
  I joined the Army in 1984 right out of school and this was my right of passage song through basic training in Kapooka. We still wore the same uniform, shot the same weapon less than 10 years after the Vietnam War ended. In the podcast it mentions that even troops today consider the song somewhat of a rite of passage, a testament to John Schuman and his efforts to get Vietnam Veterans the respect they deserve.
• A Viet Vet 1968/1969 from AustraliaFor all those promoting Agent Orange listen to it as sung by John Schumann, definitely Asian Orange and I have yet to find another site besides this that promotes Agent Orange, all lyrics show Asian Orange including the Australian War Memorial on which there is a transcript of an interview with John Schumann as well as the lyrics. As for Frankie "going home in June", 6 RARs 2nd tour was from May 1969 to April 1970 therefore Frankie wasn't due to go home until April 1970, the mine incident of course meant he was repatriated on 22 July 1969. The reference to June and moon was purely to rhyming under poetical licence. His tour wasn't extended.
• A Vietnam Vets Army Brat from AdelaideTo all who are commenting, it is easy for all service men and women to out their own interpretation on these lyrics and its meaning, but if you all have the time to listen to a very informative podcast of how this song even came about from the song writer himself all you have to do is search for the awesome Aussie songs podcast episode 50 I was only 19 ( a walk in the light green ) it will clarify who Frankie is and the story behind kicking the mine and why moon and June were used along with the who's your the story is about, I hope you find this podcast as interesting and informative as I did, for all of those that have fallen "Lest We Forget"
• Dan from BrisbaneTo everyone commenting about the "error" regarding the line "and Frankie kicked a mine the day mankind kicked the moon, God help him, he was going home in June" - John Schumann mentioned in an interview sometime after the song was released that Frankie had been due to go home in June 1969, but his tour of duty had been extended for reasons that weren't revealed.
• Hayden from Beverley Park, AustraliaKit, "Hooked in there for hours" actually could refer to the military maneuvers. Australians were well known for their effective ambush and contact drills in Vietnam, which involved moving towards the assaulting force, suppressing them, and moving half of the platoon/section/etc. around to flank the enemy, similar to a hook. Also, when forming a platoon harbour, the platoon would first perform a "fish hook", doubling back on themselves, to ensure they weren't being followed.
• Simmone from Brisbane, AustraliaI like this song mainly cause my granddad faught in veitnam and i never actaly got the chance to meet him. imdoing the song fo a music assighnment and would love any coments if you can think of anything
• Alex from Townsville, Australiaits asian orange, not agent orange.
• Louise from Bunbury, Australiait is Agent Orange for the person up there
• Jason from Brisban, Australiai like lisoning to this song all the time my great uncle was in ww2 a rat and another great uncle was at png so it hits me prity hard and "hooked in for hours" could mean being pined down for hours
• Tommy from Perth, AustraliaPete from Sydney: The line "And Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon God help me - he was goin' home in June" is a metaphor told with a great deal of Irony, the soldier could only relate the world's greatest achievment of the time to his personal tragedy as the worlds worst attrocities were being commited. Dont be so quick to judge it as pathetic.
  Also - VB does mean victorian beer, The victoria Barracks were only for generals and ordinary soldiers wouldn't refer to it casually in this sence. Since VB was the most popular and favoured amongst the sodiers, it is defiantly reffering to the Beer.
• Emma from Grafton, Australiapete from nowra, Australia
  that is horrible
  it is offensive to all that Australia is about
  that man, and you if you found it amusing, should be sent to the war and see how youd like to come back with one leg or PTSD
  get a life mate, become an Aussie
• Jess from Foster, Australiait is a great and sad song
• Ray from Melbourne, AustraliaHearing this song as a teenager prompted me to question whether I should embark upon a military career or not. As it was, I decided not to and I am grateful for the boys who had more guts than me, who did. I once dated a couple of girls whose dads and uncles served in vietnam, they hated this song as it reminded them of the trauma. But I think it still stands as Australia's greatest ever folk song.
• Frank from Melbourne, AustraliaPeter, Frankie was ment to have gone home the month before, his operation was extended only slightly though. Enough for death however. God this song haunts my soul.
• Steve from Melbourne, Australia"and we made our tents a home VB" - nothing to do with beer. VB is Victoria Barracks, ie a home away from home.
• Jim from Los Angeles, CaDear Australia, Thank You for supporting me as a U.S. Marine Forward Observer in Vietnam.
  Australians did visit Khe Sanh doing the war and I used Oz artillery at times but when and where in Vietnam I do not remember. Around 500 Ozzie's were KIA and about 2500 were wounded in Vietnam. I like this song as it is indictative of my life for a long time after returning home in a Hospital plane from battle Hill 861,over looking the Khe Sanh Combat.We call this PTSD uo here. I was wounded 6 times, twice at Khe Sanh.
• John from Melbourne, AustraliaAs Keith pointed out, the whole June thing is accurate, not pathetic (this song was written not as fiction, but as an account of the experience of two mates of the songwriter's in Vietnam). Also, referencing Cold Chisel's Khe Sanh is rather curious, given the fact that no Australian ground troops ever fought at Khe Sanh... strictly a US engagement.
• Kit from Melbourne, Australia"Hooked in there for hours" is actually more general Australian slang for 'working like hell for hours', and in the case referred to in the song, also in a hellish environment
• Keith from Brisbane, AustraliaThe line "And Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon God help me he was goin' home in June" is even sadder than it seems. He didn't have 11 months left, Frankie was due to go home in June 1969 but had his tour extended by a couple of months so he was actually supposed to have already gone home when he was wounded.
• Peter from Sydney, AustraliaThis song made me grit my teeth. I cannot believe a songwriter would, in the late 20 Century, link "moon" and June" in a lyric. However, what really made me laugh was that, "And Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon
  
  God help me - he was goin' home in June" line.
  
  Neil Armstrong landed on the moon July 1969. So "Frankie" only had 11 months to go. Pathetic. Khe Sanh as a song so much more evocative.
  
• Mark from Wee Waa, AustraliaThis song still gives me goose bumps when I hear it.
• Liam from Hobart, AustraliaSong was remade in 2005 by the Australian hip-hop group The Herd with support from John Schuman from Redgum, who wrote the original.
• Sean from Murray, KyThis song was given to me by Australian solders when the Iraq war started on ANZAC Day 2003. The Aussie soldiers knew this song better than their national anthem. I copied it to a CD and played it on ALL missions I went on in Iraq. I can not Thank Australia enough for their help to my men and America during the Iraq War. They lost many men too! Thank You Australia and Red Gum! Awesome song and great support! Some of those who heard this song for the first time never made it home alive. I only regret I could not get more songs such as this one! God Bless you all!
  Sean ' Proud American
  
• Pete from Nowra, Australiaa brekky radio announcer from Australia called Rick Melbourne, did a parody on this song when it first came out.....only 16....one of the lines went " God help me ,she told me she was 16" quite amusing at the time

More Songfacts:

Wrecking BallMiley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus didn't write "Wrecking Ball" but could very much relate to it. She was having problems in her relationship with Liam Hemsworth, so the theme of giving your love only to have it wrecked really resonated with her.

Just A GirlNo Doubt

Gwen Stefani wrote "Just a Girl" as a message to her overprotective father.

Bitter Sweet SymphonyThe Verve

"Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve samples an obscure orchestral arrangement of the 1965 Rolling Stones song "The Last Time." The Verve had to sign away most of the royalties before they could release the song.

Midnight RiderThe Allman Brothers Band

A roadie for the Allman Brothers came up with the line "The road goes on forever" for "Midnight Rider," and got a songwriting credit for his contribution.

WomanizerBritney Spears

"Womanizer" was Britney Spears' comeback song, going to #1 about 10 months after she was institutionalized to get treatment for addictions and mental health issues.

Video Killed The Radio StarBuggles

"Video Killed The Radio Star" by Buggles was the first video to air on MTV when the network started broadcasting on August 1, 1981.

Editor's Picks

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top ProverbSong Writing

How a country weeper and a blues number made "rolling stone" the most popular phrase in rock.

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.