After 34 Years, His Antiwar Song Is Still Not Out of Style
In 1969, Eric Bogle, a high school dropout, sometime accountant and former singer in a Beatles-style band, emigrated from Scotland to Australia in search of money and adventure.
Before the move, he had started writing songs somewhat like the ones his grandfather, a noted Scottish balladeer, used to sing. But nothing amounted to much.
Then in 1971, with Australia embroiled in Vietnam alongside the United States, Mr. Bogle sat down to write what would become one of the most admired songs about war: "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda."
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Before the move, he had started writing songs somewhat like the ones his grandfather, a noted Scottish balladeer, used to sing. But nothing amounted to much.
Then in 1971, with Australia embroiled in Vietnam alongside the United States, Mr. Bogle sat down to write what would become one of the most admired songs about war: "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda."