Khe Sanh

About Khe Sanh

"Khe Sanh" is an Australian song, released as a 45 rpm single in May 1978, and named after the district capital of Hướng Hóa District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam. The song, performed by Cold Chisel, having been written by pianist Don Walker, is about an Australian Vietnam veteran dealing with his return to civilian life. According to Toby Creswell's liner notes for the band's 1991 compilation album Chisel, the song is also a story of restless youth.

Year:

1978

4:14

441 Views

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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 nineteen seventhy-three 
How we sailed into Sydney Harbor
Saw an old friend but 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 packet lean
And the telex writers clattered where the gunships once had been
Car parks made me jumpy
And I never stopped the dreams
Or the growing need for speed and Novocaine

So I worked across the country 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 traveled round the world from year to year
And each one found me aimless, one more year the more 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, yeah I am

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
And only seven flying hours, and I'll be landing in Hong Kong
There ain't nothing like the kisses
From a jaded Chinese princess
I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
And it's really got me worried
I'm goin' nowhere and I'm in a hurry
And the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
And it's really got me worried
I'm goin' nowhere and I'm in a hurry
You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

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Cold Chisel

Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It had chart success from the late 70s up until their most recent album releases since 2011, with nine albums making the Australian top ten. However, its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to Australia and New Zealand. more »

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