Walzing My Timor
A song by Richard Mills ©Richard Mills 1999
Once a jolly Digger
Stumbled down a jungle trail
Under the guns of the Red Rising Sun
And he sang as he bled and sweated through that killing ground:
þHelp me, oh help me, East Timor, I'm done!
Help Me, East Timor
Help Me, East Timor
Though your blood floods the jungle
You'll carry my gun
And he sang as he bled and sweated through that killing ground:
þPlease come and help me, East Timor, My Son!
And the call had its answer as thousands helped the Diggers through
Risking their lives and their families' too
Without stint, without let they brought food and aid and comfort too
Helping the Diggers to get the job done!
Help Me, East Timor . . .
Then the Rising Sun fell and the Diggers took the short way home
'Thanks very much boys,' they called as they sailed
'And if you ever need us, just send a note and we'll return
'Ask for our help and we never will fail!'
We never will fail you
Never will fail
Though our blood floods the jungle
We never will fail
If you ever need us, just send a note and we'll return
Ask for our help and we never will fail!
Now Howard and Downer sit on their big fat useless bums
Selling the honour of the Diggers down the creek
The human cost is agony and treachery and burning flesh
Dja-Kali rides rampant and we turn the other cheek
We never will . . .
(Sad verse)
Up groaned the Timorese, and limped to concentration camps
Those that didn't burn and that still had their heads:
And their ghosts may be heard as you stroll down the East Timor trail
Help us, Australia, don't leave us . . . for dead!
Help us, Australia
Help us, Australia
Our blood floods the jungle
We've nowhere to run:
You fiddle and equivocate and dither while East Timor burns
Help us, Australia à ah, too late à we are gone . . .
Notes
Many thanks to Richard Mills for permission to add this song to the Union Songs web site.
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