Best known for his leadership of the fabled Australian folk-rock band, “Redgum”, John Schumann's Vietnam War anthem, “I was only 19” changed the way our nation reflects on how we treat our past and our present war veterans.
Through his ballad, the subject matter follows a young soldiers’ perspective on war, from when he journeys away from the comfort of his home to his trauma of reliving the hardships, horrors, and futility of warfare, years later. This creates a theme of the Futility of War which is apparent through the emotions of sorrow and reverence, which are embedded within the poem. These emotions are emphasised greatly in the powerful, repetitive lines; “God help me, I was only nineteen.” This is because it emphasises the waste of
