When the bodies were bagged and the telegram sent
And the very last chopper had gone
And you looked out the window of the 707
On the airfield in Saigon
Some of us thought that the war was over
Some of us couldn't care less
But you came home and threw a stay behind party
To try to clear up the mess
I don't know where you are tonight
I'm down here in a firefight
But wherever you are I hope you're safe
Behind the wire
We were fighting for freedom in South East Asia
That's how the story ran
Windy speeches 'bout a domino falling
From China into Vietnam
But look back in sickness and anger
Australia didn't honour her debt
And non-commissioned officer Thompson learned
That the war wasn't over yet
Living on your nerves, living on the phone
Sleeping in airports far from home
Dusted off now and safe
Behind the wire
Well he gave and he gave and he kept on giving
Till he just couldn't give any more
And he gave it away one morning in Sydney
In a rust red Commodore
I remember Phil best talking on the phone
With a cheeky grin on his face
'Cause royal commissioners and knights of the realm
Thought that Phil didn't know his place
I don't know where you are tonight
I'm down here in a firefight
But wherever you are I hope you're safe
Behind the wire
And they're still bagging the bodies Phil
For fourteen years have gone
And the mums and the dads and the wives and the kids
Still have to soldier on
I don't know where you are tonight
I'm down here in a firefight
But wherever you are I hope you're safe
Behind the wire
I don't know where you are tonight
I'm down here in a firefight
But wherever you are I hope you're safe
Behind the wire
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