Song · Redgum
“I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)” by Redgum
From the EP 4 Play, Volume 19 (1988)
“I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)” by Redgum appears on 2 radio countdowns from 2 stations between 2018 and 2025. It was first released in 1988 on the EP 4 Play, Volume 19. Its best result is #20 on the Triple M Ozzest 100 (2018).
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Redgum's "I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)" came out as a single in March 1983, and John Schumann, the Australian folk group's singer and guitarist, wrote it out of anger at the cold welcome Vietnam veterans got when they came home. He built it from what veterans told him, above all his brother-in-law Mick Storen and Frankie Hunt, and the detail is what cuts: one soldier's first-person journey from training at Puckapunyal to patrols and combat, then home again, disillusioned, carrying PTSD with Agent Orange hanging over the ending.
The subtitle is map talk: light green marked thin cover and a strong chance of mines. It topped the Kent Music Report for two weeks, its royalties go to the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, and it remains the song the band is known for.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 20 | Triple M | Triple M Ozzest 100 (2018) | 100 |
| 2025 | 63 | Triple J | Triple J Hottest 100 of Australian Songs (2025) | 100 |
Also listed as: I Was Only 19 (A Walk In The Light Green).
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