Today’s New York Times has a profile of Eric Bogle. Focusing in particular on his anti-war song “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” the article discuses both how the song has taken a on a life of it’s own and how it’s affected Eric’s career.

In a telephone interview from his home in Beacon, N.Y., Pete Seeger called it “one of the world’s greatest songs.” “In a few lines of poetry he captured one of the great contradictions of the world: the heroism of people doing something, even knowing it was a crazy something,” Mr. Seeger said. “And he showed how the establishment has used music for thousands of years to support its way of thinking.”

In the interest of full disclosure. The Cornell Folk Song Society with which I’m affiliated, is presenting Mr Bogle November 12th. After 34 Years, His Antiwar Song Is Still Not Out of Style

Eric Bogle’s home page ericbogle.net

Lyrics And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda at Mudcat, scroll down.