Eric Bogle

Eric Bogle (born 23 September 1944) is a Scottish folk singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Scotland, he emigrated to Australia at the age of 25, to settle near Adelaide, South Australia. Bogle’s songs have covered a variety of topics, and have been performed by many artists. Two of his best known songs are “No Man’s Land” (or “The Green Fields of France”) and “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda”, with the latter named one of the APRA Top 30 Australian songs in 2001, as part of the celebrations for the Australasian Performing Right Association’s 75th anniversary.

Eric Bogle was born on 23 September 1944 in Peebles, Scotland. His father was a railway Signalman who could play the bagpipes.[2][3] Bogle started writing poetry when he was eight years old.[3] After attending school until he was sixteen, Bogle worked in various trades: labourer, clerk and barman.[3] In 1969, Bogle emigrated to Australia and initially lived in the capital, Canberra, where he worked as an accountant.[2] He had an interest in politics and by 1980 had moved to Queensland before settling in Adelaide.[2]

Bogle taught himself to play guitar and joined a skiffle and rock band.[3] He was the leader of Eric and the Informers in Scotland.[2] His early influences were Lonnie Donegan, Elvis Presley and Ewan MacColl.[3] He turned to folk music prior to emigrating to Australia – his first written songs concerned his parents. One of these, “Leaving Nancy”, which sang of the day he left home for Australia, being the last time he saw his mother Nancy, was often covered, most notably by The Dubliners and The Fureys.[2] When living in Canberra he joined the local folk music scene and performed occasionally.[3]