Waltzing Matilda

January 26^th is Australian Day. What better way to celebrate than listening to the song Waltzing Matilde, considered the unofficial hymn of Australia. It was written in 1895 by Banjo Peterson. It tells the story of a swagman (vagabond) who camps by a billabong (stream) next to a coolabah tree (type of Euculyptus). While he is boiling some water in his billy (saucepan), a jumpbuck (sheep) comes by. The swagman captures him and puts him in his tucker bag (food bag). Then the squatter (rancher) comes on his thoroughbred (horse), along with some troopers (police), and accuses the swagman of stealing his jumpbuck. To avoid getting arrested, the swagman jumps into the billabong and drowns. From then on, the spirit of the swagman haunts that place. So what does the title Waltzing Matilda mean? A matilda is like a backpack, and waltzing, I suppose refers to wandering, not dancing!

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolabah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three,
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?"
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?",
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
"You'll never take me alive", said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."
"Oh, You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."