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Waltzing Matilda


Oh there once was a swagman camped in the  billabong,
  Under the shade of a Coolabah tree;
And he sang as he looked at his old billy boiling
  "Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me."

  Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, my darling.
    Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.
  Waltzing Matilda and leading a water-bag —
    Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck to drink at the waterhole,
  Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him in glee;
And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker-bag,
  "You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me."

  Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, my darling.
    Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.
  Waltzing Matilda and leading a water-bag —
    Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Down came the squatter a-riding his thoroughbred;
  Down came policemen — one, two, and three.
"Whose is the jumbuck you've got in the tucker-bag?
  You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with we."

  Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, my darling.
    Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.
  Waltzing Matilda and leading a water-bag —
    Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

But the swagman, he up and he jumped in the waterhole,
  Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree;
And his ghost may be heard as it sings in the billabong
  "Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

  Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, my darling.
    Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.
  Waltzing Matilda and leading a water-bag.
    Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Notes



Written in 1895 and first published in 1903
www.uq.edu.au/~mlwham/banjo/matildaq.mid

There have been minor word changes over the years as this poem has been set to music. The words above are however the original words written by Banjo and as they appear in his collected works of 1921 (16th edition)

swagman: an intinerant farmhand, carrying his "swag" (his blankets) rolled into a cylinder
billabong: a creek (normally with a pronounced "oxbow" bend)
coolibah tree: a eucalypt (gum) tree )
waited till his billy boiled: a billy is a tin can used to heat water over a campfire to make tea
jumbuck: sheep
tucker-bag: bag or box used to store food
squatter: farmer/grazier who simply found good land and took possession; some became extremely rich
trooper: policeman or soldier on horseback

In a published book

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Comments

1 - 6 of 6

  • November 28, 2007
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    Waltzing matilda

    From guest Stephanie Walters (contact)
    I think waltzing matilda is a wonderful poem and you can learn alot about Australia just by reading it and also you can learn alot of Australian language too


  • April 23, 2007
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    matilda

    From guest dweyn (contact)
    love it thanx

  • Princess Wolf
    December 16, 2006

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    some things are WRONG!!!!!!! please fix "Billabongs" as it is "billabong" who ever posted tis please IM me.. would like to fix.


    • I-Like-Rhymes Moderators member
      December 16, 2006
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      The text has been revised to Banjo's own words. Thanks for pointing this out.

  • DeathxFaerie
    July 11, 2006
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    awsome

    well ive heard both ways...being an aussie its sung a lot here so ive known this song since i was young. its fun to sing but as a poem its still brilliant. has a lot of meaning


    • Charley Noble Moderators member
      July 11, 2006
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      Couldn't agree more with you. My uncle used to sing it back in the early 1950's.

      Charley Noble

  • Pierre Richards
    February 23, 2005
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    When I was there, in 2001, I got to meet one of his relations, Bill "Banjo" Paterson, a poet in his own right. We were both in love with the same woman.
    This is the first time I have read the original piece. The one I am used to is a bit different.
    I know they had a lot of issues then with the Troopers and such then. I feel this is a lot of what this piece is about.


  • rufina caraid Moderators member
    February 23, 2005
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    Waltzing Matilda was written at Dagworth Station, Kynuna Queensland in 1895. It was first published in 1903 as sheet music. It has had minor changes over the decades by other people but this original still stands firm as our unofficial 'national anthem'. There is an interesting history behind this poem/song pertaining to the lady who was first to sing it at Dagworth Station, which can be obtained on the Internet. This is an Australian Icon and is revered around the Nation, easily recognisable all over the world as uniquely Australian.
    Vonnie~~

1 - 6 of 6