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Theme of Waltzing Matilda
For most people, the words
of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ embody the free spirit, resourcefulness and defiance
of authority associated with the Australian national character.
More, specifically, Waltzing Matilda is a romantic term for wandering the
roads with a swag (hobo’s
belongings) on your back.
Lyrics
(original 1895 Banjo Paterson version)
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There
once was a 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 'til his billy boiled
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".
Down came a jumbuck to drink at the water hole
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee
And he sang as he stowed him away in his tuckerbag
"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 stowed him away in his tuckerbag
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".
Down came the Squatter riding on his thoroughbred
Down came Policemen - one, two, three
"Where's the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?",
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing
Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
"Where's the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?",
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".
But the swagman he up and he jumped into the water hole
Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree,
And his ghost may be heard as you walk along the 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 walk along the billabong,
"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 leading the waterbag
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.
To restart the song click on the play in the music controller at the
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The Song's History
The music is
based on a popular tune called ‘Craigielee’, originally a Scottish song
set to music by James Barr, with words by Robert Tannahill. Christina
Macpherson, a squatter’s daughter and amateur musician, heard ‘Craigielee’
at a band performance at the Warrnambool races in 1894 and committed it to
memory. The tune, and it seems, Christina herself, inspired
Andrew Barton “Banjo”
Paterson
to write words for the appealing melody when they met at Dagworth
homestead in northern Queensland in January 1895. The song was later
performed in public and is famous throughout the world. It is also known
as Australia's second national anthem.
Reference:
http://www.nla.gov.au/epubs/waltzingmatilda/
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Explanation of Slang Used in the Song
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Waltzing Matilda:
Matilda was a mock-romantic word for a swag, and
to waltz Matilda was to hit the road with a swag on your back.
Matilda: Although there are several schools of
thought, Matilda was
originally of Teutonic origins and means Mighty Battle
Maiden, referring to the women in camps during the Thirty Year Wars in
Europe. Later this more commonly referred to the great army coats or
blankets that soldiers rolled into a swag and tossed over their shoulders
while marching.
Swag: a hobo’s
belongings slung in a cloth, which was called by a wide variety of
names, including 'swag', 'bluey', or 'shiralee'.
Swagman: Someone
who lives on the open road. A hobo. The term came from the canvas bag that
they would carry their bedroll and/or belongings in.
Billabong: A
waterhole.
Billy: A can or small kettle used to
boil water for tea.
Coolabah tree: A
type of eucalyptus tree (eucalyptus microtheca) native to
Australia that grows beside billabongs.
Jumbuck: A sheep. The term is an
Aboriginal corruption
meaning big, white, fluffy clouds that typically drift across the
inland Australian skies in late summer and autumn. When the
aboriginals first saw sheep they were reminded of these white
clouds.
Squatter: At one time, squatters claimed
(seized) land for themselves in addition to land that they had been
granted. Eventually through the continuous occupation of the land, their
claims were legitimized in the eyes of the law.
Trooper: In
Australia's early days, there was no police force. The colony was
protected and policed by soldiers and even when a police force was
eventually formed, they were still referred to as 'troopers'.
Tuckerbag: A knapsack or bag for storing
food in the bush.
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