Spoken
( waltzing matilda is a song about an australian hobo i guess you'd call him. he wanders through the bush land of australia and he takes all his meagre belongings wrapped up in an old blanket which is strung across his shoulders with an old piece of twine and this is called his swag.
hence the name swagman. now affectionately or otherwise he refers to his swag as matilda, its like his only companion as he wanders through the bush tracks he finds himself talking to it as if its a real person. so the term waltzing matilda is nothing to do with dancing at all, it means in fact carrying this thing on your back through the long lonely stretches of the australian bush.
couple of other terms quickly, pay attention because i will be asking questions afterwards about this, couple of other terms.
a billabong is a pool of deep water, a billy is a little tin can they boil the tea in, a jumbuck is a sheep, err tucker bag is a bag for carrying tucker, food bag tucker is food sort of like a knapsack. what else the squatter is the big land owner, that's enough lets get on with the song.)
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
under the shade of a coolibah 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
Then 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
Then down came the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred
down came the troopers one two three
right-o where's that jolly jumbuck that 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
right-o where's that jolly jumbuck that you've got in your tucker bag?
you'll come a-waltzing matilda with me
So up jumped the swagman and he sprang into that 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-waltz ....
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.