WALTZING MATILDA

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
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

Down come a jumbuck to drink at the water hole
Up jumped a 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".

Up rode the Squatter a riding his thoroughbred
Up rode the Trooper - one, two, three
"Where's that jumbuck you've got in your ticker bag?",
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".

But the swagman he up and jumped in the water hole
Drowning himslef by the Coolabah tree,
And his ghost may be heard as it sings in the Billabong,
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?".

A.B. (Banjo) Paterson





Explanation of Australian slang in the song

Billabong - A waterhole.  (verse)

Billy - A can or small kettle used to boil water for tea.  (verse)

Coolabah tree - A type of native tree in Australia  (verse)

Jumbuck - A sheep.  There are 20 times as many sheep as there are people in Australia.  (verse)

Squatter - At one time, squatters claimed (siezed) land for themsleves in addition to land that they had been granted.  Eventually through the continous occupation of the land, their claims were legitimized in the eyes of the law.  (verse)

Swagman - Someone who lives on the open road.  A hobo.  The term came from the canvas bag thay they would cary their bedroll and/or belongings in.  (verse)

Trooper - In Australia's early days, ther was no police force.  The colony was protected by and policed by soldiers and even when a police force was eventually formed, they were still referred to as 'troopers'.  (verse)

Tucker bag - A bag for storing food in the bush.  (verse)

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