I feel exceedingly bored lately so I decided to some time to write this as I have literally nothing to do. I mean if you want to read an essay then go ahead I guess.
“Waltzing Matilda” is one of Australia’s most iconic folk songs. Actually, no, it is the Australian folk song. Dubbed “Australia’s unofficial anthem”, it is a song that instills a sense of pride in a nation (at least for me anyways). Written by Banjo Patterson, an Australian poet in 1895, it tells a story about freedom, isolation and rebellion and everything that the Aussie spirit shall encompass.
Anyways here are the lyrics if you somehow never heard about it before (the one I’m familiar with:
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.”
Down came a jumbuck to drink at the 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, and three,
“Whose is that 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”,
“Whose is that 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 catch 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”.
I’m not going to give you the definitions of the words you’ve probably never came across in your entire lives, but basically the story is about a wandering (Waltzing) traveler that carries his belongings (Matilda) from place to place (Swagsman). He camps at a stagnant pool of water (billabong). He reflects his surroundings until a sheep (jumbuck) comes along and drinks. The “Swagsman” captures the sheep (presumably for food).
His actions however, do not go unnoticed and is soon discovered by the landowner (squatter). The landowner rocks up on his horse (thoroughbred) accompanied by police officers (troopers). The “squatter” demands the surrender and arrest of the Swagsman.
Instead of surrendering however, the waltzing swagsman leaps into the “billabong” and drowns, declaring that they will “never take him alive”.
Basically, it is a song about freedom and independence and rebellion against the corrupt.
Anyways here are two versions that I’ll provide you with:
Here’s Slim Dusty’s (Iconic Australian country singer) version:
And here’s the military march version (my favorite, I love marching to this it’s such a bop):
Anyways I was bored so here you go I guess.
