WALTZING MATILDA

WALTZING MATILDA
is the unofficial national anthem of Australia, a story of passion, freedom, and suicide:

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:
"Who'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 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."

Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred.
Down came the troopers, one, two, three.
"Where's that jolly 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"
Where's that jolly 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."

EXPLANATIONS:

• swagman: a drifter, an itinerant worker
• billabong: a lake in the Australian outback
• coolibah: a kind of eucalyptus, specifically a wetland eucalyptus
• billy: kettle (both the kettle itself and the tea-water)
• jumbuck: a young ram (male sheep)
• tucker bag: a knapsack
• squatter: a wealthy landowner, one who owns Crown lands to be more precise
• Matilda: the name the drifter gives his sleeping bag: he's grown so close to it that he's given it a girl's name, much like some owners name their vehicles or weapons
• Waltzing Matilda: wandering about the outback with the sleeping bag on one's back (from German "auf der Walz" for travelling on foot and the name "Matilda").

"Waltzing Matilda" in European English - the lyrics explained for us across the globe:

Once a merry drifter camped by a little lake
under the shade of a eucalyptus tree,
and he sang as he watched and waited till his kettle boiled:
"Who'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 kettle boiled:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Down came a young ram to drink at that little lake.
Up jumped the drifter and grabbed him with glee.
And he sang as he shoved that young ram into his knapsack:
"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 young ram into his knapsack:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Up rode the master, mounted on his thoroughbred.
Down came the troopers, one, two, three.
"Where's that jolly young ram you've got inside your knapsack?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me
"Where's that jolly young ram you've got inside your knapsack?
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Up jumped the drifter and sprang into the little lake.
"You'll never catch me alive!" said he.
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that little lake:
"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 little lake:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."