Waltzin' Matilda isn't the national anthem of Australia, but it should be. It's a charming folk tune about a vagabond who gets into trouble for stealing a jumbuck (sheep) while waltzing matilda, which means traveling around with all his belongings in a swag (blanket).
For me to call my blog Waltzin' Matilda is a joke, because when I travel, I do not travel light as the swagman does in the song. All my traveling companions but Steve (who also schleps way too much stuff around with him) find it necessary to question the excessive size of my luggage.
What's great about the song Waltzin' Matilda is it has an underdog, some fun Aussie slang, class warfare, some civil disobedience and a ghost all wrapped up in a catchy ditty.
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
Who'll come a-waltzing matilda with me
Chorus:
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
Who'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
Who'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 tuckerbag
Who'll come a-waltzing matilda with me
Chorus
Up came 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."
Chorus
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
Chorus
To learn more about the slang and the story behind the song, go here.
And for one of the best war protest songs of all time, listen to "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda".
