Waltzing Matilda

Waltzing Matilda

Once a jolly swagman camped
beside a billabong

Under the shade of a coolibah tree

And he sang as he sat and waited while his billy boiled

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing
Matilda

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

And he sang as he sat and waited while his billy boiled

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Down came a jumpbuck to
drink at the billabong

Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee

And he sang as he stowed that jumback in his tuckerbag

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing
Matilda

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

And he sang as he stowed that jumback in his tuckerbag

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Up came the squatter,
mounted on his thoroughbred

Down came the troopers - one, two, three

"Where's that jolly jumpbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing
Matilda

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

"Where's that jolly jumpbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Up jumped the swagman and
sprang into the billabong

"You'll never take me alive!", said he

And his ghost may be heard as you pass beside that billabong

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Waltzing Matilda

Waltzing Matilda is a poem written in the time of the sheep shearer's strike during the depression,
many men were wandering the countryside in search of work.

Australia's most famous poet A. B. (Banjo) Paterson hand wrote a manuscript of the
original Waltzing Matilda written 1895 on a trip to Winton, Queensland. He heard the tune
played by Miss Macpherson of Dagworth Station. He told her that he could
put words to the music which he did for the amusement of the house party. Shortly
afterwards the song was performed in public and it is now known around the world.