Lyrics

[Intro: Spoken] Waltzing Matilda is a song about an Australian... hobo, I guess you'd call him. He wanders through the bushland of Australia, and he takes all his meagre belongings wrapped up in an old blanket, which is strung across his shoulders with an old piece of twine. And this is called his swag — hence the name "swagman". Now — affectionately or otherwise — he refers to this swag as "Matilda", it's like his only companion. And as he wanders through the bush tracks, he finds himself talking to it as if it's a real person. So the term "Waltzing Matilda" has nothing to do with dancing at all. It means, in fact, carrying this thing on your back through the long, lonely stretches of the Australian bush Couple of other terms, quickly. Pay attention because I will be asking questions afterwards about this. [chuckles] Couple of other terms: Uh, a billabong is a pool of deep water, a billy is a little tin can they boil the tea in, a jumbuck is a sheep, uh, tucker bag is a bag for carrying tucker. Tuck— uh, food bag is— tuck— a tucker is food. It's a food bag, so, like a knapsack. Um, what else? The squatter is the big land owner... That's enough, let's get on with the song [Verse 1] 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 You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me [Chorus] Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me [Verse 2] Then 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 [Chorus] 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 [Verse 3] Then down came the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred Down came the troopers, one, two, three! Right-o where's that jolly jumbuck that you've got in your tucker bag? You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me [Chorus] Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me Right-o, where's that jolly jumbuck that you've got in your tucker bag? You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me [Verse 4] So up jumped the swagman and he sprang into that billabong "You'll never take me alive", said he And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong You'll come a-waltz... [Chorus] Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me [Outro] And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me