Waltzing Matilda

(Formerly The Ol'Kunnel's Bar And Grill)

On a visit to Queensland in his native Australia in 1895, poet "Banjo" Paterson heard a rancher say the he had seen two men "waltzing Matilda down by the billabhong"-meaning that he had seen the men carrying their swags (bedrolls) by a water hole. Inspired by the colorful slang of the Outback, Paterson wrote what became Down Under's best-known and best- loved song. It tells of a swagman (drifter) caught stealing a jumbuck (sheep) from a squatter (rancher). Swagmen, for those who don't speak "Australian," boil water in a "billy" and carry food in a "tucker-bag." Informally, "Matilda" is Australia's national song.

Words by A.B. (Banjo) Paterson.

Music by Marie Cowan.

Once a jolly swagman
Camp'd by a billabhong,
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.

(Chorus)
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda,
You'll come awaltzing 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 billabhong;
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved
That jumbuck in his tuckerbag.
"You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.

(Chorus)
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda,
You'll come awaltzing Matilda with me."

And he sang as he shoved
That jumbuck in his tuckerbag,
"You'll come awaltzing Matilda with me."

Up rode the squatter
Mounted on his thoroughbred;
Down came the troopers, one, two, three,
"Whose that jolly jumbuck
You've got in your tuckerbag?"
"You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.

(Chorus)
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda,
You'll come awaltzing Matilda with me."

"Whose that jolly jumbuck
You've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come awaltzing Matilda with me."

Up jumped the swagman,
Sprang into the billabhong;
"You'll never catch me alive," said he.
And his ghost may be heard
As you pass by that billabhong,
"You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.

(Chorus)
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda,
You'll come awaltzing Matilda with me."

And his ghost may be heard
As you pass by that billabhong,
"You'll come awaltzing Matilda with me."

Music provided by:

MIDI Music Arranged by:

Frank "Grandpa" Schober

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