traditional • andrew barton paterson
Some summer day way back in -67, I sat listening to a FM radio station broadcasting a program especially for sailors abroad. Messages and request for songs. My Phillips 4-track tape recorder was ready, and when the guy announced Harry Belafonte, I pulled the handle down. I was about to pull it up again, when I heard the song title. For quite a long time, an older cousin had annoyed the whole family with that shit; give him two bottles of brew, and he'd growl Waltzing Matilda. He could neither sing nor speak english. But wait ... this was different.
Indeed, it was. A lifetime afterwards, I've learned that this is the Queensland version, and even a rare one. It differs from the Australian non-official second national anthem both in lyrics and melody. It burned into my memory, was the first song I really learned to play and the only one I always receive the response "one more time" for. I never found that record anywhere, but a couple of years ago I found it on You Tube (surprise!), which I usually don't link to. This is an exception as rare as the version.
The lyrics were written by Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson (1864-1941) to the tune of "The Craigielee March", and has derived into several versions up through the years. It is also related to "Marching through Rochester", an english tune from the 18th century. A few explanations are required:
• a swagman is a tramp, drifting on foot from job to job or anywhere, usually walking with a stick
• a billabong is a cut-off bend of a meandering river
• a coolibah is an eucalyptus tree
• a billy is a tin can with a handle to keep above a camp fire
• a jumbuck is a young, male sheep
• a tucker bag is a rolled up blanket tied around the chest and shoulders
• a squatter is one holding the rights to a disputed property
• a matilda is the female nick for the tucker bag, as there usually were few women in the bush to dance with
• ... and waltzing is of german origin; means wandering about
once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
under the shade of a coolibah tree
he sang as he sat and waited while his billy boiled
"you'll come a-waltzing matilda with me"
waltzing matilda, matilda my darling
you'll come a-waltzing matilda with me
waltzing matilda : leading on the water bag
you'll come a waltzing matilda with me
down came a jumbuck to drink from the water and
up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee
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"
"who's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
you'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me"
swagman up and jumped into the water and
"you'll never take me alive!" cried he
and his ghost may be heard as you ride by that billabong:
"you'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me"
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
G Em Am D once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong G Em A7 D under the shade of a coolibah tree G Bm C B7 he sang as he sat and waited while his billy boiled Em Am D G you'll come a waltzing matilda with me G Em Am D waltzing matilda matilda my darling G Em A7 D you'll come a waltzing matilda with me G Bm C B7 waltzing matilda leaning on the water bag Em Am D G you'll come a waltzing matilda with me
