The text in red below is
history! I have now in July 2010 finally found the song again!
Someone named PaNTa rescued the song before it dissapeared from the web.
It's sad that the owner of the song I linked to has
closed his site,
and moved back home to Sri Lanka, without a forwarding
address.
I have searched, and I will continue to search for this
wonderful piece,
sung by four children, one verse each, and the chorus
line together.
These children's wonderful song went right into my hart! I just had to write the lyrics down. It doesn't quite seem to be the official version either (if there is one).
I have now and then listened to and enjoyed this song as long as I can recall, and for sure by a strange reason, from the time when the Bush Tucker Man were introduced to us up here in Scandinavia in the nineties. I have understood its important status almost as Australia's national anthem, but not until recently realized, that I have only understood the chorus line!
Therefore, to prevent that this happens to anyone else, I post an explanation of a few, but for the understanding of this song, very important Australian slang words.
Dictionary
Matilda = The pack or bundle containing the personal
belongings of a swagman. A swag.
Swagman = A man who seeks casual work while traveling
about carrying his swag. Elsewhere called Hobo or Tramp.
Swag = A pack or bundle containing the personal
belongings of a swagman.
Billabong = A dead-end channel extending from
the main stream of a river. Or, just a water hole.
Coolibah tree = One of almost 600 species of Eucalyptus,
native to Australia. Some say Coolabah.
Jumbuck = A sheep.
Tucker-bag = A bag for carrying tucker, eh,
food that is,
used by a
traveler in the bush or by a swagman.
Stockman = A man who owns or raises livestock.
Also called Squatter.
Thoroughbred =
Any of a breed of horses, bred chiefly for racing, originating
from a cross between Arabian stallions and English mares.
Trooper = A mounted police officer.
Waltzing Matilda
Listen to the
song
Once a jolly swagman sat beside a billabong
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree
And he sang as he sat and he waited by the billabong
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
"Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and he waited by the billabong
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me”
Down came a jumbuck to drink beside the billabong
Up jumped the swagman and ceased him with glee
And he sang as he talked to the jumbuck in his tucker-bag
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
"Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
And he sang as he talked to the jumbuck in his tucker-bag
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me”
Down came the stockman riding on his thoroughbred
Down came the troopers, one, two, three
Where's the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
"Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Where's the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me”
Up jump the swagman and plunged into the billabong
You’ll never catch me alive cried he
And his ghost may be heard as you ride beside the billabong
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
"Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you ride beside the billabong,
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me”
Read the full story about Waltzing Matilda at TheFreeDictionary.