Australians are very interesting people. I heard a youtube of the Seekers singing Waltzing Matilda and paid attention to the lyrics. Not knowing Aussie Slang it confused me. I did a search and found several sights with explanations of the lyrics. I had always thought it was a song about some Australian guy singing about dancing with his girlfriend. But the explanation surprised me. This is an Australian outback ballad but you have to know some Australian slang to understand it.
The key slang words are:
a
1) Swagman- a transient worker that goes around looking for work and sleeps where he can. He carries a bed roll called a Swag, hence the name Swagman, with all his possessions rolled up inside. He is dirt poor and lives off doing odd jobs unless he's skilled at something in particular. Waltzing with his matilda a nick name for his swag referres to his walking over the country with his swag over his shoulder.
2)Billibong-a small body of water usually formed when a river changed course and left a portion behind. C
3)Coolibah-Eucaliptis Tree.
4) Billy- a can with a wire handle used to boil stuff, usually tea.
5) Jump Buck-A young male sheep.
6)Tucker Bag- A bag he carries food in.
7) Squatter-Land owner or sheep rancher.
8) Troopers-cops or militia.
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
He sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
He sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
Down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong,
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
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
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,
Up rode the troopers, one, two, three,
With 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
With the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, you scoundrel with me.
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
You'll never catch me alive, said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me.
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me.
Oh, you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me.
When the squatter caught the happless swagman stealing the jumpbuck the swagman knew they would either kill or imprison him so he jumped in the Billibong and drowned.
What a cool song! How cool can people get? I just got to go there sometime.
Last edited by Filaman; 11/08/19.
