Waltzing Matilda - our other National Anthem!!

Waltzing Matilda is a poem written in the time of the sheep shearer's strike during the depression, many men were wandering the countryside in search of work.
Australia's most famous poet A. B. (Banjo) Paterson hand wrote a manuscript of the original Waltzing Matilda written 1895 on a trip to Winton, Queensland. He heard the tune played by Miss Macpherson of Dagworth Station. He told her that he could put words to the music which he did for the amusement of the house party. Shortly afterwards the song was performed in public and it is now known around the world.

Original Manuscript
Banjo's hand written manuscript

Oh, there once was a swagman camped in the billabong,
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he looked at the old billy boiling,
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Chorus

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda my darling,
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
Waltzing Matilda and leading a waterbag,
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Down came the jumbuck to drink at the water-hole,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he put him away in his tucker-bag,
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Up came the Squatter a-ridding his thoroughbred,
Up came Policemen - one, two and three,
Whose is that jumbuck you've got in the tucker-bag,
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

The swagman he up and he jumped in the water-hole,
Drowning himself by the coolibah tree,
And his ghost may be heard as it sings by the billabong,
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Christina Macpherson's hand written manuscript of the tune she wrote
Christina's hand written manuscript

WORD TERMINOLOGY (Australianisms)
SWAGMAN

a traveller of the road, an roaming itinerant, a drifter, a tramp, or a hobo. Carried few belongings wrapped in cloth which was called by a variety of names including 'swag', 'shiralee' and 'bluey' slung over his shoulder or back or often tied to the end of a stick.
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BILLABONG

originally an aboriginal word for a pond of still water. In the Australian outback, a billabong generally retains water longer than the creeks or rivers, so it may be the only water for miles around in the times of drought.
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COOLIBAH TREE

a particular kind of eucalyptus (australian native gum tree) which grows beside billabongs, flowing rivers and creeks.
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BILLY

a billy looks a bit like a paint pot & is hung over the campfire to boil water in for tea. The traditional method that is used by many swaggies is that you scoop the tea into the boiling water, leave it to "brew", then twirl the billy round and round at arm's length to "settle" the tea leaves. It's also recommended that a couple of gum leaves be added to the tea for that authentic bush flavour.
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WALTZING MATILDA

matilda is a swag that is usually rolled and carried on your back, (similar to a backpack) and to waltz your matilda means to hit the track...start walking!!!
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JUMBUCK

a sheep
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TUCKERBAG

tucker is an aussie word for food.
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SQUATTERS

as Australia became settled, there wasn't much in the way of authority so people 'squatted' on blocks of land, grazed their animals, grew their crops and built their houses and fences. In due course, as authority arrived, it was generally accepted the claims went to whoever was in apparent possession of the land.
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TROOPERS

a mounted policeman.
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These above hand written manuscript is an exerpt from the "Singer of the Bush"
Complete Works of A. B. (Banjo) Paterson 1885-1900.