It’s a hugely important part of Australian identity, sometimes called Australia’s ‘unofficial national anthem’. What is the story behind the song ‘Waltzing Matilda’?
It’s a hugely important part of Australian identity, and is sometimes referred to as Australia’s ‘unofficial national anthem’.
But what is the story behind the song ‘Waltzing Matilda’? Where does the name ‘Waltzing Matilda’ come from, and what the time signature is the song in?
What is ‘Waltzing Matilda’?
Waltzing Matilda is a popular Australian song, an example of the Australian folk music and poetry style known as a bush ballad.
Where does the name ‘Waltzing Matilda’ come from?
The name ‘Waltzing Matilda’ is derived from Australian slang for, respectively, travelling on foot (waltzing) and carrying one’s belongings in a ‘matilda’ (something like a bedroll).
What is ‘Waltzing Matilda’ about?
The story of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ centres on a travelling worker, or ‘swagman’ (‘swag’ is another word for ‘bedroll’), who stops at a bush camp to brew up some tea. The traveller also captures and cooks a stray ‘jumbuck’ (an Australian term for a male sheep).
In short order, the sheep’s owner (a ‘squatter’ farmer) and three mounted policemen pursue the swagman for theft. However, the latter commits suicide by drowning himself in a nearby billabong (watering hole), shouting “You’ll never catch me alive!”. The last line of the song narrates how his ghost haunts the site forever after, singing “You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me.”
Who wrote the lyrics to ‘Waltzing Matilda’?
The original lyrics were written in 1895 by the Australian poet Banjo Paterson, to a tune played by Christina Macpherson. Paterson wrote the lyrics in the small town of Winton, in the Queensland Outback. The town now has a whole museum, the Waltzing Matilda Centre, dedicated to the song and its creation.
When was the first recording of ‘Waltzing Matilda’?
The song got its first recording in 1926, featuring John Collinson and Russell Callow. According to Australia’s National Film and Sound Archive, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ has had more recorded versions than any other Australian song.
What time signature is ‘Waltzing Matilda’ in?
With that ‘waltz’ in the title, you might expect ‘Waltzing Matilda’ to be in 3/4 time, like most waltzes (we’ve got plenty more on time signatures elsewhere on the site). In fact, it’s in 4/4 time: that’s because it’s a march, echoing the walking pace (or ‘waltzing’ in Australian slang) taken by the protagonist.
What are the lyrics to ‘Waltzing Matilda’?
‘Waltzing Matilda’ doesn’t have official lyrics as such, and slightly different versions may be heard from place to place. But the typical lyrics run as follows:
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
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 a-waltzing 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 that billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
“You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me.”
(Chorus)
Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred.
Down came the troopers, one, two, and three.
“Whose is that jumbuck you’ve got in your tucker bag?
You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me.”
(Chorus)
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.”
Pic: Getty Images