WALTZING MATILDA

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,

Under the shade of a coolibah tree,

And he sang as he sat and watched his billy boiling,

Who�ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Chorus:

Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling,

Who�ll come� a-waltzing Matilda with me,

Waltzing Matilda and leading a water bag

Who�ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Along came a jumbuck and he drank from the billabong,

Down jumped the swagman and he grabbed him with glee,

And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,

You�ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

(back to Chorus)

Down came the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred;

Down came the troopers, one, two, three,

Whose is the jumbuck you�ve got in your tucker bag?

You�ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

(back to Chorus)

Well up jumped the swagman and he leapt into the billabong,

He drowned himself by the coolibah tree,

And his ghost may be heard as you pass by the billabong,

Who�ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

(back to Chorus)

Adapted from A.B (�Banjo�) Patterson

Survivor�s Guide on Aussie slang used:

�Swagman� :- vagabond, rural tramp

�Billabong� :- waterhole in semi-dry river

�Coolibah� :- box eucalyptus tree

�Billy� :- tin container used for boiling water to make tea

�Jumbuck� :- lamb

�Tuckerbag� :- Bag to carry food

�Squatter� :- large landowner in early colonial times