Got your singing voices all tuned up?   Everyone knows Waltzing Matilda!  It nearly became our national anthem back in 1974, but Advance Australia Fair ended up as the choice. Here are the words and you'll find the song at the bottom of the page.  It's a long song, so you'll have to wait a bit to get it all loaded. There are three versions of Waltzing Matilda. The original was written by Banjo Patterson in 1895. Harry Nathan wrote another version around the turn of the century, and Marie Cowan wrote a further version in 1903. Marie Cowan's version is the most popular version of this tune, but I have included the words for all 3 versions so you can compare! For those of you who might have trouble understanding all the words, I've added some hints at the bottom of the page. Start Singing!

Waltzing Matilda by Banjo Patterson Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabongs 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 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 Up came the jumbuck to drink at the waterhole Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him in glee And he sang as he put hime away in the tuckerbag You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me 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 Up came the squatter a-riding his thoroughbred Up came policemen one two three Whose is the jumbuck you've got in the tuckerbag? You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me 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 Up sprang the swagman and jumped in the waterhole Drowning himself by the Coolibah And his voice can be heard as it sings in the billabongs Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda by Harry Nathan Once a jolly swagman camp'd by a billabong Under the shade of a Coolibah tree And he sang as he sat and waited till his billy boiled You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me And he sang as he sat 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 And he sang as he shoved the jumbuck in his tuckerbag You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me And he sang as he sat and waited til his billy boiled You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me Down came a squatter mounted on a thoroughbred Down came troopers one two three Whose is the jumbuck you've got in the tuckerbag? You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me And he sang as he sat and waited til his billy boiled You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me Up jumped the swagman, sprang into the billabong Drowning himself neath the Coolibah tree And his ghost may be heard as you walk around the billabong You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda by Marie Cowan 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 Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me And 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 that billabong Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tuckerbag 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 watched and waited til his billy boiled You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me Up rode the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred Down came troopers one two three Whose that jumbuck you've got in the tuckerbag? 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 watched and waited til his billy boiled You'll come a-waltzing Matilda 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.

Handy Hints!

Waltzing

walking along a bush track

Matilda

a bedroll

Swagman

an unemployed drifter

Billabong

Aboriginal word for a waterhole

Coolibah

Aboriginal word for a type of Australian tree

Billy

a tin with a wire handle used for boiling water and heating food

Jumbuck

Aboriginal word for sheep

Tucker Bag

bag containing food (tucker)

Squatter

a landowner

Troopers

Policemen

click here for the tune
Waltzing Matilda

 

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