Waltzing Matilda Lyrics
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 boil
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 boil
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
[Verse 2]
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]
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
[Verse 3]
Up rode the squatter mounted on his thorough-bred
Down came the troopers One Two Three
Whose that 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
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
[Verse 4]
Up jumped the swagman sprang in to 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
[Chorus]
Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
About
Waltzing Matilda is commonly referred to as Australia’s “unofficial national anthem.” It has become an icon of Australian culture, with the National Film and Sound Archive claiming there are more recordings of Waltzing Matilda than any other Australian song.
The song tells the story of a worker who stops to make camp and tea by a local billabong and comes across a sheep, which the worker captures and kills. The owner of the sheep and three policeman pursue the worker, who commits suicide and occupies the billabong as a ghost.
It was first written by the Australian poet, Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson, in 1895 however the sheet music was not published until 1903.
It was written by Paterson whilst he was staying at Dagworth Station and the Waltzing Matilda Centre, a museum dedicated to the song, sits near the site where it was supposedly written.
Waltzing Matilda polled second in the 1977 plebiscite on the National Song to decide the modern Australian National Anthem, behind Advance Australia Fair (the winner) and ahead of God Save The Queen and Song of Australia
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
It was written by Paterson whilst he was staying at Dagworth Station and the Waltzing Matilda Centre, a museum dedicated to the song, sits near the site where it was supposedly written.
A jumbuck is an old Australian slang word for a sheep.
A “Matilda” is an alternative name for a swag (a bedroll), much more commonly used by older Australians.