Waltzing Matilda
DD
Would someone please post the lyric and interpretation of the
Austrailian Song "Waltzing Matilda" for me?
Thanks.
Lyndon McDonald
- Hope this helps.
- It didnt paste formated, so I added it as an attachment also.
- Waltzing Matilda {st:The Pogues}
- Intro: [A] [A] [A] When I was a y[D]oung man, I c[A]arried my pack. And I lived the free[E] life, of a [A]roamer. From the m[E]arie's (?) green [D]basin, To the du[A]sty outback, I waltzed my m[E]atilda all ov[A]er. Then in [E]1915, my co[D]untry set su[A]n. It's ti[E]me to stop r[D]ambling, Cuz there's w[A]ork to be done. So they gave me a t[D]in hat, And they gave me a [A]gun, And they sent me [E]away to the w[A]ar.
- And the band played W[D]altzing M[A]atilda, As we sailed a[D]way from the [E]quay (?). And am[D]idst all the cheers, And the s[A]houts and the tears, We sailed off for [E]Galiga[A]lee.(?)
- When I remember that terrible day, when the blood stained the sand and the water. And how in that hell that they call Souvlavai (?) We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter. Johnny Turkey was ready, He'd primed himself well. He shower'd us with bullets, And he rained us with shells. And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell. Nearly blew us right back to Australia.
- And the band played Waltzing Matilda, As we stopped to bury our slain. And we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs, And it started all over again.
- Now those who were living, Did their best to survive, In that mad world of death, blood, and fire. And for seven long weeks, I kept myself alive, As the corpses around me piled higher. Then a big Turkish shell, Knocked me ass over tit. And when I awoke in my hospital bed, And saw what it had done, Christ I wished I was dead. Never knew there were worse things than dying.
- And no more I'll go Waltzing Matilda, To the green bushes so far and near. Gonna hang me some pegs On man these two legs. No more Waltzing Matilda for me.
- So they collected the crippled, The wounded and maimed, And they sent us back home to Australia. The legless, the armless, the blind and insane. Those proud wounded heroes of Solvla (?) And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay (?) I looked at the place where me legs used to be. And thank Christ, there was nobody waiting for me, To grieve and to mourn and to pity.
- And the band played Waltzing Matilda, As they carried us down the gangway. But nobody cheered, They just stood and stared, And they turned their faces away.
- And now every April, I sit on my porch, And I watch the parades pass before me. I see my old comrades, How proudly they march. Reliving the dreams of past glory. I see the old men, all twisted and torn. The forgotten heroes of a forgotten war. And the young people ask me, What are they marching for? And I ask myslef the same question.
- And the band plays Waltzing Matilda, And the old men still answer the call. But year after year, Their numbers get fewer, Someday noone will march there at all.
- [A]Waltzing Matilda, [D]Waltzing Matilda [A]Who's gonna waltz the matilda with [E]me?
- Outro: [A] [A] [E] [A]
Neil Ennis
DD <dde...@siue.edu> wrote in article <32FF3C...@siue.edu>...
> Would someone please post the lyric and interpretation of the
> Austrailian Song "Waltzing Matilda" for me?
>
> Thanks.
>
G'day
Here's the lyrics to Waltzing Matilda by A.B. "Banjo" Patterson with a
Glossary of the Australian words in it. Even though the song seems quite
gruesome (An unemployed man steals a sheep and comits suicide rather than
face justice), it is commonly treated as a light-hearted picture of
Australian cynicism for authority.
Waltzing Matilda.
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 from the 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)
..and he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
"You'll come a waltzing matilda with me"
Down came the squatters mounted on their thoroughbreds
Up jumped the troopers one, two, three
"Whose is the jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me"
(chorus)
.."Whose is the jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag
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"
(chorus)
...And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
"You'll come a waltzing matilda with me"
GLOSSARY
Swagman - An itinerant unemployed person who travelled throughout rural
Australia looking for work in exchange for food, lodging or money. A
"Swag" was his distinctive rolled-up bedding that he carried on his back.
Billabong - A small lake or quiet stream.
Coolibah - A large shady tree.
Billy - A blackened tin used for boiling water over an open fire. Once
boiled, you throw in a handful of tea leaves and a gum leaf to make a
delicious cup of tea. If you're really game you can swing the billy in
vertical circles over your head to force the tea leaves to the bottom.
Jumbuck - A sheep
Tucker bag - "Tucker" is food. The swagman carried his food in a tucker
bag.
Squatter - A general group of people who claimed occupancy (and eventually
title) to farm land by living on it for long enough. Often regarded with
disdain, former Prime Minister Paul Keating referred to some rural
land-owners as the "Squattocracy" in reference to the origin of the title
to their land.
Trooper - Policeman.
--
Neil Ennis
nen...@ibm.net
Ronald E. Hontz
Thanks for that lesson in Aussie-speak--I've always wondered about the
meanings. One of my fave all-time flicks is "On the Beach" but in it one
hears "Matilda" so often as to induce vomiting <G>
--
Ron from PA, USA
Wayne Garvin
(posted to alt.music.lyrics and e-mailed to DD <dde...@siue.edu>)
On Mon, 10 Feb 1997 09:20:44 -0600 DD <dde...@siue.edu> wrote:
>Would someone please post the lyric and interpretation of the
>Austrailian Song "Waltzing Matilda" for me?
About a lonely man and a sheep. :-)
WALTZING MATILDA
- words by A.B. (Banjo) Paterson, music 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 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"
"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"
Up rode the squatter
Mounted on his thoroughbred
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"
Up jumped the swagman
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"
"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"
--------------------------------------------------------------------
billabong - 1. a stagnant pool in the bed of an intermittent stream.
2. a branch of a river running to a dead end.
billy - metal can or pot for boiling water.
jumbuck - sheep.
squatter - rancher with extensive holdings.
swagman - a tramp or vagrant worker who carries his possessions on
his back.
trooper - mounted policeman.
tucker - food.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Wayne Garvin, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
The Lyrics Library: http://www.kw.igs.net/~wgarvin/lyrics.html
alt.music.lyrics web site, FAQ and Frequently Requested Lyrics:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/3431/aml.html
------------------------------------------------------------------
Tiny Dancer
Posted and emailed:
And so the word went out from Lyndon McDonald
<lmcd...@ns.sympatico.ca>:
Okay now, as a transplanted Aussie living in Canada, I have to step in
and sort this all out, it's my duty! The song you've posted here,
although a lovely tune, and frankly one that brings tears to most
Aussies eyes, is called "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda", not
the original tune requested. I see that the request has been filled,
so I thought I'd help out with this one. I've removed the tabs, as
it's the lyrics we need to tackle. Here we go:
>Waltzing Matilda
And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
>{The Pogues}
originally written by Scotsman Eric Bogle
>When I was a young man, I carried my pack.
>And I lived the free life, of a roamer.
And I lived the free life of a rover
>From the marie's (?) green basin,
From the Murray's green basin (see below)
>To the dusty outback,
>I waltzed my matilda all over.
>Then in 1915, my country set sun.
Then in 1915, my country said son
>It's time to stop rambling,
>Cuz there's work to be done.
>So they gave me a tin hat,
>And they gave me a gun,
>And they sent me away to the war.
>
>And the band played Waltzing Matilda,
>As we sailed away from the quay (?).
As we sailed away from the Quay
>And amidst all the cheers,
>And the shouts and the tears,
Flagwaving and tears
>We sailed off for Galigalee.(?)
We sailed off for Gallipoli (see below)
>When I remember that terrible day,
How well I remember that terrible day
>when the blood stained the sand and the water.
When our blood stained the sand and the water
>And how in that hell that they call Souvlavai (?)
And how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay
>We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
>Johnny Turkey was ready,
Johnny Turk he was ready
>He'd primed himself well.
>He shower'd us with bullets,
>And he rained us with shells.
>And in five minutes flat,
>he'd blown us all to hell.
We were all blown to hell
>Nearly blew us right back to Australia.
>
>And the band played Waltzing Matilda,
>As we stopped to bury our slain.
>And we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs,
>And it started all over again.
>
>Now those who were living,
>Did their best to survive,
Just tried to survive
>In that mad world of death, blood, and fire.
In that mad world of blood, death and fire
>And for seven long weeks,
>I kept myself alive,
>As the corpses around me piled higher.
While around us the corpses piled higher
>Then a big Turkish shell,
>Knocked me ass over tit.
Knocked me ass over head
>And when I awoke in my hospital bed,
>And saw what it had done,
>Christ I wished I was dead.
>Never knew there were worse things than dying.
>
>And no more I'll go Waltzing Matilda,
>To the green bushes so far and near.
All around the green bush far and near
>Gonna hang me some pegs
For to hump tent and pegs (see below)
>On man these two legs.
A man needs both legs
>No more Waltzing Matilda for me.
>
>So they collected the crippled,
>The wounded and maimed,
>And they sent us back home to Australia.
>The legless, the armless,
>the blind and insane.
>Those proud wounded heroes of Solvla (?)
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
>And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay (?)
>I looked at the place where me legs used to be.
>And thank Christ, there was nobody waiting for me,
And thanked Christ there was no one there waiting for me
>To grieve and to mourn and to pity.
>
>And the band played Waltzing Matilda,
>As they carried us down the gangway.
>But nobody cheered,
>They just stood and stared,
>And they turned their faces away.
And turned all their faces away
>And now every April,
>I sit on my porch,
>And I watch the parades pass before me.
>I see my old comrades,
>How proudly they march.
>Reliving the dreams of past glory.
Reviewing their dreams of past glories
>I see the old men, all twisted and torn.
I see the old men, all tired stiff and sore
>The forgotten heroes of a forgotten war.
The weary old heroes of a forgotten war
>And the young people ask me,
And the young people ask,
>What are they marching for?
>And I ask myslef the same question.
>
>And the band plays Waltzing Matilda,
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
>And the old men still answer the call.
As the old men still answer the call
>But year after year,
>Their numbers get fewer,
Their numbers grow fewer
>Someday noone will march there at all.
>
>Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
>Who's gonna waltz the matilda with me?
Who'll come a'waltzin matilda with me
And their ghosts may be heard
As you pass by that billabong
Who'll come a'waltzin' matilda with me?
For all I know, the version you posted is just what The Pogues sing, I
haven't heard it, but the one I've posted is the official version.
Some lines that caused problems: "From the Murray's green basin",
refers to The Murray River; "We sailed off for Gallipoli", refers to a
city in Turkey where the soldiers fought, see the Mel Gibson movie of
the same name; "For to hump tent and pegs, A man needs both legs",
"hump" means to pick up and carry, and "tent and pegs" refers to just
that, the tent and pegs used for sleeping under; "Circular Quay", is
the waterfront port that the ships returned to in Australia.
I apologize to the others on this newsgroup that could care less, I
just wanted to set the record straight about a pair of classic songs
that are both near and dear to this Aussie heart.
Tiny Dancer
Filksinger
L@> Waltzing Matilda {st:The Pogues}
I don't know, perhaps the Pogues shortened the name to Waltzing Matilda
when they covered it. This is not "Waltzing Matilda", this is a song
by Eric Bogle called "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda".
They apparently made a few minor changes in the lyrics, besides the
typical transcription errors. I've put in some of the more important ones.
L@> Intro: [A] [A] [A] When I was a y[D]oung man, I c[A]arried my pack.
L@> And I lived the free[E] life, of a [A]roamer. From the m[E]arie's (?)
...........................................rover Murrays
L@> green [D]basin, To the du[A]sty outback, I waltzed my m[E]atilda all
.....Green Basin
L@> ov[A]er. Then in [E]1915, my co[D]untry set su[A]n. It's ti[E]me to
...................................country said "Son, it's time to
L@> stop r[D]ambling, Cuz there's w[A]ork to be done. So they gave me a
L@> t[D]in hat, And they gave me a [A]gun, And they sent me [E]away to the
L@> w[A]ar. And the band played W[D]altzing M[A]atilda, As we sailed
L@> a[D]way from the [E]quay (?). And am[D]idst all the cheers, And the
L@> s[A]houts and the tears, We sailed off for [E]Galiga[A]lee.(?)
in the original it was "amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears"
also: Gallipoli
L@> When I remember that terrible day, when the blood stained the sand and
.....How well I remember that terrible day
L@> the water. And how in that hell that they call Souvlavai (?) We were
....................................................Suvla Bay
L@> butchered like lambs at the slaughter. Johnny Turkey was ready, He'd
............................................Johnny Turk, he was ready
L@> primed himself well. He shower'd us with bullets, And he rained us
L@> with shells. And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell.
L@> Nearly blew us right back to Australia.
L@> And the band played Waltzing Matilda, As we stopped to bury our slain.
L@> And we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs, And it started all
L@> over again.
L@> Now those who were living, Did their best to survive, In that mad
L@> world of death, blood, and fire. And for seven long weeks, I kept
..................................... And for ten weary weeks
L@> myself alive, As the corpses around me piled higher. Then a big Turkish
L@> shell, Knocked me ass over tit. And when I awoke in my hospital bed,
.......................ass over head
L@> And saw what it had done, Christ I wished I was dead. Never knew there
L@> were worse things than dying.
L@> And no more I'll go Waltzing Matilda, To the green bushes so far and
L@> near. Gonna hang me some pegs On man these two legs. No more Waltzing
For to hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs
(hump = carry)
L@> Matilda for me.
L@> So they collected the crippled, The wounded and maimed, And they sent
L@> us back home to Australia. The legless, the armless, the blind and
L@> insane. Those proud wounded heroes of Solvla (?) And as our ship pulled
...........................................Suvla
L@> into Circular Quay (?) I looked at the place where me legs used to be.
L@> And thank Christ, there was nobody waiting for me, To grieve and to
.....And thanked Christ
L@> mourn and to pity.
L@> And the band played Waltzing Matilda, As they carried us down the
L@> gangway. But nobody cheered, They just stood and stared, And they
L@> turned their faces away.
....turned all their faces away.
L@> And now every April, I sit on my porch, And I watch the parades pass
L@> before me. I see my old comrades, How proudly they march. Reliving the
L@> dreams of past glory. I see the old men, all twisted and torn. The
...........................The old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore.
They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war.
L@> forgotten heroes of a forgotten war. And the young people ask me, What
L@> are they marching for? And I ask myself the same question.
L@> And the band plays Waltzing Matilda, And the old men still answer the
L@> call. But year after year, Their numbers get fewer, Someday no one will
L@> march there at all.
L@> [A]Waltzing Matilda, [D]Waltzing Matilda [A]Who's gonna waltz the
Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me? And their ghosts can be heard
as you march past the billibong: "Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?"
L@> matilda with [E]me?
L@> Outro: [A] [A] [E] [A]
... TV's biggest problem is killing time between commercials.
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20 [NR]
EVQWK 7.96.01 (Registered)
Gordon Snapp
> Would someone please post the lyric and interpretation of the
> Austrailian Song "Waltzing Matilda" for me?
>
> Thanks.
Waltzing Matilda
Traditional Australian Song
1. Once a jolly swagman, camped beside 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."
2. Down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong.
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
and he sang as he stowed that jumpbuck 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 stowed that jumpbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me."
3. Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred.
Down came the troopers: one, two, three.
"Where's that jolly jumpbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a waltzing, Matilda, with me."
Chorus: Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda,
you'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me,"
"Where's that jolly jumpbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me."
4. 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."
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."