What is a waltzing matilda?

Show all answers

Johnny

"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known folk song, and one that has been popularly suggested as a potential national anthem.

The song narrates the story of an itinerant worker making a drink of tea at a bush camp and stealing a sheep to eat. When the sheep's owner arrives with three police officers to arrest the worker, he drowns himself in a small lake and goes on to haunt the site.

The original lyrics were written in 1895 by the poet and nationalist Banjo Paterson, and it was first published as sheet music in 1903. Extensive folklore surrounds the song and the process of its creation, to the extent that the song has its own museum, the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, Queensland.

Otter

Waltzing Matilda means to travel with a swag bag (a "Matilda") ie all your posessions in a bag or bundle on your back.

Elizabeth

Waltzing (with) Matilda is something you do not a thing.

Waltzing = walking
Matilda = bedroll or swag.
Swagman = an itinerant worker or tramp
(A man carrying a swag)

A tramp walking from place to place with his bedroll over his shoulder.

If you want the rest of the song explained just ask.
I'll be happy to answer.

Justa Bloke

"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known folk song, and has been referred to as 'the unofficial national anthem of Australia'.

Blue T

According to the National Library of Australia site:

WALTZING MATILDA The act of carrying the â€˜swagâ€™ (an alternate colloquial term is â€˜humping the blueyâ€™).

Matilda is an old Teutonic female name meaning â€˜mighty battle maidâ€™. This may have informed the use of â€˜Matildaâ€™ as a slang term to mean a de facto wife who accompanied a wanderer. In the Australian bush a manâ€™s swag was regarded as a kind of de facto wife, hence his â€˜Matildaâ€™. (Letter to Rt. Hon. Sir Winston Churchill, KG from Harry Hastings Pearce, 19 February 1958. Harry Pearce Papers, NLA Manuscript Collection, MS2765)

emilia

It's a popular song.

guesswho1833

waltzing matilda, who bloody killed her
She's laying in the grass with a shouvel up her a-ss.

Bahahahahaha. Its just this stupid effing song that Americans think we sing when we go grocery shopping. hahah. Classic. Waltzing Matilda is sh-it

taxed till i die,

It is a song.About dancing.

crazy gal

God knows... seems like gibberish to me. Some aussie musta been pissed when they wrote it. Here are the 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.

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.

....................

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 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.

......................

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.

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.

Max Power

A dance

Ding Dong

It isn't anything. It's part of line in a song where the singer says " you'll come a waltzing Matilda wth me" He is just telling some bird called Matilda that she will be dancing a Waltz with him.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: