Banjo Patterson wrote this song in Winton.
He sold it for 5 Pound, and then years later watched proudly as Aussie soldiers marched to war to the sound of his poem put to music.
A wonderful statue commemorates this song by incorporating different segments into the 4 sides of a modern sculpture.
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
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 the billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
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,
Up rode the troopers, one, two, three,
With the jolly 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.
@fbailey Hi FB - the Matilda Museum was really good at answering all those questions. A Jumbuck is a sheep, and the term "Waltzing Matilda" referred to the fact that the swagman held his swag(Matilda) in such a way that he looked like he was dancing with it. Apparently the origin of some of the words are actually German. It was pretty interesting. :)
September 9th, 2020
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