Waltzing Matilda is generally considered to be Australia’s most widely known bush ballad. The song was written by poet Andrew Banjo Paterson in 1895, and the music for Waltzing Matilda was composed by Christina Macpherson.
The lyrics to Waltzing Matilda tell the story of a swagman (a traveling worker) who stops by a billabong (a waterhole), steals a young sheep (jumbuck) and escapes justice from pursuing authorities who want to arrest him, only to then commit suicide at the site and continue haunting it as a ghost. It has been called Australia’s unofficial national anthem.
Waltzing Matilda Lyrics
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Song Title | Waltzing Matilda |
| Lyricist | Banjo Paterson |
| Composer | Christina Macpherson |
| Written Year | 1895 |
| First Recorded | 1926 |
| Genre | Australian Bush Ballad |
| Language | English |
| Theme | Australian Folklore, Swagman Life, Rebellion |
| Cultural Significance | Considered Australia’s unofficial national anthem |
| Popular Versions | Slim Dusty, John Williamson, The Seekers |
| Streaming Platforms | Available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube |
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
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
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