Waltzing Matilda Waltz Lyrics - Singles - Eric Bogle

Well, once jolly swagmen* went humping their swags 

and stuffed jolly jumbucks* down in their tucker bags 

These days, jolly junkies go on house-breaking jags 

and steal to buy the poison they need 

While the swaggie, he just wanted a feed 

And who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me? 

Hey Banjo*, this country's not what it used to be 

We've changed all your words, and re-written your score 

And it's "Waltzing Matilda" no more. 

Once Henry and Mary, on a warm afternoon 

rowed down Reedy River to the broad bright lagoon 

The song of the river is a long vanished tune 

since they built the uranium mine 

and what's left is just toxic slime 

And who'll come a-walting Matilda with me? 

Oh, Henry, this country's not what it used to be 

Days pass with a whimper, and not with a roar 

And it's "Waltzing Matilda" no more. 

Well, we cut down the trees, and the land we reclaimed 

We ploughed and we planted, then we ploughed it again 

and again and again, and again and again 

So that now on a hot windy day 

We can watch our topsoil blow away 

And who'll come a-walting Matilda with me? 

The desert is marching down to the sea 

On the day that it stretches 

from shore to shining shore 

We'll go waltzing Matilda no more 

Saturday night outside a King's Cross hotel 

There stands our future, and it's halfway to hell 

Kids with hard drugs and young bodies to sell 

Hey Australia, what progress we've made! 

We've come a long way, since Diamond day 

And who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me? 

Hey Anzac*, is this what you fought to keep free? 

A land fit for heroes, or junkies and whores? 

And it's "Waltzing Matilda" no more. 

And who'll come a-walting Matilda with me? 

This country could still be what we want it to be 

Perhaps one day soon, the dream will be restored 

And we'll go Waltzing Matilda once more 

We'll go Waltzing Matilda once more 

NOTES: 

ANZAC: 

The combined Australia/New Zealand armies that fought in both World Wars 

"Banjo" Patterson: 

Author of "The Man From Snowy River" and "Waltzing Matilda" 

Billabong: 

A watering hole, specifically the curved meander of a winding stream 

that has been isolated due to sand bar deposition 

Swagman: 

I believe in the US you refer to them as "hobos", though a swaggy is not 

always someone financially down on their luck or On The Run. Some 

swagmen are just fed up with city life and want to spend their time 

exploring the country on foot, living off the land and the charity of 

passers-by as best they can. 

Coolibah tree: 

The Eucalyptus Coolibah is a species of Eucalyptus tree commonly found 

in inland parts of the Australian continent. 

Billy: 

A billy is a tin, often an old used fruit tin or other steel container, 

used to boil water to make tea. Often they have a piece of wire 

across their top used as a handle, whereupon after the water is boiling, 

one holds the wire, places the desired amount of tea leaves in said 

water, stands up, and swings the whole billy in a circular motion 

vigorously in order to force the tea leaves to the bottom of the tin. A 

rather nice touch is to crush a Coolibah leaf into the water too, giving 

the tea a hint of eucalyptus. 

Jumbuck; 

A sheep (usually refers to a ram) 

Tucker-bag; 

A knapsack. "Tucker" means "food". 

Squatter: 

In Australia in the 19th century, large swathes of outback land were 

divided up and mostly allocated to "squatters" - often wealthy 

land-owners from Britain, who could afford the prices the government was 

asking. There were also freehold selections free for the taking (all you 

had to do was sign on the dotted line) made available to anyone who 

would try to exploit the land, but the freehold lots tended to be poorer 

land where it was a battle to earn to living. Squatters became fairly 

wealthy from their allocations even taking over freehold selections in 

the process of expanding their lots, reflected in the fact that this one 

is riding on his thoroughbred horse. 

Troopers: 

The troopers are law enforcement. The squatter would have called 

them in because the swagman has stolen a sheep from the squatter's property. 

Matilda: 

Given the lonely life of a swaggy, they tend to become quite 

affectionate for things that are fairly important to their immediate 

existence. In this case, AIUI "Matilda" is the swagman's sleeping gear - 

typically a bedroll. 

Cockie: 

Small time family farmer/rancher in rural Australia, usually on marginal land