Waltzing Matilda (Australia's unofficial anthem!) - YouTube Waltzing Matilda (Australia's unofficial anthem!) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on May 11, 2012 "Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad.

A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia" 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 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[N 1] 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" "Where's that 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 take 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." Category Unofficial National Anthem of Australia - "Waltzing Matilda" - YouTube Unofficial National Anthem of Australia - "Waltzing Matilda" Want to watch this again later?

Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on May 19, 2014 ●▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩ESPAÑOL۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬● Waltzing Matilda es la canción folclórica más conocida de Australia (especialmente en el ámbito internacional) y ha sido propuesta como himno nacional. Para los australianos es su canción más arraigada y a la que tienen más cariño, existiendo un museo dedicado a ella en Winton, Queensland. Fue compuesta en 1895 por Andrew Barton Paterson un poeta nacionalista australiano, también conocido como «Banjo» Paterson. Su versión original fue modificada y es esa segunda versión que se hizo familiar. Waltzing Matilda cuenta la historia de un vagabundo que acampa una noche al lado de una laguna (billabong), mientras toma un té.

Una oveja (jumbuck en inglés australiano) se acerca a beber agua y el vagabundo la roba para alimentarse. El terrateniente se da cuenta y llama a tres policías para que arresten al vagabundo. Éste, antes de ser arrestado por el robo de la oveja, prefiere saltar al agua y morir ahogado. La canción termina contando que el fantasma del vagabundo puede oírse cantando una canción que invita a los viajeros a bailar el vals con él, es decir, a salir a los caminos con el vagabundo. ●▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩ENGLISH۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬● "Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia". The title is Australian slang for travelling by foot with one's belongings (waltzing, derived from the German auf der Walz) in a "Matilda" (bag) slung over one's back.

The song narrates the story of an itinerant worker, or "swagman", making a drink of tea at a bush camp and capturing a sheep to eat. When the sheep's owner arrives with three police officers to arrest the worker for the theft, the worker commits suicide by drowning himself in the nearby watering hole, after which his ghost haunts the site. ●▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩DEUTSCH۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬● Waltzing Matilda ist Australiens bekanntestes Volkslied und wurde oft als offizielle Nationalhymne vorgeschlagen. Der Text wurde im Jahre 1895 vom australischen Dichter Banjo Paterson geschrieben, der sich in Australien aufgrund seiner zahlreichen anderen Gedichte großer Beliebtheit erfreut. Er wurde von Christina Macpherson mit der Musik des schottischen Liedes Thou Bonnie Wood of Craigielea vertont, das 1818 von James Barr komponiert wurde.

Category The Australian National Anthem | australia.gov.au The Australian National Anthem Music The Australian National Anthem Loui Seselja, Portrait of Margret Roadknight, singer, looking at sheet music for Waltzing Matilda while visiting the National Library of Australia, Music Section, Canberra, 22 July 1994, negative: b&w. Image courtesy of the National Library of Australia: an24493323 Australians are not renowned for rushing into major decisions—change is usually a slow and considered process. The journey towards choosing our own national anthem was no exception. The move to replace God Save the Queen with an anthem unique to Australia began as early as the 1820s. Over the decades, public opinion has been constantly canvassed and numerous competitions held to find a suitable song. Peter Dodds McCormick's Advance Australia Fair was officially declared Australia's national anthem by the Governor-General on 19 April 1984, close to 160 years after the first alternative anthems were put forward. The song was first performed in Sydney in 1878 and, interestingly, was sung at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia by a choir of 10,000 people.

Some early nominations John Dunmore Lang, who published an Australian Anthem and an Australian Hymn in 1826, was an early advocate of a distinctively Australian anthem. South Australian Carl Linger wrote Song of Australia in 1860, which was suggested to the (then) Prime Minister in 1929 as a possible national anthem. Linger's composition remained a favourite with Australians and was on the shortlist of 'possibles' 117 years later when Australians voted for an anthem at a national poll. The lead-up to change The issue of the anthem provoked more and more debate. The Australian Broadcasting Commission held two competitions in 1943 and 1945, and the 1951 Commonwealth Jubilee celebrations competition was won by Henry Krips with This Land of Mine. The 1956 Olympic Games, staged in Melbourne, sparked a fresh and passionate debate about the need for a truly Australian anthem. Portrait of Gough Whitlam, Prime Minister of Australia, December 2nd 1972-1975, c. 1972, negative.

Image courtesy of the National Library of Australia: an12265747 In 1974 a public opinion poll, which sampled an estimated 60,000 people, offered three songs for choice: Advance Australia Fair; Banjo Paterson's Waltzing Matilda ; and Linger's Song of Australia. Advance Australia Fair polled 51.4 per cent, prompting the (then) Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, to announce that it would become our national anthem. After some intense political debate, a national poll was conducted in 1977 with over seven million people issued with ballot papers. The results were: Advance Australia Fair 43.2 per cent, Waltzing Matilda 28.3 per cent, God Save the Queen 18.7 per cent and Song of Australia 9.6 per cent. A new anthem In April 1984 the Governor-General issued a proclamation declaring that God Save the Queen was designated the Royal Anthem, to be played at public engagements in Australia attended by the Queen or members of the Royal family. At the same time, Advance Australia Fair was finally declared to be the official national anthem.

The original words of the song have been changed with 'Australia's sons let us rejoice' – the original first line – being replaced with 'Australians all let us rejoice' and further changes have occurred in the rarely sung third verse. Waltzing Matilda – our 'unofficial' national anthem Colonel J.M. Arnott, chauffeur and Banjo Paterson at Jindabyne, 191-?, photograph: gelatin silver. Image courtesy of the National Library of Australia: an21273582 Waltzing Matilda is recognised as Australia's 'unofficial' national anthem. It is one of nation's most loved songs and Banjo Paterson's lyrics certainly strike a chord with many Australians. Written in 1895, Paterson's song speaks the language of everyday Australians. Its informality, simplicity and upbeat melody – the very qualities that gave it such broad appeal – are also the reasons why many thought it inappropriate as a national anthem. After all, the critics argue, how can our national anthem celebrate the theft of a sheep? It seems many Australians agreed with the critics and let their minds rule their hearts when they overwhelmingly endorsed Advance Australia Fair as the national anthem.

The debate continues While Waltzing Matilda had its critics during the debate, so too did Advance Australia Fair. The simplicity and direct language of Waltzing Matilda is in contrast to the sometimes stiff, formal and obscure lyrics of Advance Australia Fair, for example 'Our home is girt by sea'. And while there is a growing affection for the anthem, there are still those who believe it to be somewhat antiquated. It is a debate that seems certain to continue. National Anthem Waltzing Matilda – Australia’s national song | Australian stories, yarns and myths Australian stories, yarns and myths Waltzing Matilda – Australia’s national song Australia’s unofficial national anthem – Waltzing Matilda, Australia’s national song This tune … this poem … this song. It is an Australian legacy, suckered from our mother’s milk. We were born into it. It surrounded us and comforted us as a certitude, as we struggled to find our own identity. Though its original context is shrouded in mystery, this 120 year old song strangely defines us as a people. It was a part of our make-up and psyche long before we could sing the song or recite the words.

It stands alone as the icon that speaks to us Aussies of our home ‘among the gum trees’. Most Aussies have only a limited understanding of its context yet can still identify fully with its sentiment. Waltzing Matilda has truly become Australia’s national song and who better to sing it and remind us of our great heritage, than the late great country legend, Slim Dusty. It may be ironic to the rest of the world that our song should be about a free-spirited drifter who took a gleeful opportunistic chance at a free feed, yet when accosted by the wealthy landowner and the police, chose a suicidal death over the loss of a free life wandering carefree through the outback of Australia. But to the average egalitarian, underdog supporting, non-privileged, resourceful, authority defiant, freedom loving Aussie … it makes perfect sense. Some may have incorrectly called it “waltzing mathilda” or “walzing matilda”, but whatever you call it, the sound and the words ‘still smell as sweet’. So here is the Waltzing Matilda lyrics, performances and the surrounding story.

Waltzing Matilda by the Australian artist Pro Hart – Introduction – Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda – Australia’s National Song – nla.gov.au Believe it or not, but Australia’s national song and poem Waltzing Matilda, is actually a wildly romantic invitation. ‘Who’ll come a waltzing matilda with me‘ is an invitation to live the life we dare not. A life carefree and unattached, without the dragging anchors of possessions. A life of enjoying simple pleasures like having a fresh cup of billy tea while sitting in the shade of a tree on the banks of a cool reflective pond. A life so ‘jolly’ that a song fills every vacant moment. A life of no responsibilities apart from the need to secure your next meal. A life with no boss and no one telling you what to do, yet not lonely for “the bush hath friends to meet him, and their kindly voices greet him”[1] A life lived beneath the ‘wondrous glory of the everlasting stars‘[1] by night and ‘the vision splendid of the sunlit plains extended‘[1] by day.

A life of scented eucalyptus on the ‘murmur of the breezes‘[1], and an ear attuned to the distinctive bush songs of the ‘silver-voiced’ bell birds and the laughing chorus of kookaburras . A simple life of total freedom … the life of the Aussie swagman circa.1890. Is it any wonder then, that when faced with the loss of this free life, that the Aussie swagman would chose death over a life lived in custody. It’s not quite up there with Emiliano Zapata ‘s statement “It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees” but the message from the Aussie swagman is the same. It is this belief in freedom’s importance to the Australian way of life, that has seen hundreds of thousands of our countrymen go to war in defense of that freedom, with over 100,000 of them making the ultimate sacrifice. Australians know full well, that as one of the most urbanized nations in the world and being a part of the western capitalist system, that we can never take up the swagman’s romantic invitation.

We want to so much but we just can’t see how we can ‘come waltzing matilda’ with him through the Australian outback’s wide open spaces, but it is fun every so often to pretend that we could. Singing this poem reminds us of the possibility of a simpler happier life as depicted by the swagman and the pertinent lesson that a life without freedom is no life at all.

As Bevan Potter says in his family blog about his German heritage: “So, don’t be disillusioned if you sometimes feel that you want to leave your secure job, pack your bag and go on the road, because you are simply feeling some genetic urge to do exactly as your ancestors did, it is why you are Australian.” There are other strong emotions tied to this poem that are peculiarly Australian; like always siding with the underdog and any Aussie ‘down on their luck’; like the healthy suspicion we have of the motives of those in authority and our support for the lovable rogues that stand up to them; like a general disdain for the privileged, ‘silver-spooners’ and unfairly advantaged who where gifted a life without having to work hard for it like the rest of us did; and the pettiness of an establishment that could condemn a man for taking one sheep in ten thousand, just as the English judges made an Australian convict of a man that stole a loaf of bread to feed a hungry family. Australians are bigger than that, and in this poem, as in our way of life … we are on the jolly swagman’s side and not the establishment’s.

Swagman billyswagg.com.au For Australians, the swagman never dies. He speaks to us constantly in his ghostly call contained in the lines of the poem. He asks us the same question time after time; “Who’ll come a Waltzing Matlda’ with me?” and entreats us to consider this simpler happier life where possessions do not own us, where generosity of spirit and the mateship principles of the Aussie sawgman apply while being ever vigilant in the defense of the freedom we still enjoy. As Heather Blakey says in her excellent article embedded at the end of this Knol: “The ghost of the swagman may be found in the faces of the pioneers who settled the Never Never; in the eyes of the hardened shearing unionist who paved the way for Unionism in Australia; within the defiance of the Anzac storming the beaches of Gallipoli; in the stride of the Bondi life-saver and in the face of the determined protestor thumbing his nose at government officials and bureaucracy.” Following are my selection of Aussies that have taken Australia’s national song to heart and share their feelings with the world through their musical instruments,their voices and their images.

Enjoy, Australia’s national song … [1] – from Banjo Paterson’s ‘Clancy of the Overflow’ Waltzing Matilda – Slim Dusty style Slim Dusty sang Waltzing Matilda to close the Sydney Olympic games in 2000. So typically Australian. There were no choreographed masses, no big brass bands, no overtly nationalistic fervor, just a 73 year old man singing alone a song he has performed countless times to small audiences in his outback travels. Still, what was unseen to the cameras that night were the 20 million proud Aussies from around the world that stood and sang along with him. Here is Slim Dusty’s rendition of Waltzing Matilda, without the ‘help’ from the Sydney Olympic crowd. It is the way we all picture it should be sung, around a camp fire somewhere outback in the company of a few friends. Please enjoy Austrlia’s national song sung by a national treasure. Waltzing Matilda is by far, Australia’s most recognized song – Australia’s National song.

Poet Andrew Barton “Banjo” Paterson CBE (1864–1941) wrote the poem in early 1895 at Dagworth station in Queensland. The original music score was composed by Christina Macpherson who was the sister of the station owner. Slim Dusty smh.com.au Slim Dusty (1927 – 2003) is our legendary outback songwriter and performer who died 3 years after singing the last song of the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics 2000.. Waltzing Matilda was his song and Slim Dusty was ours … 100% Australian. He was the embodiment of all that was good in the swagman. He loved the outback and sang and waltzed his way through every tiny town. Possessions did not own him and he was generous to any Aussie ‘down on their luck’. “Waltzing Matilda is our unofficial national anthem and one day will be our official national anthem. The music is lyrical, the story whimsical and irreverent, and it makes all Australians emotional…. what better national anthem can a nation have? Nothing about war, greatness, power, glory ….

just a song about an ordinary bloke down on his luck. Love it. The epitome of our ‘battler myth’ and one of the most beautiful and evocative pieces of music ever written.” —-ooo0ooo—- “Waltzing Matilda is absoulutely wonderful, gosh in in school we would have a list of songs to sing in morning assembly and this we sang daily without fail, this is the one that woke us up haha. I loved singing it. At the time -when at school- there was something significant going on as we had a special guest who had some real connection to this song, and he was teaching us everyday. Nice memory though and a song close to my heart. Slim Dusty is amazing!” —-ooo0ooo—- “I’m not Australian. But I was living in Australia in 2000 and watched the closing ceremonies for the Olympics while there and this made me weep. Everything I love and everything I hate about that country is there in that old man, starting almost too weak to sing and drawing freely given strength from the crowd to deliver the rousing epic of the death of a vagrant. Poetic and beautiful on all sides.

Still leaves me misty-eyed today.” —-ooo0ooo—- “I absolutely adore this song. Even though I’m from Europe, this song makes me cry each and every time- for all the right reasons.” —-ooo0ooo—- “I remember watching this live on TV and feeling moved by the huge sing-a-long. As the announcer said, there wouldn’t be any other way to end the Sydney games” —-ooo0ooo—- “No song shall ever mean more than this one does to the people of Australia, and Slim Dusty is greatly missed. The voice of Australia! We miss you Slim! You’ll never be forgotten!” —-ooo0ooo—- “I fought beside some Aussies in Vietnam and they were some terrific soldiers and great friends. Whenever I hear this song I think of them. God bless Australia.” —-ooo0ooo—- As an Australian living abroad, this song has particular significance for me and truly resonates with my soul. Every time I hear it, my spirit soars, and I know that I am Australian.

Although the years of my living abroad have diminished my accent, and I have even forgotten some Australian ways and customs, I will always have a connection with the soul of the land. In my dreams I see the great ocean horizon stretching from the shore into the distance, surrounding this sun-baked island, the deep vivid browns and reds of the earth, the shape and colour of the gum trees…the call of Australian birds, so alien and yet familiar. The call to return is often strong, yet I will only return when my days of waltzing Matilda are finally over… “I think this is the best poem eva writen you really should read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “ —-ooo0ooo—- “Great song, wonderful country, nice people, greetings from spain” —-ooo0ooo—- “That IS Australia. My parents used to listen to Slim Dusty when I was a kiddie, and he WAS Australia. The video clip captures the essence and the heart of all we hold dear. That is Australia. I can almost smell the gum trees and hear the kookababurras.

The bush and eating of BBQs and the billy tea.” —-ooo0ooo—- Waltzing Matilda – Australia’s national song Guitar chords for the Waltzing Matilda Lyrics …. [G] Once a jolly [D]swagman [Em]camped by a [C]billabong, [G]Under the[Em] shade of a[Am]coolibah [D] tree, [G]And he sang as he [D]watched and [Em]waited ’til his [C]billy boiled [G] ‘Who’ll come [Em]a-waltzing,[Am]Ma [D] tilda, with [G]me?’ Chorus … [G] Waltzing [Em] Matilda, [C] Waltzing[Am]Matilda [G]Who’ll come [Em]a-waltzing,[Am]Matilda, with [D]me [G]And he sang as he [D]watched and [Em]waited ’til his [C]billy boiled, [G]‘Who’ll come [Em] a-waltzing, [Am]Ma [D]tilda, with [G]me?

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

[C]Once a jolly [G]swagman [Am]camped by a [F]billabong [C]Under the shade of [G]coolibah tree And he [C]sang as he [G]watched and [Am]waited ’til his [F]billy boiled [C]You’ll come a [G]waltzing matilda with [C] me [C]Waltzing matilda, [F]waltzing matilda [C]You’ll come a waltzing matilda with [G]me And he [C] sang as he [G] watched and [Am] waited ’til his [F]billy boiled [C]You’ll come a [G]waltzing matilda with [C]me [D]Once a jolly [A]swagman [Bm]camped by a [G]billabong [D]Under the shade of [A7]coolibah tree And he [D]sang as he [A]watched and [Bm]waited ’til his [G]billy boiled [D]You’ll come a [A7]waltzing matilda

 with [D]me [D]Waltzing matilda, [G]waltzing matilda [D]You’ll come a waltzing matilda with [A]me And he [D]sang as he [A7]watched and [Bm]waited ’til his [G]billy boiled [D]You’ll come a [A7]waltzing matilda with [D]me Waltzing Matilda – Australia’s national song What does it all mean?

‘Allan’s’ sheet music by Marie Cowan, published Melbourne, 1936. Waltzing Matilda and the jolly swagman – nla.gov.au Waltzing Matilda … is the act of carrying the ‘swag’ and wandering aimlessly through the outback of Australia, looking for work when the need arose. According to Henry Lawson in ‘The Romance of the Swag, 1907’ “Travelling with the swag in Australia is variously and picturesquely described as “humping bluey,” “walking Matilda,” “humping Matilda,” “humping your drum,” “being on the wallaby,” “jabbing trotters,” and “tea and sugar burglaring,” but most travelling shearers now call themselves trav’lers, and say simply “on the track,” or “carrying swag.” Now the term ‘waltzing’ comes from the German expression Auf die Walz gehen which means to take to the road and rove as a journeyman carrying their tool-roll, often called their “Mathilda”.

Apprentices in various trades or crafts in the Middle Ages, were required to serve an allotted period traveling around the country or outside Germany gaining experience and new techniques for their trade. The apprentice gained employment with master craftsman in various towns, earning his living as he went and sleeping where he could. All this was part of the guild system for apprentice tradesmen, and was not abolished until about 1911. Once their allotted time ‘on the waltz’ was complete, the apprentice would report back to the master craftsman to secure their release to be able to practice as a tradesman. Waltzing then came to mean ‘to travel while working as a craftsman’. ‘Waltzing About’ also became a colloquial term meaning to walk around aimlessly The term ‘Matilda’ is an old Germanic name meaning ‘ mighty battle maid ’, although more likely called ‘Mathildas’ or “Mechilde”. It was initially a name given to female camp followers, but eventually evolved into meaning ‘to be kept warm at night’. For most soldiers, this was their large grey overcoat that they would wrapped themselves up in. These coats were then rolled up and carried over their shoulder while marching.

In Australia then, Matilda was a mock-romantic word for a swag and to waltz matilda was to hit the road with a swag on your back. In the Australian bush, ‘Matilda’ became a slang term to mean the de facto wife who accompanied a wanderer and was their sleeping partner. For the vast majority of swagmen, their Matilda was their warm blue blankets. So, Waltzing Matilda means to wander the Australian outback from place to place in search of work (Waltzing) with one’s sleeping blanket (Matilda) and belongings wrapped up as a swag. Swagman Australian outback swagman – ngv.vic.gov.au … is an Australian itinerant worker and traveler, who carried all his belongings in a rolled up swag. A gentleman of the road, who roamed the bush and outback of Australia as a carefree drifter, a tramp, a hobo or a bum; A hobo (itinerant worker), a tramp (an itinerant non-worker) or a bum (a non-itinerant non-worker).

The ‘swag’ is usually a chaff bag, that would contain his ‘billy’, provisions and blankets. Called by a wide variety of names, including ‘shiralee’ and ‘bluey’. Swagman were an integral part of supplying seasonal shearing labour for the wool industry and were prevalent in Australia during the depression of the 1890’s, when the poem was written. They were mostly single men classified in a sort of underclass of transient temporary workers. They travelled by foot from farm to farm carrying the traditional swag with their few meagre possessions and looked for work as required. The swagman legacy Swagman Shearers 1890’s museum.vic.gov.au It is every likelihood that the swagman in Banjo Peterson’s poem was the German shearer Samuel ‘Frenchie’ Hoffmeister . He was one of the union leaders of the shearing strike at Dagworth Station who was believed to be responsible for torching the shearing shed only weeks before Banjo arrived.

In the 1890’s, the working conditions for shearers in Australia were atrocious.Samuel Hoffmeister was one man who stood up to the wealthy landowners demanding a better lot for himself and his swaggie shearing mates. He apparently shot himself the next morning beside the billabong where the unionists were camped, although given the total capitulation by the station’s owner to the shearer’s demands and not charging the shearers for the burnt out shed, does raise questions about the suicide or murder of Samuel ‘Frenchie’ Hoffmeister. These swagman of the 1890’s found most of their work following the shearing season and were responsible for shearing millions of sheep. Often these men would have to endure appalling conditions in hot tin sheds , yet they performed their back breaking task with a fine wit and dry humour.

These very same swagmen forged the concept of mateship in Australia, and through their unity and trust bonded together to lay the foundations for the labour movement in Australia with their shearing strikes of the 1890s “To these men we owe a great debt, if it had not been for their unshakable resolve, Australia would have been burdened and inhibited by British class distinctions.” Bevan Potter A typical Australian billabong dsr.nsw.gov.au Billabong Billabong is a term used to describe a standing, often stagnant, body of water and related to river channels. The word billabong is derived from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning dead river. (‘billa” meaning creek to “bong” meaning dead) One way that billabongs are formed in Australia, occurs when a river floods and causes a temporary channel to branch off from the river but not lead back to it If the temporary channel is deep enough, the water will remain there after the flood and create a billabong. Also creeks in Australia are subject to hot, dry weather interrupted by occasional flooding. Sometimes the creeks dry up leaving standing pools, or billabongs, in the deeper parts.

The third type of billabong is found in rivers in all parts of the world, when a small ox-bow waterhole is formed on the outside channel of a river that was cut off by a change in the watercourse. In the Australian outback, a billabong generally retains water longer than the watercourse itself, so it may be the only water for miles around. Coolibah Tree QLD – mdbc.gov.au Coolibah … sometimes spelled Coolabah, is a species of gum or eucalyptus tree. It is a particular kind of eucalyptus that grows beside billabongs. More specifically, a Coolibah tree’s botanical name is eucalyptus microtheca, but commonly called ‘Flooded Box’. It is a small to medium-sized tree to 20m, widespread in arid and semi-arid areas near watercourses and seasonally flooded areas in open. It has no commercial value because of its notoriously crooked structure and does not have an inch of straight timber in the whole tree! It is found in all states except Victoria and Tasmania.

Making Billy Tea ‘Outback style’ – nla.gov.au Billy … is an open topped tin can, maybe two litres (four pints) in capacity, with a wire carrying handle attached to the top rim. It was used for boiling water to make tea and to kill any ‘nasties’ that may have come from the water sourced from the (stagnant) billabong. Still, it was all the extras (ants, twigs, wigglers etc.) that gave ‘billy tea’ that rather unique taste. Older Australians still use the term “I off to boil the billy” even when they mean “to heat water in the electric jug”. Jumbuck … is a sheep. It generally denotes a sheep that is difficult to shear. Maybe because it was too large or it is untamed. The Macquarie Dictionary suggests that the term is an Aboriginal corruption of ‘jump up’. The term may also have been derived from ‘jombok’. “Jomboks are those big, white, fluffy clouds that typically drift across the inland Australian skies in late summer and Autumn. When the aboriginals first saw sheep they were reminded of jomboks and they just changed one letter to avoid confusion in their spoken language”.

The term is no longer used in Australia today. Tucker Bag … is a traditional storage bag for carrying and containing food in the Australian outback. Typically carried by a swagman or a bushman, this pouch or bag has a single entry closed with a drawstring. The larger sized bags were used for carrying utensils and sleeping gear as well. Common materials used to make tucker bags where leather or oilskin. Tucker is also known as grub, victuals/vittles, or food. Waltzing Matilda Troopers – gold-net.com.au Squatter … is a grazier, pastoralist or station (ranch) owner. In the early days of Australia people just ‘squatted’ on patches of land, grazed their animals, grew their crops and built their houses and fences. In time, once governments took charge, they generally accepted the land claims of whoever was in apparent possession of the land. The largely nomadic life of aboriginal Australians left them without land ownership recognition. Anyway Australia on settlement was declared ‘terra nullius’ a latin meaning of ‘land belonging to no one’. The constabulary tended to work with the squatters to maintain law and order.

To non-land-owners, squatters were an object of resentment. Note that the meaning of the word changed later in the twentieth century to mean a person who occupied or resided at a property illegally. Trooper … is a policeman, a cavalry soldier, or perhaps a mounted militia-man. To a swaggie, there was no difference, just people with the power and authority to deny him his freedom. This term is very dated and hardly used in Australia today. Waltzing Matilda – My pick of the verions 70’s folk group Seekers provide the music – Australian scenery the images Ex AC/DC rocker takes it a bit more upbeat. John Williamson provides the music, the Australian Rugby team the pictures Tommy Emmanuel gives us two Australian classics for the price of one – Waltzing Matilda No Australia Day would be complete without a rendition of Waltzing Matilda Singing Waltzing Matilda is a Aussie Rules Grand Final tradition André Rieu plays Waltzing Matilda on tour for an Aussie audience.

One Interpretation of “Waltzing Matilda” by Heather Blakey MATILDA TURNS 120 | Outback Queensland Australia March 20th, 2015 by Outback Queensland We’ve all grown up with her, every man, woman and child knows her and this month she turns 120! That’s right – April 2015 marks 120 years since Banjo Patterson first publicly performed Waltzing Matilda in a small pub in Outback Queensland. Known as the country’s unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda holds a special place in every Australian’s heart and draws out feelings of pride, honour, reflection and the true Aussie spirit every time it is heard. What many of us do not know, however, is the story behind the song, the differing theories and that all of it can still be discovered today in Winton, Outback Queensland! Getting there: Winton is approximately two hours drive from Longreach. Qantas and Rex fly to Longreach, with rail and coach also servicing the town. You can also drive to Winton using Outback Queensland’s network of sealed highways and roads.

What to do: Waltzing Matilda Centre Your first stop on you Waltzing Matilda journey should be the Waltzing Matilda Centre. Here you can learn the truth and the myths behind Banjo Patterson’s writing of the song and why it is still as relevant to Australians today as it was 120 years ago. Take a tour and experience the Centre at your own pace, hear the ‘ghost’ tell his side of the story in the Billabong Theatrette, and learn the truth, myth and romance behind the song in the Home of the Legends room. Combo Waterhole The Combo waterhole is believed to be the ‘billabong’ made famous in the lyrics of Waltzing Matilda. Take a drive to the Combo Waterhole Regional Park, located 132km north-west of Winton. Follow the self-guided walking track to the Combo Waterhole on foot, discovering the story of the song along the way. Sit under one of the Coolibah trees and take in the spot that may just be where the Waltzing Matilda story began! North Gregory Hotel After a long day discovering the Waltzing Matilda story, stop off at the North Gregory Hotel for a cold drink and hearty meal!

Choose from the Daphne Mayo Dining Room or grab a bar meal at the Horseshoe Bar and Banjo’s Beer Garden. The Hotel also has Keno, a pokies room and TAB facilities. While in the region, it is highly recommended that you visit the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum and learn why Winton is also the Dinosaur Capital of Australia! Take a tour to witness dinosaur bone preparation and see some of the collection of bones and skeletons that have been retrieved from the area. Further your dino experience by visiting Lark Quarry , a preserved dinosaur stampede site where over 3,300 dinosaur tracks can be seen. Lark Quarry is the only known dinosaur stampede site on the planet so is well worth a look! Where to stay: The North Gregory Hotel offers both standard and deluxe rooms that sleep up to four people. The Hotel also offers 15 unpowered van sites at the back of the hotel, with all Hotel facilities and amenities available to van guests. Stay in the Hotel where the Waltzing Matilda magic first happened!

History: On 6 April 1895, Banjo Patterson changed Australian history forever when he first publicly performed Waltzing Matilda at the North Gregory Hotel in Winton, Queensland. It is said that he wrote the lyrics while staying at Dagworth Station near Winton, based on stories that were divulged to him while picnicking at Combo Waterhole, said to be the famous ‘billabong’ in the song lyrics. The swagman is believed to be German migrant unionist and shearing strike activist, Samuel Hoffmeister, and Filmmaker, Bill Leimbach, is currently producing a film named Waltzing Matilda which explores the mysteries of the song and its characters. The word ‘waltzing’ in the song title is said to be derived from the German term ‘auf der Walz’, which means to travel while working and training as a craftsman. ‘Matilda’ was a romantic term for a swagman’s bedroll and bundle of belongings. So ‘to waltz with Matilda’ was to travel with your swag.

Click here to read the song words A Little Bit Of Australiana - Australia Waltzing Matilda Australian Swagmen were drifters, who went from one country town to another, from one sheep/cattle farm to another, searching for work. Travel was almost always done on foot and they slept under the stars. They carried the barest essentials and usually "found" their food as they travelled. Australians always think of Swagmen in a more romantic way, but because of their lifestyle they had to be hard men, who would not take too much from an unfair boss. A billy is a tin, say a large fruit tin, with a wire handle which was use to boil water in or even to mix a stew in, over an open fire. Once a happy Hobo camped by a backwater (dead end river) Under the shade of a gum tree, And he sang as he watched and waited till his pot boiled, Who'll come a travelling and keep me warm at night?

Down came a sheep to drink at the backwater, Up jumped the hobo and grabbed him with glee, And he sang as he shoved that sheep in his food bag, "You'll come a travelling and keep me warm at night!" Who'll come a travelling, Who'll come a travelling, You'll come a travelling and keep me warm at night, And he sang as he shoved that sheep into his food bag, You'll come a travelling and keep me warm at night.

Up rode a sheep farmer mounted on his thoroughbred (horse) Down came the military police, three in all, Who owns that sheep that you have in your food bag, "You'll come a travelling with me!" (they are going to arrest him) Who'll come a travelling, Who'll come a travelling, You'll come a travelling and keep me warm at night, Who owns that sheep that you have in your food bag, "You'll come a travelling with me!" Up jumped the hobo and dived into the backwater, You'll never catch me alive, said he, And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that backwater You'll come a travelling with me!" Who'll come a travelling, Who'll come a travelling, You'll come a travelling and keep me warm at night, And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that backwater You'll come a travelling with me!" The phrase "You'll come a travelling and keep me warm at night", refers to the fact that the swagman had taken the sheep for food, and the skin would be used to keep him warm at night. Please visit the following two web sites for more information about the history of Waltzing Matilda.

- Australian Country Singer The following is a site for the great Australian country singer - John Williamson. You will need to down load the latest free version of "realplayer" - takes about 20 to 40 minutes (see below). Look for the following: John's new album Anthems - A Celebration of Australia now available. Click here for our merchandise page. Click on the word "here" this will give you the link to "real player". Once it has been downloaded go back to this page. The select media type CD/Tape then click on GO! Click on Anthems Wait for the anthems page to come up (sometimes takes a while depends on how fast your modem is and how busy the site is). When you see the Waltzing Matilda 2000 icon show up click on the icon. Then sit back and enjoy. Then press back button and select Waltzing Matilda Wait for the Walzing Matilda page to come up (sometimes takes a while depends on how fast your modem is and how busy the site is). When you see the And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda icon show up click on the icon. Then sit back and enjoy.

Then press back button and select Old Man Emu Wait for the Old Man Emu page to come up (sometimes takes a while depends on how fast your modem is and how busy the site is). When you see the Old Man Emu icon show up click on the icon. Then sit back and enjoy. Then press back button and select True Blue Wait for the True Blue page to come up (sometimes takes a while depends on how fast your modem is and how busy the site is). When you see the True Blue icon show up click on the icon. Then sit back and enjoy. And so on and so on.......... Thank you for visiting this page. If you have any further suggestions, please email: kday@chariot.net.au it would be greatly appreciated. Waltzing Matilda – Australia’s unofficial anthem | Irish Music Daily Blog Waltzing Matilda – Australia’s unofficial anthem Waltzing Matilda is undoubtedly the most famous song to come out of Australia and it has been described as the country’s unofficial national anthem. Lyrics and chords It was written in 1895 by the Australian poet A.B. Paterson, commonly known as Banjo Paterson. A friend of his called Christina Macpherson supplied the melody.

She was taken by a tune she heard played by a band a race meeting. She remembered it and later played it for Paterson who said he thought he could provide some words for it. Waltzing Matilda melody based on old Scottish song Banjo Patterson The tune Macpherson heard that day was probably a version of the old Scottish song, Thou Bonny Wood of Craigielea. She was playing it by ear and from memory so it may have undergone a few changes in her hands. The words supplied by Paterson were to transform it from obscure folk tune to one of the best known songs in the world. What does Waltzing Matilda mean? At the time song was written towards the end on the 19th century, ‘waltzing’ was Australian slang for travelling on foot and a ‘matilda’ was a colloquial term for a traveller’s bag. The phrase Waltzing Matilda therefore meant travelling along carrying your possessions with you in your bag. It also conveyed a happy go lucky spirit.

The story behind Waltzing Matilda The words Paterson sat down to write told the story of a swagman, Australian slang for a traveller or hobo, who sits down by a watering hole known as a billabong to rest and make himself some tea. While he’s there, a sheep, known as a jumbuck in Australian slang, comes to drink. The swagman seizes the opportunity to get some free food. He grabs the sheep and stows him away in his knapsack or tucker bag as it’s called in the song. The squatter who does for the swagman No sooner has the swagman put the sheep away when the squatter who claims to own it comes up with three troopers. Sheep stealing could be punished by hanging at that time which explains the swagman’s desperate plight. Faced with the squatter and three troopers, he knows he has no chance of escape so he prefers to drown in the billabong rather than be taken alive and face hanging. Elderly swagman Does Canada have an unofficial national anthem? (live in, military) - City-Data Forum Does Canada have an unofficial national anthem?

(live in, military) User Name [ Register ] Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account , you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads. View detailed profile ( Advanced ) or search site with 1,100 posts, read 1,078,486 times Reputation: 484 Advertisements Few Aussies would argue that Australia's unofficial national anthem is "Waltzing Matilda", capturing the mood and psyche of the country (in the 1800s at least) far better than the staid, stilted and outright tedious "Advance Australia Fair". Most Australians would struggle to remember a single full verse of our nation anthem, but could probably sing half of Waltzing Matilda if they were so inclined. Does Canada have a similar popular expression of the national spirit or zeitgeist?

3,219 posts, read 3,785,677 times Reputation: 4025 The only thing I can think of is the Hockey Theme The Hockey Theme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quote: And then there's this too, about hockey again. The Hockey Song - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quote: "The Hockey Song" is a song written and originally performed by Canadian folksinger Stompin' Tom Connors . The song first appeared on Connors' 1973 album, Stompin' Tom and the Hockey Song. [1] The song did not reach its tremendous popularity until 1992. It was at this time that the song was played at Ottawa Senators games. [2] Pat Burns , then coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs , insisted it be played in Toronto as well. [3] The song is now played throughout both Canadian and American NHL arenas. .

474 posts, read 852,999 times Reputation: 474 2,540 posts, read 2,269,699 times Reputation: 6616 I would suggest " The North West Passage " about the search for the lost Franklin Expedition, in our Arctic wilderness. The best rendition is by the song writer, now sadly dead, Stan Rogers. A huge voice, and a strong supporter of Canadian history, and our sea faring traditions. link to Stan Rogers, in concert video. #q=the+northwest+passage+song His music pops up in many places, such as this segment from the series " Due South " where RCMP constable Fraser, leads a group of seamen in the singing of "Barrets Privaters " a great song that I learned at summer camp, in Algonquin Park in the early 1960's. link. Fraser sings "Barrett's Privateers" - YouTube And finally, the Gordon Lightfoot master piece, The Canadian Railway Steel Triolgy, about the building of the national railway, from Ontario to British Columbia.

CBC asked him for a song, to be used in our Centennial Year, 1967. Here is a "live " TV recording of that song. Gentle, strong, stirring, romantic, and driven to "get her done ". Just like Canadians eh ? link Location: Gatineau, Quï¿½bec 16,404 posts, read 19,864,626 times Reputation: 6395 All of them are good songs (although the Northwest Passage I had never heard of) but none are really as beloved or well-known across the population as Waltzing Matilda is in Australia. Probably the most widely-known of the bunch is Stompin Tom's Hockey Song. It's also the only one that would register with at least some French-speaking Canadians (though not all of them would know it by any stretch) because it was played on occasion at Montreal Canadiens games and other arenas in Quebec. But in a country with two official languages and due to other factors, cultural cohesiveness is not something that is easily achievable in Canada. Australia is big as well of course but it puts it together with more success than Canada does.

4,455 posts, read 6,528,573 times Reputation: 4442 Nope, there is no equivalent to Waltzing Matilda, and our actual anthem is actually quite well loved and popular at the level of regular people. It occupies its role as intended and all Canadians know it. None of those other songs holds a candle, and I couldn't even sing a bar of the Maple Leaf Forever if you put a gun to my head. And as much as I love Stan Rogers, most of my friends, who were all born after his death, do not even know who he is let alone any of his songs. Originally Posted by Natnasci As Average Fruit said, it's Maple Leaf Forever. I've always liked the melody a lot (better than O Canada's in fact) but the lyrics are potentially very divisive when you think of French Canadians and other minorities as well. It's not really known at all in Quebec and when you consider that's a quarter of the country, and when you also consider the low levels of civic education (including national cultural icons) across the country you'd be hard-pressed to reach a 50% recognition rate for this song with the overall adult population of Canada.

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Question: What country's unofficial national anthem is "Waltzing Matilda"?
Answer: Australia