Eric Bogle - The Waltzing Matilda Waltz Lyrics
"WALTZING MATILDA WALTZ"- Eric BogleWell, once jolly swagmen* went humping their swagsand stuffed jolly jumbucks* down in their tucker bagsThese days, jolly junkies go on house-breaking jagsand steal to buy the poison they needWhile the swaggie, he just wanted a feedAnd who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?Hey Banjo*, this country's not what it used to beWe've changed all your words, and re-written your scoreAnd it's "Waltzing Matilda" no more.Once Henry and Mary, on a warm afternoonrowed down Reedy River to the broad bright lagoonThe song of the river is a long vanished tunesince they built the uranium mineand what's left is just toxic slimeAnd who'll come a-walting Matilda with me?Oh, Henry, this country's not what it used to beDays pass with a whimper, and not with a roarAnd it's "Waltzing Matilda" no more.Well, we cut down the trees, and the land we reclaimedWe ploughed and we planted, then we ploughed it againand again and again, and again and againSo that now on a hot windy dayWe can watch our topsoil blow awayAnd who'll come a-walting Matilda with me?The desert is marching down to the seaOn the day that it stretchesfrom shore to shining shoreWe'll go waltzing Matilda no moreSaturday night outside a King's Cross hotelThere stands our future, and it's halfway to hellKids with hard drugs and young bodies to sellHey Australia, what progress we've made!We've come a long way, since Diamond dayAnd who'll come a-walting 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 bePerhaps one day soon, the dream will be restoredAnd we'll go Waltzing Matilda once moreWe'll go Waltzing Matilda once moreNOTES: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 streamthat has been isolated due to sand bar depositionSwagman:I believe in the US you refer to them as "hobos", though a swaggy is notalways someone financially down on their luck or On The Run. Someswagmen are just fed up with city life and want to spend their timeexploring the country on foot, living off the land and the charity ofpassers-by as best they can.Coolibah tree:The Eucalyptus Coolibah is a species of Eucalyptus tree commonly foundin 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 wireacross their top used as a handle, whereupon after the water is boiling,one holds the wire, places the desired amount of tea leaves in saidwater, stands up, and swings the whole billy in a circular motionvigorously in order to force the tea leaves to the bottom of the tin. Arather nice touch is to crush a Coolibah leaf into the water too, givingthe 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 weredivided up and mostly allocated to "squatters" - often wealthyland-owners from Britain, who could afford the prices the government wasasking. There were also freehold selections free for the taking (all youhad to do was sign on the dotted line) made available to anyone whowould try to exploit the land, but the freehold lots tended to be poorerland where it was a battle to earn to living. Squatters became fairlywealthy from their allocations even taking over freehold selections inthe process of expanding their lots, reflected in the fact that this oneis riding on his thoroughbred horse.Troopers:The troopers are law enforcement. The squatter would have calledthem 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 quiteaffectionate for things that are fairly important to their immediateexistence. In this case, AIUI "Matilda" is the swagman's sleeping gear -typically a bedroll.*****ie:Small time family farmer/rancher in rural Australia, usually on marginal land
