Waltzing Matilda – English Lyrics

• By: Slim Dusty
• Album: 1998 Remaster

Lyrics & Translation

Explore Australian culture and history through the iconic song "Waltzing Matilda," a bush ballad about a swagman's defiance and the yearning for freedom. Learn about Australian slang and the historical events that inspired this beloved folk song, often considered the country's unofficial national anthem.

[English]

Once, a jolly swagman camped by a billabong

Under the shade of a coolabah tree

And he sang as he watched and waited 'til 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 '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

And he sang as he stowed 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 stowed 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 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"

"With 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"

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

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
swagman /ˈswæɡ.mən/ B1	noun - a person who travels on foot, often carrying a swag (a bundle of belongings)
billabong /ˈbɪl.ə.bɒŋ/ B2	noun - a natural pond or waterhole, often found in Australia
jumbuck /ˈdʒʌm.bʌk/ B2	noun - a sheep, especially in Australian English
glee /ɡliː/ B1	noun - great delight or joy
tucker /ˈtʌk.ər/ B2	noun - food, especially in Australian slang
sang /sæŋ/ A2	verb - past tense of sing; to produce musical sounds with the voice
ghost /ɡoʊst/ B1	noun - the spirit of a dead person
come /kʌm/ A1	verb - to move towards or arrive at a place
Waltzing /ˈwɔːl.tzɪŋ/ B2	verb - to dance a waltz
shade /ʃeɪd/ A2	noun - a shadow or area sheltered from sunlight
tree /triː/ A1	noun - a tall plant with a trunk and branches
billy /ˈbɪl.i/ B2	noun - a container used for boiling water, especially in Australia
squatter /ˈskwɒt.ər/ B2	noun - a person who unlawfully occupies an uninhabited building or land
thoroughbred /ˈθɜːr.ə.bred/ C1	noun - a breed of horse that is known for its speed and agility