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Waltzing Matilda - Song Page

Background

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Many songs tell stories.  This is a beautiful story song from Australia about essentially a hobo - a person traveling by foot with all of their belongings in a small sack.  Kids will enjoy learning the terms used in the song and imagining themselves traveling with all of their belongings hung over their shoulder.
Children love to sing the chorus on this song, "Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling, you'll come a waltzing Matilda with me".  This line repeats every chorus but then repeats the last 2 lines of the verse.  This song is also a soothing accompaniment to rest time.

Here are some definitions that will help you to understand the story:

Waltzing Matilda: Traveling by foot while carrying all of one's belongings
Swagman: Traveling farm worker
Billabong: Lake formed by a river bend
Coolabah Tree: Type of tree that grows in Australian wetlands
Billy: Tin can with lid and wire handle
Jumpbuck: Sheep
Tucker Bag: Sack for carrying food
Squatter: Ranch owner
Trooper: Outback policeman

UNITS:  This song is a great accompaniment to lessons on Australia and multicultural studies.  

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IN THE SONG:  

Jon Pousette-Dart - lead vocs and acoustic guitar
Alice Backer - backup vocs
Billy Roues - mandolin
Steven Roues - vocs and acoustic bass
Kenny Margolis - vocs and accordion
Boris Kinberg - percussion
Jeffrey Friedberg - vocs
Bill Rankin - drums

Video
(full video coming soon)

Order "Waltzing Matilda" Song

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Lessons, Lyrics & More

"Waltzing Matilda" - guitar Lesson

Activity Suggestions

Teach children the chorus and have them sing along with the recording

Alternate Activity: Assign roles to children and act out the song.

guitar chords

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A little hit from "down under".  Try this beautiful story song as kids are in a more relaxed and contemplative mood.

Lyrics

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolabah tree
He sang and he watched and
Waited 'til his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Chorus: Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
He sang and he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Down came a jumpbuck to drink at the billabong
and up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee
he laughed as he stowed the jumpbuck in his tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Chorus: Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with mehe laughed as he stowed the jumpbuck in his tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Up road the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred
Up road the troopers 1, 2, 3
Where's that jolly jumpbuck you've got in your tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Chorus: Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
Where's that jolly jumpbuck you've got in your tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Up jumped the swagman and jumped into the billabong
you'll never take me alive said he
his ghost may be heard as you pass by the billabong
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Chorus: Waltzing Matilda, Matilda my darling
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
his ghost may be heard as you pass by the billabong
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
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