PARTS: Soprano Alto Tenor Bass All
KEY: bold = first beat of bar ^ = rest Underline = triplet backing vocal = [text]
049 - Waltzing Matilda
Verse 1
Once a jolly swag-man camped by a billa-bong,
under the shade of a cool-i-bah tree, (Pause)
And he sang as he watched and wait-ed til his bil-ly boiled,
‘You’ll come a-waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me.
Chorus – All, with audience
Waltz-ing Ma-til-da, Waltz-ing Ma-til-da,
you’ll come a waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me, (Pause)
And he sang as he watched and wait-ed till his bil-ly boiled,
‘You’ll come a-waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me.’
Verse 2
Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billa-bong:
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee. (Pause)
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker-bag,
‘You’ll come a-waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me.’
Chorus – All, with audience
Waltz-ing Ma-til-da, Waltz-ing Ma-til-da,
you’ll come a waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me, (Pause)
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker-bag,
‘You’ll come a-waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me.’
Verse 3
Up rode the squatter mount-ed on his thorough-bred;
Down came the troopers, one, two. three: (Pause)
(Tenors/Basses)‘Where’s that jolly jumbuck you’ve got in your tucker bag?
You’ll come a-waltzing Ma-til-da with me.’
Chorus – All, with audience
Waltz-ing Ma-til-da, Waltz-ing Ma-til-da,
you’ll come a waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me, (Pause)
(Tenors/Basses)‘Where’s that jolly jumbuck you’ve got in your tucker bag?
You’ll come a-waltzing Ma-til-da with me.’
Verse 4
Up jumped the swagman, sprang into the billa-bong,
‘You’ll never take me alive’ said he; (Pause)
(Softly and Slowly…)And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billa-bong,
‘You’ll come a-waltzing Ma-til-da with me.’
Chorus – All, with audience
Waltz-ing Ma-til-da, Waltz-ing Ma-til-da,
you’ll come a waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me, (Pause)
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billa-bong,
‘You’ll come a-waltz-ing Ma-til-da with me.’
Australia's most widely known bush ballad, original lyrics were written in 1895 by poet and nationalist Banjo Paterson