WALTZING MATILDA
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Time signature: 4/4
Tempo: ~ 100 bpm (moderate). |
Lyrics by the Australian poet Banjo Paterson (1895).
Melody from Christina Macpherson based on the "Craigielee March" tune which was itself based on "Thou Bonnie Wood of Craigielee" by Scottish composer James Barr (1818). |
The song is about an itinerant Australian worker (swagman) travelling on foot (waltzing) with his belongings in a sheet or swag (his Matilda) slung over his back, camping beside a deep watering hole (billabong), boiling his tea kettle (billy), and capturing & killing a stray sheep (jumbuck), storing some in his food bag (tucker bag) and jumping into the billabong to escape the property owner (squatter) and the law ... from Wikipedia.
Accordion Notation In spite of its title, this is not a waltz tune
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Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent |
Inside row (low) = Buttons 2 to 6 plus o3* |
Verse 1 (of 4) - Part 1
| "4 "4* "4 "4 .3* .3* | "3 "3* "4 "3 "o3* "2* .3 |
Once a jol - ly swag-man camped by a bill - a - bong
.2 "3 "4 .5 "5 "5 | "5 "4* .5 .5
Un-der the shade of a cool - i - bah tree,
"3 "3* | .4 "4 "4 .3* .3* | "3 "3* "4 "3 "o3* "2* .3 |
And he sang as he watched and wait-ed 'til his bil - ly boiled
.2 "3 "4 .5 "4* "4 | .3* "3* "3* :3 |
You'll come a-Waltz-ing Ma - til - da, with me.
Verse 1 - Part 2 (A variable chorus with only the 3rd line different in each case)
.5 "5 "5 .5 .4 | .6 "6 "6 .6* .5* |
Waltz-ing Ma - til - da, Waltz-ing Ma - til - da
.5 "5 "5 .5* "5 "5 | .5 "4* "4 .3*
You'll come a - Waltz-ing Ma - til - da, with me
"3 "3* | .4 "4 "4 .3* .3* | "3 "3* "4 "3 "o3* "2* .3 |
And he sang as he watched and wait-ed 'til his bil - ly boiled,
.2 "3 "4 .5 "4* "4 | .3* "3* "3* :3 |
You'll come a-Waltz-ing Ma - til - da, with me.
Embedded youTube VIDEOS
16 videos in various keys: Bb,B,C=1 B=2 C=2 C,Db=1 C,Db,D,Eb=1 D=6
Gb,G,Ab=1 G=2
16 videos in various keys: Bb,B,C=1 B=2 C=2 C,Db=1 C,Db,D,Eb=1 D=6
Gb,G,Ab=1 G=2
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Key: D
Singer: Slim Dusty Posted by: Slim Dusty The late Slim Dusty, (David) Gordon Kirkpatrick, (1927 - 2003) was a cultural icon in Australian music. |
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Key: Eb
Singer: Rolf Harris Posted by: 8788q Music begins at time 1:12 Follows the melody, but not the rhythm, shown in the accordion notation above. Good explanation of the Australian bush "slang" at the beginning. |
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Key: G
Accordionist: Lester Bailey Posted by: Lester Bailey Instrumental on a DG Erica |
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Key: C from time 0 to 1:52
Db from 1:53 to 2:36 D from 2:37 to 2:57 Eb from 2:58 to End Singers: Sydney Conservatorium Chorale Orchestra: Sydney Youth Orchestra with Tommy Tycho Posted by: Ian Berwick |
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Key: C
Performers: Hector (on toy accordion) and Betty (on ukelele) Posted by: Hector Awol |
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Key: Bb from time 0 to 1:30
B from 1:31 to 2:17 C from 2:18 to End Singer: Judith Durham Group: The Seekers Posted by: Proculledtwo The 1994 AFL Grand Final in Meldourne, Australia. |
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Key: D
Group: Andre Rieu and Orchestra Posted by: Andre Rieu |
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Key: D
Singers: John Schumann, Wendy Matthews & Brian Cadd Posted by: wendymatthewsmusic Australia Day 2009 the "sung" portions more or less follow the melody of the accordion notation above, but with a slightly different rhythm. Some of the fillers and ending give a tune a bit of a "jazz" feeling. |
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Key: C from time 1:38 to 3:16
Db from 3:17 to End at 3:57 Singer: Johnny Cash Posted by: Johnny Cash Infocenter Music begins at time 1:38 After a lengthy introduction, the final verse and chorus are omitted. |
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Key: D
Group: The Irish Rovers Posted by: Jessica Brandsma Music begins at time 0:50 Their melody for Part 1 of each verse doesn't match the accordion notation above; however Part 2 does match. |
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Key: D
Singer: Tommy Emmanuel Posted by: kristijanvg Music begins at time 1:27 |
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Key: Gb (or F#) from time 0 to 1:11
G from 1:12 to 1:44 Ab from 1:45 to End Singer: Jimmie Rodgers Posted by: keoki82 |
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Key: B
Animation by Shaun McKinnon Posted by: Shaun |
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Key: D
Singer: Mirusia Louwerse Posted by: Andre Rieu |
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Key: C
Accordionist: Hector Awol Posted by: Hector Awol Note the change in rhythm |
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Key: G
Performer: ? Posted by: gkok1000 A GD Scholller Anglo concertina |
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Background Materials, Information & Links
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Lyrics:
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Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah 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 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, Where's 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 catch 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. Oh, You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me. |
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Background Links:
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Click HERE for additional (wikipedia) info about this song.
Click HERE for biographical info (wikipedia) on Andrew ("Banjo") Paterson (Andrew Barton Paterson, CBE) Click HERE for a youTube tune comparison of "Thou Bonnie Woods of Craigielea" and "Waltzing Matilda". After the introduction, the music (in key of C) begins at time 0:57 Click HERE for information (wikipedia) about Slim Dusty. |