Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil,
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 till his billy boil
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 thorough-bred
Down came the troopers One Two Three
Whose 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
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Up jumped the swagman sprang in to 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.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Parov Stelar's "Matilda" are inspired by the popular Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda." The song tells the story of a swagman, a wandering worker who travels from place to place carrying his belongings in a bundle or "swag." The swagman sets up camp by a billabong, a small pond, and sings as he waits for his "billy," or tea kettle, to boil. He invites Matilda, who is believed to represent the swagman's bundle, to go "waltzing" with him. However, things take a turn when a jumbuck, or a sheep, comes to drink at the billabong. The swagman catches it and puts it in his tucker bag, a bag used for carrying food while traveling.

Soon after, a squatter, a person who owns and manages a large parcel of land for livestock farming, comes accompanied by troopers, or police officers, to question the swagman about the stolen sheep. The swagman, unwilling to be caught, jumps into the billabong and drowns himself. The final lines of the song suggest that his spirit lives on as you pass by the billabong.

Parov Stelar's version of the song adds a modern twist with electronic beats and synths, but still maintains the essence of the original folk song's story. "Matilda" was released in 2013 as part of Stelar's album "The Art of Sampling" and has become one of his most popular tracks.

Line by Line Meaning

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
There was a cheerful wanderer who made his temporary home near a creek.

Under the shade of a Coolibah tree,
He found solace beneath the shelter of a Coolibah tree.

And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil,
He cheerfully hummed a tune while keeping a close eye on his water boiling over the fire.

You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
He was so pleased with the company of his newfound animal friend.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
He sang this tune to himself in joy and contentment.

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong
A sheep, or a jumbuck, wandered down to drink at the creek's edge.

Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
He leaped to action and seized the chance to capture the animal that crossed his path.

And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
He burst into song as he stowed the captured creature in his bag of provisions.

Up rode the squatter mounted on his thorough-bred
The wealthy landowner rode into view atop his high-quality horse.

Down came the troopers One Two Three
Authorities swarmed in three, ready to enforce their search and seizure.

Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag
They demanded to know whose sheep was in the swagman's bag.

Up jumped the swagman sprang in to the billabong
The wanderer leaped into the creek to avoid capture, taking his own life rather than being imprisoned.

You'll never catch me alive said he,
He defiantly declared he would not be taken alive.

And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
The legend lives on of his ghostly presence, still as free as he was in life.

Contributed by Nathaniel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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