Their 60s hits included: "I'll Never Find Another You", "A World of Our Own" , "The Carnival is Over" (which the Seekers sung at various closing ceremonies in Australia, including Expo '88 and the Paralympics), "Someday One Day", "Walk With Me", "Morningtown Ride", and "When Will The Good Apples Fall". Their tune "Georgy Girl" in particular served as the title song of the film of the same name. These songs have had significant airplay on 'oldies' radio stations over the years.
Bruce Woodley and The Rain, The Park and Other Things's "I Am Australian", which has been recorded by The Seekers, and by singer Judith Durham with Russell Hitchcock and Mandauway Yunupingu, has become an unofficial Australian anthem.
Waltzing Matilda
The Seekers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Under the shade of a coolibah tree.
He sang and he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
Waltzing Matilda, Matilda, my darlin',
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."
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee.
He laughed as he stowed the jumbuck in his tucker-bag,
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
Waltzing Matilda, Matilda, my darlin',
You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me.
He laughed as he stowed the jumbuck in his tucker-bag,
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
Well, up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred;
Up rode 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, Matilda, my darlin',
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."
Well, 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."
Waltzing Matilda, Matilda, my darlin',
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."
The lyrics to The Seekers' song "Waltzing Matilda" tell the story of a man, known as a swagman or a drifter, who is camping by a billabong (a small body of water, similar to a stream or creek) under the shade of a coolibah tree. As he waits for his billy (a tin used to boil water on a campfire) to boil, he sings a song inviting his beloved Matilda to join him in his travels. Suddenly, a jumbuck (a sheep) comes to drink at the billabong, and the swagman catches it and puts it in his tucker-bag (a bag used by travelers to hold food).
The story takes a turn when a squatter (a person who owns large tracts of land) and three troopers (policemen) arrive on horseback and demand to know what the swagman has in his bag. The swagman, unwilling to give up his stolen sheep, jumps into the billabong and drowns himself. The haunting final verse suggests that his ghost can still be heard singing the song to Matilda.
The lyrics to "Waltzing Matilda" have become iconic in Australian culture, with the song considered by many to be an unofficial national anthem. The lyrics have been interpreted in many ways, with some seeing the story as a celebration of freedom and the rebellious spirit of the Australian bushman, while others view it as a commentary on the cruelty and oppression of colonial rule. Regardless of the interpretation, the song remains a beloved and enduring symbol of Australian identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
There was a happy wanderer who set up camp by a stream,
Under the shade of a coolibah tree.
He settled down in the cool of a Eucalyptus tree's shade.
He sang and he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
He enjoyed himself, singing and waiting for his kettle to boil.
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
A reference to asking someone to join him on the road.
Waltzing Matilda, Matilda, my darlin',
A term of endearment, as if Matilda were his lover.
You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me.
He repeated his invitation to Matilda.
Well, down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong;
A sheep came down to have a drink by the stream.
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee.
The wanderer happily caught the sheep.
He laughed as he stowed the jumbuck in his tucker-bag,
He chuckled as he put the sheep in his bag for later.
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
He reiterated his invitation to Matilda, including the sheep.
Well, up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred;
A wealthy landowner appeared on his horse.
Up rode the troopers -- one, two, three.
The police arrived, three in number.
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag?
They asked about the sheep the wanderer had caught.
You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
And repeated the invitation to Matilda in a threatening manner.
Well, up jumped the swagman and jumped into the billabong;
The wanderer ran to and jumped into the stream.
"You'll never take me alive," said he.
He made it clear he would rather die than be caught.
His ghost may be heard as you pass by the billabong,
It is said that his spirit remains by the stream.
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
Continuing to invite Matilda on his journey, even in death.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ADRIAAN VAN LANDSCHOOT, A B BANJO PATERSON, JAMES BARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sansabeaches8052
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a coolibah tree.
He sang and he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
Waltzing Matilda, Matilda, my darlin',
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."
Well, down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong;
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee.
He laughed as he stowed the jumbuck in his tucker-bag,
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
Waltzing Matilda, Matilda, my darlin',
You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me.
He laughed as he stowed the jumbuck in his tucker-bag,
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me."
Well, up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred;
Up rode 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, Matilda, my darlin',
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."
Well, 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."
Waltzing Matilda, Matilda, my darlin',
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."
@lawdog490
God...how I love this woman, I heard her as a youth in the sixties,always enjoying her,but hearing her again in adult life....the voice of an angel
@Gibby483
When she sings you can actually see her soar like an Eagle. She has so much heart it almost breaks out of her chest when she sings. It's hard for me to describe. Hell, I guess I'm in love.
@diturner7247
Our best.
@terrafirma91
What a beautiful composition. This is one of the most beautifully written songs I've ever heard. Judith's voice is superb! It soars through the stratosphere...
@notsuretwo
Wow!! Unbelievable live performance. Her voice is incomparable...brings me to tears.
@DG19075
Simply amazing..I have tears in my eyes listening to this! Judith still sounds in great voice here. I've yet to find any present-day groups having the simple purity Judith and the guys had....
@megoryan9858
This captures the inherent melancholy of this song in a way few others manage, and it's beautiful in a way I can't express in words.
@johnking6550
This beautiful song can be done many ways...even as a stirring lament as in the movie ''On the Beach'' (1959). Hard for me to think of any song with such a palpable element of subtle emotional power.
@Dem0D1ck
Judith has a Great voice, and her rendition of Waltzing Matilda is spot on. It's inspirational.
@normajean2855
wow how clear and beautiful her voice is especially at a grand final, usually you wouldnt hear such a clear crisp performance...