Waltzing Matilda

If you, like me, were confused (and amused) by the Australian slang in "Waltzing Matlida," be confused no longer! Here are the answers to your un-asked questions:

A swagman is basically a nomad--a man wandering looking for work. His swag is his bedroll and belongings.

A billabong is a lake.

A jumbuck is a sheep. Go figure.

A billy is a can used for boiling water.

A tucker bag is a bag used for carrying food. Tucker, then, is food.

Troopers and thoroughbred you can probably figure out: police officers and a horse.

The term squatter is used the same as we use it in America--someone using land they don't legally have rights to use.

And lest you think Waltzing Matlida is actually a waltz--to waltz actually means to travel around and learn new skills and Matilda is simply a nickname for the swagman's bundle. Some people say that these men did actually dance with their bundles, but that's disputed.

Anyway, with all of these terms explained, you should be able to figure out that this song is about a man who was camping by a lake making tea, when a sheep wandered by. He grabbed it and stuck it into his bag. But then a squatter comes by, claiming to own the sheep. He's brought the police. Refusing to be taken in, the wandering worker decides to drown himself in the lake and haunt the site instead.

All clear? :)