Waltzing Matilda, lyrics written 1895 in Australia, the title is not related to a dance and not related to a woman. Matilda was a name for a bag on the back of wandering shepherds. The lyrics are related to a sheep-shearer, who was a protester vs bad working conditions. During the protest a barn was burned, some sheep were killed. The protester Samuel Hoffmeister was accused, but he said he was not guilty and made suicide beneath his favorite water hole – where he usually ate some stolen sheep.
Maybe you have interest to read more at wikipedia: the complete lyrics are there too. The song became a kind of second national anthem in Australia, was used for the opening of Olympic games, soundtrack for the female soccer team (the Matildas) or was used supporting the outsending of Australian troops vs Iraq etc. In Australia the whole audience knows the lyrics by heart – otherwise the composition was performed in non-political situations by Rod Stewart, Tom Waits, Tommy Emmanuel, The Seekers, Dire Straits etc.
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Flickr Comments 
A very interesting piece of Australian history. I enjoyed the spotlight on the old folk song that I remember hearing over the years but had no idea of its meaning. Loved the videos and that pic!
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Thanks for the history, I never really knew what the song was about.
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Thanks for the info
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Attack of the killer sheep 😉
Your blog is on my Blogs I Read page http://kattermonran.com/blogs-i-read/blogs-e-h/
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Hi. I’m an aussie through and through. I grew up with the story that waltzing the matilda also was slag or the colonial term for being hung. The popularity of the song was based on the defiance of authority the conflicts held, a stereotype that has stuck with us. Well that’s what, as an aussie, I have been led to believe anyway. 🙂
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Sorry *slang*
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Great song, thanks for the history!
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Very interesting info … love all the video’s and you fingerstyle playing of summertime. I’m still getting used to Spring which is beautiful weather. Summertime is brually hot so I will wait for it.
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Those sheep look bent on revenge…
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I enjoyed your fingerstyle version of the song.
I’m amused by the photo of all the sheep looking at the photographer.
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my first title version of the sheep gang portrait had been:
———————————————-
inspectors are coming
———————————————-
with the sub-title
“About criticasters”:
+
THOUGH BY WHIM,
ENVY OR RESENTMENT LED,
+
THEY DAMN THOSE AUTHORS,
WHOM THEY NEVER READ.
+
[Charles Churchill, 1732-1764]
his live wasn’t long,
but he made important resumes!
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I love hearing the background of a song. Liam Clancy sang a song called “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda,” which is a very powerful song about an Aussie serving in Gallipoli. Putamaya also has a version of Waltzing Matilda sung in one of the Australian Aboriginal tongues, which is really interesting.
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Politically Correct Waltzing Matilda:
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very Aussie:
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Very interesting information and great play.
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