C            G       Am              F      
Once a jolly swagman camped beside a billabong
(Hobo, travelling contractor)       (a lakeshore)
C         Am        G          G7
Under the shade of coolibah tree
                   (a kind of tree they don’t have here)
       C          G           Am              F
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
                    (billy=coffee. No Starbucks in the outback)
C                         G          C
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
                       (his bedroll and dancing partner)

Chorus:
C               F
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
C             Am          F        G
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
       C          G           Am              F
*And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
C           Am            G          C
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me


Verse 2    
C            G       Am          F       
Down came a jumbuck to dri-ink at that billabong
            (sheep)
C              Am          G               G7
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee
                                      (apparent free lunch)
          C          G           Am              F
And he sang as he stuffed that jumbuck in his tucker-bag
                                      (that’s a bag for your tucker)
C           Am            G          C
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

 
[Chorus]


Verse 3  
C            G       Am          F      
Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred
    (man who owns the sheep)         (fancy name for horse)
 C              Am          G               G7
Up rode the troopers, one, two, three (the cops, guns drawn)
 C                  G       Am                 F
"Who’s that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag?"
                         (oops no free lunch)
C           Am            G          C
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me


Chorus:
C               F
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
C             Am          F        G
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
       C          G           Am              F
"Who’s that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag?"
C           Am            G          C
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me



Verse 4: Stealing sheep was a death sentence then, so he chose freedom.

C            G       Am          F       
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into that billabong (splash)
 C             Am          F        G
"You'll never take me alive!", said he  (he can’t swim)
        C          G           Am                   F
And his ghost may be heard as you stroll beside that billabong
C           Am            G          C
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me


Chorus

Extra Chorus Ending
    C               G         Am                   F
And that’s why this song will never be Australia’s national anthem
  C           Am            G          C
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me