Several variations on Waltzing Matilda exist.
I've always had trouble remembering the verses of both Waltzing Matilda and Auld Lang Syne, so here's my memory aid for Waltzing Matilda.
Trek with a Backpack
by Angela Lansbury
Trek with a back pack, trek with a backpack
Who'll come and trek through the outback with me?
Once a jolly sheep-shearer sat by the riverside
Under the shade of a eucalyptus tree
And he sang as he sat and waited while his kettle boiled,
'Who'll come and trek through the outback with me?
Only my backpack, only my backpack
But what a trusty friend is she!
He'd stopped to do some sheep-shearing on his way
The lads had a dispute over their pay
Somebody starts a fire, so many sheep are killed
Ring-leader or innocent - better run away!
Our jolly sheep-shearer shrugs, 'no, it wasn't me1'
Sits by the horse-shoe bend, a-waiting for his tea
He claims a stray 'lost' sheep suddenly appears
He grabs it, pops it in his bag, with great glee!
Up rides the farmer, looking for the last lost sheep
Rides with three policemen, yes, with three
Our trekker, or tramp, doesn't like the look of them
'Imprisoned for theft does not suit me!'
So he jumps in the water knowing well he cannot swim
He doesn't care if it'll be the death of him
His only thought is, he must get away
Be free, and live his way, until his last day
'I'm outnumbered, as you and I can see
There's four of you but only one of me
You've caught up - but you will never catch me
You'll never catch me alive!' says he
That's a true tale from many years ago
That's a story from local history
Banjo Paterson wrote a little ditty
That way he preserved the memory
Trek from the car park down to the riverside
For an hour or two, each way, if you choose
You'll need a blanket, water and a picnic
They warn you to wear good walking shoes
You need severn litres of water
Remember you'll be far from home
Make sure you always trek in twos
It's safer if you're never alone
You can't use a satnav
Get reception on a mobile phone
No shops, vendors and no lav
Tell friends what time you'll be home
Yes to trekking, no to swimming,
You're not allowed to camp overnight
Rescue parties prefer to be dining
Although losing tourists never looks right
Down by the riverside far from the host
There your imagination is winning
Under the trees imagine his ghost
Join with the past in jolly singing
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
Who'll come a waltzing matilda with me?
Who'll come and trek on a trip to the past
And sit in the shade of a eucalyptus tree?
We'll sit and rest under the old 'coolibah'
We've brought a Thermos, we'll sing and sip tea
Singing, 'thanks for trekking through the bush with me'
Who'll come a waltzing matilda with me?
***
-ends-
Copyright Angela Lansbury 2014
For educational and non-profit use I'd be glad if you would pass this on with this copyright notice entire. For commercial use please contact Angela Lansbury. I'd love somebody to use my song commercially and share the profit with me. Angela Lansbury.
PS
You can trek to the spot in Australian winter - not in summer when it's too hot - and remember Australian summer in when it's winter in the UK, so the time to go is when it's summer in the UK.
See previous posts for more details about Australia.
The strike of the sheep-shearers in the 1890s is detailed in
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltzing_Matilda
The pursuers were on horseback and the fugitive apparently shot himself - though there is speculation that he might have been shot by his pursuers, either in an attempt to capture him or in revenge.
Angela Lansbury writes and performs comic poetry for schools and adults. She also publishes articles and books on comic poetry and travel and quotations.
See more about Angela Lansbury and like her pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Lulu.com
I've always had trouble remembering the verses of both Waltzing Matilda and Auld Lang Syne, so here's my memory aid for Waltzing Matilda.
Trek with a Backpack
by Angela Lansbury
Trek with a back pack, trek with a backpack
Who'll come and trek through the outback with me?
Once a jolly sheep-shearer sat by the riverside
Under the shade of a eucalyptus tree
And he sang as he sat and waited while his kettle boiled,
'Who'll come and trek through the outback with me?
Only my backpack, only my backpack
But what a trusty friend is she!
He'd stopped to do some sheep-shearing on his way
The lads had a dispute over their pay
Somebody starts a fire, so many sheep are killed
Ring-leader or innocent - better run away!
Our jolly sheep-shearer shrugs, 'no, it wasn't me1'
Sits by the horse-shoe bend, a-waiting for his tea
He claims a stray 'lost' sheep suddenly appears
He grabs it, pops it in his bag, with great glee!
Up rides the farmer, looking for the last lost sheep
Rides with three policemen, yes, with three
Our trekker, or tramp, doesn't like the look of them
'Imprisoned for theft does not suit me!'
So he jumps in the water knowing well he cannot swim
He doesn't care if it'll be the death of him
His only thought is, he must get away
Be free, and live his way, until his last day
'I'm outnumbered, as you and I can see
There's four of you but only one of me
You've caught up - but you will never catch me
You'll never catch me alive!' says he
That's a true tale from many years ago
That's a story from local history
Banjo Paterson wrote a little ditty
That way he preserved the memory
Trek from the car park down to the riverside
For an hour or two, each way, if you choose
You'll need a blanket, water and a picnic
They warn you to wear good walking shoes
You need severn litres of water
Remember you'll be far from home
Make sure you always trek in twos
It's safer if you're never alone
You can't use a satnav
Get reception on a mobile phone
No shops, vendors and no lav
Tell friends what time you'll be home
Yes to trekking, no to swimming,
You're not allowed to camp overnight
Rescue parties prefer to be dining
Although losing tourists never looks right
Down by the riverside far from the host
There your imagination is winning
Under the trees imagine his ghost
Join with the past in jolly singing
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
Who'll come a waltzing matilda with me?
Who'll come and trek on a trip to the past
And sit in the shade of a eucalyptus tree?
We'll sit and rest under the old 'coolibah'
We've brought a Thermos, we'll sing and sip tea
Singing, 'thanks for trekking through the bush with me'
Who'll come a waltzing matilda with me?
***
-ends-
Copyright Angela Lansbury 2014
For educational and non-profit use I'd be glad if you would pass this on with this copyright notice entire. For commercial use please contact Angela Lansbury. I'd love somebody to use my song commercially and share the profit with me. Angela Lansbury.
PS
You can trek to the spot in Australian winter - not in summer when it's too hot - and remember Australian summer in when it's winter in the UK, so the time to go is when it's summer in the UK.
See previous posts for more details about Australia.
The strike of the sheep-shearers in the 1890s is detailed in
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltzing_Matilda
The pursuers were on horseback and the fugitive apparently shot himself - though there is speculation that he might have been shot by his pursuers, either in an attempt to capture him or in revenge.
Angela Lansbury writes and performs comic poetry for schools and adults. She also publishes articles and books on comic poetry and travel and quotations.
See more about Angela Lansbury and like her pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Lulu.com
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