What is this song about?
The lyrics are included and if you’ll scroll down you’ll learn the song’s meaning and origins.
http://www.ozramp.net.au/~senani/waltz.htm
Welcome to the boards, BTW!
Quasi
This sitepretty much covers it.
Yep. That’s a good link Quasi gave.
It’s a song that glorifies the underdog, a poor swagman (bum, tramp) who had to steal a sheep from the rich farmer to survive. If you’re feeling less charitable, it’s a song about the fact that women were few and far between in the man’s world of 19th century outback Australia. 
Either way, it gets me where I live, and if I’m overseas, will draw a tear much more readily than our national anthem.
Me too, TL Dog, and I’m not even Australian. 
Quas
Since this is a question about a song, I’ll move this thread to our arts forum, Cafe Society.
Heh, I first thought the OP was asking about “And the Band Played ‘Waltzing Matilda’” by The Pogues.
Another efficient tear-jerker of a song.
“The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” was written by Eric Bogle, take a listen to his version.
Can’t find that one yet, but I’ll keep looking. Good song though. Kind of a musical version of “Johnny Got His Gun”.
Man, talk about a depressing movie. 
And the first time I saw it I was 10 years old and scared (it came on right after the first time I saw John Carpenter’s The Thing).
Johnny got his Gun?
“Merry Christmas! I’m the boss, and this is champagne!”
Yeah, that one was a real downer. I’ll have to see it again.
Eric Bogle also wrote “Willie McBride”, another of the great WW I anti-war songs. He’s also written some wonderful memorial songs, for Kate Wolf and Stan Rogers. You’d think he’s a depressed Aussie (actually he’s a Scot) but some of his other songs are hysterical and he’s real fun in concert.
I too thought the thread was about “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.” I sent my dad a Pogues CD for Father’s Day because he likes Irish music and folk music and I thought it was a good blend. Apparently, the one I sent him was a lot slower than “Rum, Sodomy and the Lash” (I really couldn’t bring myself to send that album to my parents). I recently went on a long car trip with my parents to a friend’s wedding, so I played that CD so they could hear how lively and upbeat the Pogues can be. After that song played, my mum just turned and looked at me and said:
“Christ, and I thought your Father’s music was depressing!”
It is a wonderful song though, I’d like to find a copy of the original.
Oops, Willie McBride is actually called “No Man’s Land” or sometimes “Green Fields of France”, very powerful. Both that and “Band Played Waltzing Matilida” are on the albums Now I’m Easy, Scraps of Paper (there appear to be two versions of this album, look at the playlist), In Concert, Live in Person, and Not the Worst of Eric Bogle.
His official web page is here: http://www.windbourne.com/ebogle/
This site has some legal samples of his music: http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/card/0,,405874,00.html
Here’s a partial clip of “Band Played WM” from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/folk/artist_database/pages/bogleeric.shtml
Probably more than you wanted to know, but I really like his music.
The wee Scot is getting fans all around the world - ha! Another Aussie export, apparently better received than Vegemite.
El Elvis Rojo: Which album did you get him? Red Roses for Me?
tavalla: I’ve never been to Australia (although I’ve always wanted to visit), but I do like Vegemite. Apparently I eat it wrong though, as I put it on English muffins a little thick and without marg. (Note to self: Pick up some English muffins.)
About 20 years ago I looked up the words in Waltzing Matilda so that I knew what they were talking about. Interestingly, Billabong is a popular brand of surfwear and “swag” is often mentioned here.
Well, I guess it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that “Waltzing Matilda” is the “peoples” national anthem, at least going by the Australians I know.
I’d say if you held a referendum, WM would probably beat “Advance Australia Fair”.
Eh, won’t get my vote. Gimme “I Still Call Australia Home” any day. IMO, the rhythm of “Waltzing Matilda” is too folky to be an “anthem”. Doesn’t move me at all.
Funny this thead should pop up at the same time as the “What’s Favourite National Anthem?” thread was resurrected in IMHO.
And there’s a great line in one Eric Bogle tune, which one escapes me at the moment:
We stand and sing our national song, “Advance Australia Backwards”
Whoa, the same guy wrote “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” and “No Man’s Land”? I must say, he has a talent for depressing songs. Heck, I’m tearing up just thinking about “No Man’s Land”.
Whoa, the same guy wrote “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” and “No Man’s Land”? I must say, he has a talent for depressing songs. Heck, I’m tearing up just thinking about “No Man’s Land”.