If you ever want to get a true sense of the waste of life that wars bring, watch the old movie Gallipoli, about a young Australian runner who is scheduled to run in the Olympics but goes off to war (1st).  The movie uses Waltzing Matilda (Australia’s populist National Anthem..like Louie, Louie in Washington state) as a dirge.  Anyway, I was going through my parents Readers’ Digest Childrens’ Song book and came across Waltzing Matilda.  I started playing in a slower, rock style and realized it was pretty soulfull.  I quickly went and threw a MIDI arrangement into the computer.  It has stuck around long enough to be the only cover on the CDs.  I hope Australians especially like it.  I like that the spirit of the song is about not giving in to the powers-that-be.

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree
& he sang as he sat and waited
‘til his billy boiled
You’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong
Up jumped the swagman
and grabbed him with glee
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck
in his tucker bag
Singing, you’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me

Waltzin’ Matilda, Waltzin’ Matilda
You’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited
‘til his billy boiled
You’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me

Up rode the squatter mounted
on his thoroughbred
Down came the Troopers count ‘em one, two,
one, two, three
Who’se that jolly jumbuck you’ve got in your
tuckerbag ha, ha, ha
You’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me
Waltzin’ Matilda, Waltzin’Matilda
You’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me
Who’se that jolly jumbuck you’ve got in your tuckerbag
I say you’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me

Up jumped the swagman,
sprang into the billabong
Saying, “you’ll never catch me alive!”
And his ghost may be heard
if you pass by that billabong
Singing you’ll come a’Waltzin’, you’ll come
a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me

Waltzin’ Matilda, Waltzin’ Matilda
You’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard
if you pass by that billabong
Singing, you’ll come a’Waltzin’ Matilda with me