Roving Matilda

from AB Patterson's Waltzing Matilda - arranged by Graham Dodsworth

Version current 2016

There was a young swagman down by the river.
He lay in the shade of a coolabah tree.
He laughed and he sang while he boiled his black billy,
'You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.'

Along came a jumbuck to drink from the billabong.
He crept up behind him and grabbed him with speed.
He laughed and he sang while he filled up his dilly bag,
'You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.'

Then came the squatter riding his stock horse,
troopers behind him for flash company.
'Whose is the jumback I see in your dillybag?
You'll come a waltzing, you'll come with me.'
(Down by the billabong.)

'You'll come a waltzing, waltzing, waltzing,
you'll come with me.'

Out stepped the swagman into the cool river
'I'll never surrender, I'll die first said he.'
He sang as he sank down into the deep billabong,
'You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.'

'You'll come a waltzing, Matilda.
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.'
He sang as he sank down into the dark billabong,
'You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me, with me.'
(Leading a waterbag).

'You'll come a waltzing, waltzing, waltzing, Matilda with me.

And he still can be heard when you pass by the river singing,
'You'll come waltzing Matilda with me.'