A slightly different version with basic guitar chords:

Once a jolly Swagman sat beside a Billabong
D A Bm G
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree
D D A7 A7
And he sang as he sat and waited till his Billy boiled,
D A Bm G
"You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me"
D D A7 D

Chorus *Repeat the last two lines of verse at end of Chorus

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
D D G G
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
D G D A7
And he sang as he sat and waited till his Billy boiled,
D A Bm G
"You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me"
D D A7 D

Down come a Jumbuck to drink beside the Billabong
Up jumped the Swagman and seized him with glee
And he sang as he stowed that Jumbuck in his Tuckerbag,
"You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me."

Repeat Chorus

Up come the Squatter riding on his Thoroughbred
Down come the Troopers, one, two, three
"Who's that jolly Jumbuck you got in your Tuckerbag?"
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Repeat Chorus

Up jumped the Swagman and leapt into the Billabong
"You'll never catch me alive!" cried he.
And his ghost can be heard as you ride by the Billabong
"You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me."

Repeat Chorus


This is a fun song to play to kids or just with friends who may not be as familiar with it. My dad lived in Australia for a while, so I grew up with him playing this on the guitar. It's fun also in the third verse, if you can do it, to put in an Aussie accent when the sqatter and troopers talk.