what is the background to waltzing matilda i think it's is australian military?? can anyone explain?

Answer 1

‘Waltzing Matilda’ is Australia’s best known and much loved national song. It is recognized by every Australian, and has attained international status as the nation’s unofficial national anthem.

Banjo Paterson has long been considered the creator of the lyrics of ‘Waltzing Matilda’. Some commentators believed he adapted the words from an existing bush ballad, but he is now mostly thought to have written its original song lyrics in 1895 whilst staying with the Macpherson family on the property, Dagworth Station, approximately 100 kilometers north-west of the town of Winton in Queensland.

The origins of the tune are complex. The discovery around 1970 of an original musical manuscript (today held in the National Library of Australia as MS9065), together with an undated letter by Christina Macpherson to Thomas Wood recalling the events surrounding the creation of the song, has finally led to Christina being accredited as the first ‘creator’ of the music. Yet as Christina openly acknowledged, she simply adapted the tune from an existing folk song.

Answer 2

It's Actually an American song brought down to Australia during the Aussie gold rush in the 1860s Then it was adopted by the Aussie backwoods guys who when they joined the army use to skip around a pole kinda like a maypole holding hands and singing

Answer 3

the story as I heard it goes something like this. A swagman is is an bum or hobo, his waltzing matilda is his cooking pot which swings back and forth on his swag (pack/bedroll) a jumpbuck is a sheep. a billabong is a waterhole. the story goes that the jolly swagman captures a jumpbuck and starts cooking it by a billabong and up the owner and kills him for stealing his animal

Answer 4

I will take peter k's word for it.