Waltzing Mathilda.

[Perry Rose]

  I just listened to that song. It occurred to me that I don't know what a "Mathilda" is. Does anyone?

[Bootlegger]

     Some one to waltz with..

[GallopingGhostler]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltzing_Matilda

"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's best-known bush ballad, and has been described as the country's "unofficial national anthem".[1]

The title was Australian slang for travelling on foot (waltzing) with one's belongings in a "matilda" (swag) slung over one's back.[2] The song narrates the story of an itinerant worker, or "swagman", making a drink of billy tea at a bush camp and capturing a stray jumbuck (sheep) to eat. When the jumbuck's owner, a squatter (landowner), and three troopers (mounted policemen) pursue the swagman for theft, he declares "You'll never catch me alive!" and commits suicide by drowning himself in a nearby billabong (watering hole), after which his ghost haunts the site.

This has a very pretty female voice singing (with lyrics):



This has the various Australian slang defined with song:



Nowadays, a "Waltzing Matilda" might be someone flying a Bi Slob. 

[Perry Rose]

Thanks for that. It's not at all what I had pictured.

[Will Hinton]

Great research!  I always thought Matilda was gurl.

[Ken Culbertson]

Well that clears things up.  I guess, just like England, we are two countries separated by a common language.

I had always thought it was about a wallaby.  Silly me.

Ken

[Avaiojet]

Obviously, to the tune of, "Waltzing Mathilda"

Click on this link.  Go to Post #46

https://stunthanger.com/smf/building-techniques/'the-new-american'-build-thread!/


Years ago so understandably people forget.   

[qaz049]

Well that clears things up.  I guess, just like England, we are two countries separated by a common language.

I had always thought it was about a wallaby.  Silly me.

Ken

No that's all wrong. It's a song of defiance.

It was written during a turbulent time in Australian history when the massive sheep farms in the state of Queensland were controlled by a few rich and powerful individuals. A lot of poor sheep shearers traveled from job to job on the massive farms by foot. It was also a time of caustic labor relations between the groups (shearer's and farmer's). One particular chap was caught exercising his democratic right (!) to kill and eat the farmer's (Squatter's) sheep because he was hungry.  The police and the farmer bashed him up and threw him in the billabong (small waterhole) where he drowned.  The resulting court inquiry found that he committed suicide, which was ridiculous because of the size and depth of the waterhole. The song became popular with the shearers  as an ironic way of expressing their disgust at the usual way law was used against them. It became so popular that it rivaled the then  national anthem, "God save the Queen". In my youth the latter was sung at official events often followed by a lusty rendition of "Waltzing Matilda" by the crowd (or part of it).

All changed now!

There are a number of interpretations of the word Matilda, which was slang for a woman. Many are not to be discussed in polite company.

[GallopingGhostler]

No that's all wrong. It's a song of defiance. [....] All changed now!

Thanks, qaz049 for the history lesson. And with all the crazy stuff going on now even in Oz, that squeaks through the suppressed news, song perhaps seems more appropriate then ever. But as you say, some things are better said in other corners.

[Double Deuce]

 Thanks for a great read. I now have a second protest song dear to my heart. The other being "Paradise" by John Prine.

Double Deuce

[FLOYD CARTER]

If the Aussies are going to write a song, how about using words that people can understand?

[Craig Beswick]

Ty,
Cricket is not for the faint hearted. Haha! If you get a chance to watch a "20/20" game that is worth a look.

" My Boomerang Won't Come Back". Is illegal here now. Politically incorrect because it vilifies the indigenous population. Yep, that's how far we have come. Ridiculous!!

Craig

[GallopingGhostler]

"My Boomerang Won't Come Back". Is illegal here now. Politically incorrect because it vilifies the indigenous population. Yep, that's how far we have come. Ridiculous!!

Yup, amazing. I remember learning the phrase growing up, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." But, that was part of an earlier generation that is slowly fading away, that didn't get offended as easily.

But, on a finer note, remember better things.

[Dan Berry]

Ty,
Cricket is not for the faint hearted. Haha! If you get a chance to watch a "20/20" game that is worth a look.

" My Boomerang Won't Come Back". Is illegal here now. Politically incorrect because it vilifies the indigenous population. Yep, that's how far we have come. Ridiculous!!

Craig

A boomerang that won't come back is a stick.

[Dallas Hanna]

If the Aussies are going to write a song, how about using words that people can understand?

But it was a song written by Charlie Drake in "the mother country" Floyd 😁. Can't blame us convicts for that one.  Charlie was a Pom comedian. 

[Air Ministry .]

Dosnt appear to be THAT banned . dont tell anybody , in case they do .



Polititions may want to ban this also ; See 1:27



Puha = the leaves of the sowthistle used as a vegetable.



Pākehā
Pākehā is a Māori-language term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. The term can also apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Zealander. Papa'a has a similar meaning in Cook Islands Māori. The etymology of the word pākehā remains unclear, but the term was in use by the late-18th century.

Tho this is a bit more long winded :  https://maorinews.com/writings/papers/other/pakeha.htm

Another example of thoughtless meaningless obnoxious bigatory . 



Must be a lot of forign songs mocking englismen , and other minority races also . 

The off-field dramas involving England fans have continued after Queensland Cricket was forced to apologise for playing a derogatory song during the tea break at the Gabba. The apology was prompted by Barmy Army members complaining about offensive lyrics in a parody of the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight, recorded by the Australian musician Greg Champion.

The Queensland Cricket chief executive Graham Dixon told The Australian the song, which implied English fans were unwashed, unhealthy whingers, would not be played during future tea breaks. It had been part of the official entertainment organised by Cricket Australia.

  the plot thickens,

I am South African. I recall it was written about King Shaka described as the " Lion sleeping " whilst waiting to pounce on his enemies. It is so very sad that the South African writer and his family never got the recognition nor the royalties for this timeless beautiful song 🇿🇦

[Dave Hull]

Nah....

Waltzing Matilda is an awesome Wakefield model by Van Leuven published in Model Aviation magazine in Nov. 1981.

Pretty fragile, though, better not stuff it into your tucker bag....

The Divot

[Steve Helmick]

Nah....

Waltzing Matilda is an awesome Wakefield model by Van Leuven published in Model Aviation magazine in Nov. 1981.

Pretty fragile, though, better not stuff it into your tucker bag....

The Divot

Paul Van Leuven placed 2nd with "Waltzing Matilda" in the '79 World Champs at Taft, California. I was the Aussie team moto-chaser. He actually placed 3rd, but was bumped up a notch when the 2nd place-getter was DQ'd because his model ended up being underweight, having broken an inch or so off the end of one prop blade. Without those few grams, the total was under minimum weight. Paul was a pretty good bloke, but had the misfortune to die of lung cancer...as did my Brazilian F1A buddy, Andre Gomide, who also flew at the '79 WC. 

[Dave Hull]

Great story, Steve!

[John Park]

If you want a really incomprehensible Aussie song, try the one I used to hear in the folk clubs, way back in the 1970s - 'The Ryebuck Shearer'.  As far as I can make out, a ryebuck shearer is a top-dog, numero uno sheep-shearer, but the song's lyrics are online for anyone to make of what they will.  (By the way: have you noticed how many aeromodellers are folk music/country blues/New Orleans jazz enthusiasts?)

[GallopingGhostler]

"My Boomerang Won't Come Back". Is illegal here now. Politically incorrect because it vilifies the indigenous population. Yep, that's how far we have come. Ridiculous!!

I was downloading Aeromodeller magazine scans from Hip Pocket Aeronautics, and came across this cartoon art in one of their flight articles in their 1970 publication called "Topical Twists", with various short stories on flying.

51 years ago, no one, not even the one portrayed would get offended, give people something to laugh about.

The old standard was:

The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. (ESV)

Yet, there is a strange agenda afoot worldwide for wanting people to feel shame for something that happened long past ago, in which they were not involved with, to pay enumeration to people now who never experienced that past situation.

I hope that our control line flying and friendships are never marred by issues of a person's color, origin, culture or societal status.

[Craig Beswick]

Baaa. Sorry Ty got to hit the buzzer on that one too!!
The singer and composer, Rolf Harris, a convicted paedophile!!!

Craig
Ps. He was a fantastic entertainer and artist. Broke my heart when he was convicted. Same as Lance Armstrong. When he came out as a cheat it crippled me. So sad.

[GallopingGhostler]

Baaa. Sorry Ty got to hit the buzzer on that one too!! The singer and composer, Rolf Harris, a convicted paedophile!!! Ps. He was a fantastic entertainer and artist. Broke my heart when he was convicted. Same as Lance Armstrong. When he came out as a cheat it crippled me. So sad.

Yup, and PeeWee Herman on kiddie porn, too.

[john e. holliday]

At least we could understand the words of the songs back then even if we didn't know the meaning.   

[Ken Culbertson]

Has to be a commie plot.

[GregArdill]

My other favorite drinking song at the time was, "Don't Tie Me Kangaroo Down Mate". Or was it "Sport"? Is that offensive to Roos???

Ty, the song was/is "Tie me kangaroo down sport"
Sport is used in much the same way as mate. But overall mate denotes a slightly higher level of friendship.

On writing songs that you can understand?? What would be the point of that - we know what we mean.