Posted on 02/04/2020 6:00:38 PM PST by Ozguy1945
In 1975, the government of conservative Prime Minister Malcom Fraser held a plebiscite to choose a national song for Australia.
Advance Australia Fair won in a field of four with 43%. The long standing national anthem, God Save The Queen came third with 19%.
Waltzing Matilda was the choice of 28% including me. Sadly, in this matter, I am a bit too much like Nancy Pelosi. In my heart, I still don’t accept the result.
Waltzing Matilda is the story of an itinerant man who gets caught by three mounted troopers after he stole a sheep. He commits suicide to evade them.
The song is still regarded as an unofficial national anthem and is played very frequently at sporting events.
What does this phenomenon look like from America?
Have no idea what the heck “Advance Australia Fair” is. But everybody’s heard “Waltzing Matilda”. The Queen song is fine, but it should be reserved for the poofsters in the motherland.
Demand a revote, with the requirement that nobody gets to cast their vote unless they knock down a couple of pints before entering the poll booth. For crying out loud, if you’re going to have an Australian anthem, it ought at least be Australian.
I always thought it was “Waltzing Matilda” too.
60 years ago, I had an album by Burl Ives with it. He also told the story of the Swagman and what he and a billabong were.
I also think Scotland’s should be “Scotland The Brave” and England, “Jerusalem”.
Ping
I recently stumbled upon Andre Rieu for the first time, on youtube. His performance of Waltzing Matilda moved me deeply. The reaction of the Australians in the audience...well, I really can’t find words, but it made me very sad for what we have lost in this country.
Or rather for what the left has stolen from us.
My impression, as a foreigner, is that Waltzing Matilda is the de facto Australian national anthem, whatever the bureaucrats may say.
There is another one called “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” which I have on a CD. About Gallipoli, and it is very good tho long.
But now understanding the story at least a bit...and having seen a bit of the Outback...I can now imagine what a challenge it would have been to conquer it 150 years ago.
Yup...heard it. “Sad” doesn’t even begin to describe it. WWI was a war that featured carnage that’s hard to imagine.
Give me a home among the gum trees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxMPDp9M9TI
Ives did explain what a jumbuck was, I think a lamb but not sure. Also that Waltzing Matilda was a Swagman (Hobo)carrying his bundle at the end of a stick.
Don’t recall what “Billy” meant.
Waltzing Matilda is Australia but it’s not an anthem. I like AAF as the anthem. It may not be as well known internationally but I think most in Australia know it. As an Aussie living abroad for most of my life a handful of songs really tug at my heart. AAF is one and The Man from Snowy River is another. Clancy of the Overflow as well. WM doesn’t though. Sorry.
Yup,I learned what a “swagman” was. I think that jumbuck means “sheep” but it certainly could be more specific...perhaps a lamb.A “billy” is a tin pot in which you can make tea. And as a British “colony” I’ll bet that Aussies drank a lot of tea back then.
I only learned of “Jerusalem” from the Monty Python skit about the man who couldn’t stand to hear the word “mattress”.
Later, during Falklands in 1982 the BBC announced it was the favorite tune of British forces sent in to recapture the islands.
During WWII my Father’s combat engineer battalion spent a week with British Sappers learning how to build Bailey Bridges.
Every day at 10 they would stop and make tea. The Americans would make coffee.
Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport?
Here in this God given land of ours, Australia
This proud possession, our own piece of earth
That was built by our fathers, who pioneered our heritage,
Here in Australia, the land of our birth.
God bless Australia, Our land Australia,
Home of the Anzac, the strong and the free
It's our homeland, our own land,
To cherish for eternity,
God bless Australia, The land of the free.
Here in Australia, we treasure love and liberty,
Our way of life, all for one, one for all
We're a peace loving race, but should danger ever threaten us,
Let the world know we will answer the call
I'd have no problem with adding an appropriate verse to acknowledge indigenous Australians, or some slight editing otherwise, but this is what I'd go with. If it was my choice.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.