This along with "and the band played waltzing matilda" and "When the tigers broke free" are some of the most poignant war/anti war songs ever.

I don't think it's possible to go to school here without learning Waltzing Matilda I think most folks would've had to learn "Australians all eat ostriches" too... although since everybody mumbled the words a lot of them probably thought they were the real words.

@oritteropo Yo swagwoman, what's in your tucker-bag???? Betcha know all the verses to Waltzing Matilda as well, eh?

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

It wouldn't be hard - Aussie police love them some taser action. I could probably get it for singing Waltzing Matilda off-key or proclaiming that Paul Hogan is not a national treasure.>> ^deathcow:

OK we've seen MarineGunrocks sandwich, and we've seen Barseps finger, and we've seen UsesProzacs syrup holster... lets start taking suggestions for the next one. Any votes for
"Dag gets tased by Australian Police"

Your video, Mongolian Throat Singer Sings Waltzing Matilda, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

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Interesting You know, your visit could well have coincided with the time frame I was talking about listening to "And the band played..." in music class. I'm not entirely sure why the band played Waltzing Matilda (but that link might have some clues). In 1918 the real Australian anthem was "God save the King", our current one wasn't chosen until 1974, but I think Matilda has always been popular. The link to Gallipoli is interesting too. After the war, Mustafa Kemal, who had been commander of the Turkish forces on the day of the invasion wrote a tribute to the Australian troops quoted at the Australian war memorial's web site, http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/ataturk.asp

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well."

P.S. I got side tracked and forgot that I meant to send you a link to "I was only 19", another sad Australian ballad about returned soldiers.
In reply to this comment by AdrianBlack:
I've known it was sort of the un-official national anthem for Australia since I was little (I was there when I was 9yrs old), so I guess I've always heard it in an Australian voice.
I also had a music box as a child that had Waltzing Matilda as it's song.

How well known it is to others, I don't know. I always seem to be the one that collects odd little facts.

Lol, nice accent, btw.

Cheerio!

I've known it was sort of the un-official national anthem for Australia since I was little (I was there when I was 9yrs old), so I guess I've always heard it in an Australian voice.
I also had a music box as a child that had Waltzing Matilda as it's song.

How well known it is to others, I don't know. I always seem to be the one that collects odd little facts.

Lol, nice accent, btw.

Cheerio!

In reply to this comment by oritteropo:
(clears throat, puts on posh British accent) Oh, how embarrasing! I've been caught commiting an Australianism!

How well known is that ballad in your parts? I remember listening to it in primary school music class, many moons ago :, so it hadn't really crossed my mind that it might've had much exposure outside Australia... and yet here's an Irish cover and you seem more familiar with another version.
In reply to this comment by AdrianBlack:
I have always loved story songs/ballads. That was fun to hear in an Irish accent!

Thank you, btw! Tis what I do. *grins*

sunnies....cute.

I have always loved story songs/ballads. That was fun to hear in an Irish accent!

Thank you, btw! Tis what I do. *grins*

sunnies....cute.

In reply to this comment by oritteropo:
An Irish folk group, with an Australian song
http://videosift.com/video/Clancy-Brothers-Waltzing-Matilda

Your avatar really fits in with the raiding and pillaging theme... sword, motorbike, sunnies :

An Irish folk group, with an Australian song
http://videosift.com/video/Clancy-Brothers-Waltzing-Matilda

Your avatar really fits in with the raiding and pillaging theme... sword, motorbike, sunnies

You might like this one, it's the Clancy Brothers (i.e. the Irish band), with an Australian song... the poster is a probie who hasn't marked it downunder, livemusic, or celtic (so even if you don't upvote, you could at least do that)

http://videosift.com/video/Clancy-Brothers-Waltzing-Matilda

The song is called "And the Band Played 'Waltzing Matilda'"

if you have some time, hang out in the sift lounge.

theres some people in there that can spare a *doublepromote

More evidence, if any was needed, that Waltzing Matilda should be our national anthem.

Great sift, thanks.

Wasted and wounded, it ain't what the moon did
I've got what I paid for now
see ya tomorrow, hey Frank, can I borrow
a couple of bucks from you, to go
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda, you'll go waltzing
Matilda with me

I'm an innocent victim of a blinded alley
and I'm tired of all these soldiers here
no one speaks English, and everything's broken
and my Stacys are soaking wet
to go waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda, you'll go waltzing Matilda with me

now the dogs are barking
and the taxi cab's parking
a lot they can do for me
I begged you to stab me
you tore my shirt open
and I'm down on my knees tonight
Old Bushmill's I staggered, you buried the dagger in
your silhouette window light to go
waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda, you'll go waltzing
Matilda with me

now I lost my Saint Christopher now that I've kissed her and the one-armed bandit knows, and the maverick Chinamen, and the cold-blooded signs
and the girls down by the strip-tease shows go
waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda, you'll go waltzing Matilda with me

no, I don't want your sympathy, the fugitives say that the streets aren't for dreaming now
manslaughter dragnets and the ghosts that sell memories
they want a piece of the action anyhow go
waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda, you'll go waltzing Matilda with me

and you can ask any sailor, and the keys from the jailor
and the old men in wheelchairs know
that Matilda's the defendant, she killed about a hundred
and she follows wherever you may go
waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda, you'll go waltzing
Matilda with me

and it's a battered old suitcase to a hotel someplace
and a wound that will never heal
no prima donna, the perfume is on
an old shirt that is stained with blood and whiskey
and goodnight to the street sweepers
the night watchman flame keepers
and goodnight to Matilda too

*dupeof=http://www.videosift.com/video/Tom-Waits-Waltzing-Matilda-live-1977

This video has been declared a duplicate; transferring votes to the original video and killing this dupe - dupeof declared by gwiz665.