Whingeing Aussies:-).

Englishman 22 years ago

August 29, 2003

Rugby fans furious at 'Matilda' ban

JOHN HOWARD, the Australian Prime Minister, urged his countrymen yesterday to defy a “ridiculous” ban on the singing of Waltzing Matilda at the Rugby World Cup.

Australian fans are furious at a ruling by the International Rugby Board that only a country’s national anthem may be sung before games at the tournament, which begins on October 10. Waltzing Matilda is traditionally belted out by thousands of Wallabies’ fans before every home game.

“I think it’s very silly. I resent it,” Mr Howard said. “How are they going to stop it being sung? You try and stop 82,000 Australians singing Waltzing Matilda, you’ll only make their night.”

The Australian Rugby Union has made a formal request to the board for the song to be performed at the World Cup and is awaiting a decision at a meeting on Monday.

While Waltzing Matilda, which tells the doleful tale of an itinerant sheep-stealer, is an Australian icon, it is not the national anthem. That privilege goes to Advance Australia Fair, which replaced God Save the Queen in 1984 after a national plebiscite.

While the board has made an exception for performances deemed to be of cultural significance, such as New Zealand’s haka and similar war dances by Pacific nations, it apparently does not class Waltzing Matilda in the same category.

Chris Rea, a board spokesman, said: “I don’t think the same concession should apply to this. It’s a song the crowd likes to sing along to, but it’s just not the same.”

Mr Howard, who has supported Waltzing Matilda as Australia’s national anthem, called it “deeply evocative of Australian culture” and said: “Nations determine their culture, not other people.” Asked if he would encourage people to sing the song he said: “Of course I will. I think it’s ridiculous.”

Part tradition, part advertising jingle

The song was written as a poem by A. B. “Banjo” Paterson in 1895 and set to music by Christina Macpherson

The most popular version, arranged by Marie Cowan (circa 1903), varies from the Paterson wording and music. It was set to a Scottish tune called Craigielee

An oral tradition, known as the Queensland version, has a different tune but the Paterson lyrics

The line “waited till his ‘Billy’ boiled” was added by Cowan to advertise Billy Tea. Sheet music was given away with the tea

The swagman in the song is believed to have been Samuel “Frenchy” Hoffmeister, an itinerant shearer who killed himself by a waterhole while Paterson was staying at a nearby property

END.

Australia should win their group, England should win theirs too, unless the South Africans pull something out of the bag. Which means that the Ozzies could have to face up to the ferocious English, who, BTW, are rated as the Best Team In The Whole World.

Swing low sweet chariot versus Waltzing Matilda!

Englishman.

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caspian 22 years ago

Q.What do you call 15 blokes watching the Rugby World Cup Final.

A. The Wallabies.

Cas

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refiners fire 22 years ago

I dont think they should sing Waltzing Matilda at the Rugby or anywhere else for that matter. Its a lousy song anyway. For some reason there was a big push to have it as the National Anthem a few years back.Personally i still prefer "God save the Queen".

By the way,E man, when I went to the England V Australia rugger match here a month or so back I was rooting for mother England. The 10,000 brit fans made more noise than the 40,000 Aussies. And of course, when the oxxies were definitely losing the Oz fans started geeting all agressive and nasty.

Poor losers. Always have been.

Lol

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refiners fire 22 years ago

Theyre Lousy winners too.I was there the day of the infamous "Underarm Bowl" under Chappell. Only an ozzie would have done something so base. Only 70,000 ozzies would have cheered and applauded something so base.

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Prisca 22 years ago

Whinging Pom has a far better ring to it than "whinging Aussie"

Just for those who are wondering what song is Eman talking the heck about, here are the lyrics and an explanation of the words.

May I add: it's not the words that mean anything to us Aussies, but it's the tradition and emotion of nationality and Australianness that the song evokes. It's an Aussie thing - only an Aussie would understand it

Once a jolly swagman camped by a Billabong
Under the shade of a Coolabah tree
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"
Down come a jumbuck to drink at the water hole
Up jumped a swagman and grabbed him in glee
And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me'".
Up rode the Squatter a riding his thoroughbred
Up rode the Trooper - one, two, three
"Where's that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?",
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".
But the swagman he up and jumped in the water hole
Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree,
And his ghost may be heard as it sings in the Billabong,
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

A.B. (Banjo) Paterson

Explanation of Australian slang in the song

Billabong	A waterhole.
Billy	A can or small kettle used to boil water for tea.
Coolabah tree	A type of native tree in Australia
Jumbuck	A sheep. There are 20 times as many sheep as there are people in Australia.
Squatter	At one time, squatters claimed (seized) land for themselves in addition to land that they had been granted. Eventually through the continuous occupation of the land, their claims were legitimised in the eyes of the law.
Swagman	Someone who lives on the open road. A hobo. The term came from the canvas bag that they would carry their bedroll and/or belongings in.
Trooper	In Australia's early days, there was no police force. The colony was protected by and policed by soldiers and even when a police force was eventually formed, they were still referred to as 'troopers'.
Tucker bag	A bag for storing food in the bush.

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~enigman/australia/waltz_mat.html

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refiners fire 22 years ago

My mothers boyfriend is your classic "whingeing pom". There really is such a creature. The guy never has anything good to say about anything. My wife and I took them out for dinner a few weeks ago to an English pub / restaraunt. Our "shout", I took him to the bar to buy him a drink and he moaned and groaned endlessly, making a scene, when he discovered the beer wasnt on tap,it was only in bottles. Moaning bastard.

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refiners fire 22 years ago

"What!? ...you dont 'ave any beer on tap??....bloody 'ell....what kind of an english pub iz it?....EEEh, bloody 'ell....bugger me.... what a bleedin' joke....."

Mardy, ungrateful git.

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