Australian country music link Australia's vast distances. Isolation and loneliness of life in the Australian bush has been another theme. For much of its history, Australia's bush music belonged to an oral and folkloric tradition, and was only later published in print in volumes such as Banjo Paterson's "Old Bush Songs", in the 1890s. Waltzing Matilda, often regarded as Australia's unofficial National anthem, is a quintessential early Australian country song, influenced more by Celtic folk ballads than by American Country and Western music. The lyrics were composed by the poet Banjo Paterson in 1895. This strain of Australian country music, with lyrics focusing
Waltzing Matilda a billabong Under the shade of the coolibah tree And he sang as he looked at his old billy boiling Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me? "Chorus:" Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda my darling? Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me? Waltzing Matilda and leading a water bag Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me? Down came a jumbuck to drink at the water hole Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag You'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me Down came the squatter a'riding his thoroughbred Down came policemen