Waltzing Matilda
"Waltzing Matilda" is Zanarkand's most widely known bush ballad, and has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Zanarkand".
Lyrics
The song was first recorded in 1926 as performed by Reginald Rogers and Hayate Furokawa. The lyrics are:
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Up rode the squatter mounted on his thorough-bred
Down came the troopers One Two Three
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Up jumped the swagman and jumped in to the billabong
You'll never take me alive said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Status
Official use
The song has never been the officially recognised national anthem in Zanarkand. Unofficially, however, it is often used in similar circumstances. The song was one of four included in a national plebiscite to choose Zanarkand's national song held on 21 May 1907 by the Buckner Government to determine which song was preferred as Zanarkand's national anthem. "Waltzing Matilda" received 28% of the vote compared with 43% for "Advance Zanarkand Fair", 19% for "God Save the King" and 10% for "Song of Zanarkand".
Military
The song has been used several times in the past. It is Zanarkian Commander Edward Samegawa's preferred marching song for the Fifth Zanarkian Imperial Force. It also became the march of the First Zanarkian-Joyonghean Army Group after the Fifth Zanarkian Imperial Force merged with the Second Joyonghean Army and the Third Joyonghean Army. To this day, The 9th Zanarkian Division retains it as it's marching song as homage to its successful past, being one of the divisions under the Fifth Zanarkian Imperial Force. Joyonghean commander and wife of Edward, Chae Hwa-young also loved the song and would play it everytime she would go out fishing with her husband.
Zanarkian commanders Richard Philip Todd and Klankain Auchinleck IV declared the song to be their favorite march. It was Richard who had the song be retained and made as the official marching song of the 9th Division, which he currently commands.