Banjo & Christina

Waltzing Matilda is the song that makes Australian spirits soar; the song that is sung wherever people want to declare that they are Australian. Its part of the Australian legend - but how and why was the song written, what do its words mean, who was that Jolly Swagman? Who really wrote the song; do its words carry a political message calling for revolutionary change in the Australia of the 1890s, or was the song a simple ditty written to amuse a house party at Dagworth station, near Winton? All of these issues are explored by the authors, who carefully assess the evidence for the various arguments. 'This fluent, engaging and vivacious book flashes light on the main controversies centred on this national song' (Geoffrey Blainey, Australia's pre-eminent historian, in his Foreword to the book.)