John Williamson’s ‘Waltzing Matilda’ is back. Great!
Columnist
By Spiro Zavos, 28 Jun 2007 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
During the Rod Macqueen era when the Wallabies won every trophy it was possible to win, a feature of the pre-test foreplay was John Williamson singing ‘Waltzing Matilda’.
The anthem started as the Wallabies took off their track suits before lining up for the kick-off. There was the weathered Williamson, with his gold Wallaby scarf draped around his neck, singing out Australia’s unofficial anthem. And the crowds around Australia would join in with a resonant and patriotic fervour.
Rod Macqueen, ever the master of strategy, wanted some sort of counter to the All Blacks haka. After the haka the All Blacks took the field all fired up. But their opponents had been standing around for some minutes.
Macqueen decided to put his players in track suits. After the haka the Wallabies were told to take off their track suits as slowly as possible. Now it was the All Blacks turn to wait around. And to compound the pressure on the All Blacks, John Williamson, a great Wallaby supporter, was asked to sing ‘Waltzing Matilda.’ After his stirring rendition, backed up by a full-throated crowd, the emotional charge had shifted to the Wallabies from the All Blacks.
For reasons unknown Williamson’s wonderful turn was dropped from Wallaby games in Australia. Is it a coincidence that the Wallabies started to lose home tests that were won in the Macqueen era?
On Saturday night, though, at Melbourne, John Williamson is back. The minstrel of the Wallabies will be there in his gold scarf after the haka to lead the huge crowd in song, in the battler’s anthem, ‘Waltzing Matilda.’
John you’ve been sorely missed …
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Mart said | June 28th 2007 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
Spiro – agree 100% about the importance of wresting the mindgame initiative back from the post-Haka blaze but I’ve always found Williamson’s Waltzing Matilda cameo to be utterly cringeworthy and embarrassing at Wallaby games. I will on Saturday too I’m sure. Having said that I have no valid alternative suggestion as to what may be done by the ARU in its place to send the Wallabies into battle pumped. Mind you, should the ARU really need to do this ? How about good old-fashioned patron support from the stands ? Anyone who saw England’s support at the last World Cup, the British Lions support on their last tour here, or even the AB’s support at any Australian Bledisloe will know what a difference passionate and vocal support makes not just to “their team” but also to the whole occassion. Why is this sort of support so lacking from Australian fans ? It’s not as though we haven’t had anything to cheer about (admittedly not recently !). Bring your voices on Saturday !
Colin said | June 28th 2007 @ 12:32pm | Report comment
Spiro, have you ever actually listened to what the song is about? It is hardly a “battler’s anthem”. It is about a cowardly thief, who stole a sheep then rather than facing the police he commited suicide. Hardly stirring stuff, hardly a song to raise your dander, especially as it is sung in a slow tempo with a laconic drawl.
I say give it away, ignore the Haka and get on with the rugby.
Colin
Michael said | June 28th 2007 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
Spiro,
I personally find Williamson incredibly jingoistic and ready to jump on any baandwagaon to present himself as the voice of ‘true’ Australia. (see tTue Blue!)
I can’t stand the concept of a ‘forced’ response and while I thought it was Ok to play at the RWC (as we were hosting the world) It soon lost its appeal, to me and others and that is why it was dropped. People stopped singing it!
Let’s respect the Haka. I think the South African’s response last week was incredibley disrepectful. I love the Haka and see it a vital part of the theatre.
PS Love your work Loges!
Michael
spiro zavos said | June 28th 2007 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
I don’t find the singing of Waltzing Matilda insulting to the haka. The words of course are inappropriate. But most words to anthems are. Look at the anthem England sings before its rugby test ‘God save the queen …’ Has there ever been more puerile words penned as these for an anthem for a country? At least the NZ anthem asks God to defend NZ, not Helen Clarke. The English anthem was a PR stunt in the 18th century when an aristocrat from Hanover became George 1 of England. He couldn’t speak any English. A german folk melody was given specific words, like an advertisement, to convince the English that they should support their new king. This is why the anthem specifically refers to the monarch, and not the country.
Give me ‘Waltzing Matilda,, music and words, any day. It has become the battler’s anthem because the spirit of the words, rather than their actual meaning, has become the essence of the song.
It should be remembered, too, that there is a precedent to singing an anthem after the haka. When the All Blacks played Wales in 1905 the NZ players did the haka. Then there was a silence. One of the Welsh players started singing ‘Land Of Our Fathers.’ The rest of the players joined in, and then the vast crowd.
And so the second greatest pre-test ritual, a Welsh crowd singing ‘Land of our Fathers,’ had its beginning.
Farmer said | June 28th 2007 @ 1:31pm | Report comment
Spiro,
I’m with you.
I think if we looked at the words to most songs, they never live up to the “whole package”. “Girt by sea” doesn’t make much sense either but it is part of the package.
Waltzing Matilda is uniquely Australian, every Australian knows it and it does generate a uniting feeling for Australians.
While we are on the pre match activities, can we just get somebody to sing the National Anthem is a straightforward way that makes it easy for the crowd to also sing along.
Forget the opera singers, the divas, the rappers or Australin Idol drop outs looking to do their own unique version of the anthem. The anthem should be another opportunity to unite the locals . Sing it straight and loud and get the crowd and home team singing along.
Put the opera singers on the visiting teams anthem – let the opposition side find it impossible to sing along with. Kill their emotion , not ours.
DaniE said | June 28th 2007 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
^^ Totally agree with you on the anthems Farmer!
However, while John Williamson and Waltzing Matilda were really nice the first time round, I got sick of it after a while. And I remember being at test matches where the spectators around me just groaned when Waltzing Matilda came on air. The song just doesn’t have “it” – whatever that is, in terms of crowd popularity and motivation. Given that, I can’t think of an alternative.
Dan Fitzgerald said | June 28th 2007 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
I’m with Michael.Not only is he jingoistic but he is also something of a class chameleon. Having been educated at Melbourne’s exclusive Scotch College,the elocution has been adjusted to reflect that annoying false vernacular which delivers multi-syllable words such as “troiuuw bloiuuw”. But fair dinkum,lots love him and like it or not,he will be leading the singing at the MCG on Saturday for a bit more cringe.Maybe the Wallabies could develop a haka of their own built on the “Old McDonald had a farm” theme with crowd interaction on the “ei ei o” bit. And Spiro – raised on Dylan,how can you have lowered the colours so far to sing the praises of C & W.
Cliff Henkel (Kyrgyzstan) said | June 28th 2007 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
Spiro and Farmer I am with you. The rest of you should pack your bags and vacate the country. I do not see you offering any alternative.
The words – Mate if I remember our history, the majority of people who first came to this country were thieves. Who cares – get soemthing that stirs – and – if it is done correctly and orchestrated – Waltzing Matilda can be very nationalistic when done correctly. I agree with “farmer” – odd name mate. — “Waltzing Matilda is uniquely Australian, every Australian knows it and it does generate a uniting feeling for Australians: — truer words were not said.
Ever heard the English live at a Rugby Game with “Swing High Swing low – Sweet Chariots”.
If th majority of Aussies got off their backsides at Rugby Games and SANG FULL THROTTLE and kept it going when the players need some encouragement.
Not Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi, Oi Oi.
And as for Dylan, I am a Dylan Fan – but is he Australian???
Wake up and come up with alternatives or SHUT UP.
Joe said | June 28th 2007 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
G’day cobbers,
A few here are suggesting they can’t think of an alternative singer for Matilda than Tru Blu John, who I’ve never actually minded regardless what school his parents put him through etc; but remember a chap by the name of Noel Watson (if he’s deceased, my sincere apologies. Something tells me he might be) and his knockout rendition of Banjo’s tune? It’s slower and therefore would take longer, but there ain’t a better version anywhere of our traditional hymn, and it’s available on “Ray Hadley presents Real Good Music” cd, either from 2GB or Sanity.com.au (no I don’t work for either party).
Michael said, “Let’s respect the Haka. I think the South Africans’ response last week was incredibly disrespectful. I love the Haka and see it a vital part of the theatre.” Obviously you’re a Kiwi, and whilst it is entertaining and part of rugby’s tradition, I didn’t see any disrespect metered out by the Boks while it was being performed last week; they merely stood their ground and faced off the men in Black – hopefully we will wear our tracksuits out onto the paddock, do as the Boks did during the Haka, and then slowly strip down as John wails away in the background. Excellent! Promises to be a terrific game.
By the way Spiro, that’s very interesting about the true origins and meaning behind “God Save the Queen”.
Mike said | December 6th 2010 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Noel Watson is not deceased or if he is no one told him , Noel has retired due to ill health and lives a quiet life in Country Victoria.
WLN said | June 28th 2007 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
The McQueen mindgames were OK when the team could back it up on the field – now the extra warm-up field drills looks like the team is trying to cram in some extra practice.
The best way for the Wallabies to take on the haka is to stand, face it and then bring it to the field. Then the best way to antagonise them in the game is to beat them. Gregan’s “Four more years..” sledge stirred up more emotion in both both sides than making them wait while the Wallabies removed their trackies could ever have done.
The Wallabies will need any, preferably many, renditions of “Waltzing Matilda” this weekend. The poor weather will ensure that none of the MCG members will bother turning up to fill the ground to capacity and with the field so far from the stands and nobody in the team calling Victoria home, it could be a very long day at the office for the Green and Gold. Some home advantage huh?