Australia's much loved unofficial anthem, 'Waltzing Matilda' is a popular hum in Spain. It has become a surprise hit after being featured in an ad campaign screened during the Champions League Soccer final bringing in imageries of summer.
The song of a '
jolly swagman' camped by a '
billabong' under the shade of a '
Coolibah' tree - and a '
jumbuck' ending in his '
tuckerbag' (pronounced 'taackaaH-baahhG') must have the Spanish stumped, but they are singing the Aussie song.
The Aussie bush song was featured in an ad for the telecommunications company Orange. The ad was filmed in Barcelona wherein the main character calls and organises his friends for an impromptu rooftop summer party. His friends come along bringing their own Aussie summer gear, such as beach umbrellas, surfboards and wading pools.
The song seemed to have generated a huge amount of interest in online chatrooms and talk-back radio regarding what the Aussie slang words mean. Though the lyrics of the song does not fit a beach or pool party, Orange executives seemed to have successfully matched the song to the mood of summer, fun and sun.
'Waltzing Matilda' almost became Australia's official national anthem coming second to 'Advance Australia Fair' in 1974. It was first penned by the famous bush poet, Banjo Patterson and it has
three versions.
It is often sung by Australians in international sports events and social gatherings along with Men at Work's "Down Under" - and it is quite common for anyone else to become affectionately an unofficial Aussie when one sings either song.
